Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-09-08
AWFUL RAILROAD ACCIDENT!
TWENTY TO THIRTY KILLED.
From the Philadelphia Pennsylvania, August sO.l

occurred Oh the Camden and Annoy Railroad,
a short distance above Burlington. We i'm
mediately dispatched our reporters to the scene
of the disaster.
A most horrible sight presented itself to
their view when they reached Burlington. The
dead and dying were scattered around in every
house open to receive them, and to the credit
of Burlington, be it said, no door was closed
against the unfortunates. The ladies, who are
ever foremost in the cause of humanity, con
tributed everything in their power to alleviate
the sufferings of the wounded.
After a most careful inquiry into the facts
which caused the lamentable disaster, we learn
ed the following particulars The 10 o'clock
train from this city left punctually at the APP
pointed hour. On reaching Burlington it was
discovered that the 8 o'clock train from New
York was behind time. The Philadelphia train
held up at this point, according to the rules Of
the road, and then proceeded onward. When
about t~hree-qarters of a mile above Burlington,
the New York train was perceived coming
down, being, as near as we could learn,
about half an hour behind time. The Phila-
delphia train was at once reversed, and backed
down for the purpose of reaching the first turn
out, just outside of the city of Burlington
At the first crossing the train encountered the
carriage of DR.. Hennecken, who resides at
Columbus, about s miles above the scene of
disaster.
The horses were instantly killed, but most
fortunately, the pole of the carriage breaking,
the Doctor, three persons and driver, who were
in the carriage, escaped unhurt. The hind
most car was thrown from the track, and driven
backwards about one hundred yards, when,
another car was thrown diagonally across the
track. One of the other cars were forced
through it, and thrown down an embankment
Oh either side of the road. There were five
cars completely torn to pieces. A more sad
wreck we never witnessed on a railroad. One
of the cars was reduced to sp%linters. Another
was cut in twain. One end was reversed, and
the other end in an upright position, frightfully
shattered. The other cars were ripped from
one end to the other, and beyond repair
Some of the heavy iron axles were twisted into
a bow. The heavy T. rail was bent in some
places and torn from its fastenings, and tie in
side fanges cut as if by a powerful knife.
The wrecked cars lay on either side of the
who were an instant before the occupants of
their seats, and full of life and hope.
As soon as the accident was known, John S.
lTIEh, OIlC vi lIc I'ltClOlS Ou IL DuiItISlOH
and Mount Holly Railroad, the depot of which
is close to the scene of disaster, took a train of
cars and proceeded to the spot. He nobly
assisted in extricating the wounded from the
wreck, and took the cushions and doors of the
cars for beds on which to lay them. He then
started the train down to Burlington, and
prepared quarters for them, where they receiv-
ed such care and attention as their injuries re-
CURED. He then returned with the train and
brought down the dead, who were placed in
collins and taken to the City Lyceum.
Mr.. Benjamin K. Mills of Bridgeport,
Conn, who came Oh the late train, says the
car where he was flew into fragments instantly.
At the first conclusion, those in the rear part
of the car rushed forward, and he had just
risen to beg them for Gods sake to sit still,
when, before he knew what had happened, he
saw the windows and timbers lying in every
direction. A gentleman named Humphreys,
of Peoria. ILL.,, was sitting on the same seat
with Mr.. Mills, and had just been taking his
counsel as to the best route to Boston. He
was killed by his side, the back of his head
being completely cut off. Mr.. Mills says that
the first he knew he found that he was going
through the bottom of the car, and thought
his last hour had come. He fell among the
trucks, his face in the sand and his throat
across a bar of iron. His leg was badly con-
fused, and he suffered somewhat from internal
injuries.
Mr.. Ray states that a woman lost her hus-
band who was sitting on the same seat with
her.
The conduct of the ladies on the train is
said to have been above all praise. Their
presence of mind was something extraordinary
on such an occasion.
DIR. Heineken, whose carriage the train ran
into, gave us the following statement | was
driving to Florence to visit some patients, and
on my return to Burlington, l turned from the
River road to the Bordentown road. | heard
no alarm or whistle. | looked up the road and
saw no cars coming. / then looked down to-
wards Burlington, and saw no train. | then
kept on towards the Railroad, and just as |
arrived at the crossing, | hearda rumbling noise
like the cars coming. / then quickly reined up
my horses, but they were going with such great
speed that I could only check them enough to
keep my carriage off the track. The cars
were backing at the rate of thirty miles an
hour. The cars struck my horses and and over
turned the carriage. | was accompanied by
my wife and father-in-law, THos. ANrRAM Esq.
and wife, together with my child. | was
thrown out of the carriage | now bear the
marks upon my shoulder. None in the CARR
age were seriously injured. My horses were
both instantly killed. think that the engineer
was to blame in not giving the alarm.
| have been cautious from a proceeding ac-
cident which happened several years ago
Several members of my family were run into
by the cars on this same road during my absence
on a visit to a patient.
There was no bell rope attached to the bell.
I have been practicing at Columbus for the
last 80 years. An act of the Legislature
fixes the maximum rate of speed through the
Borough of Burlington, which extends to
where the accident occurred, at six miles per
hour. | am a member of the Presbyterian
Church-at Columbus, the Rev. Saml. Miller is
o,r Doctor