Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-07-19
PURIFIER PARTICULARS.

PhttGdetphtGI y uly IL the locomotive Ar
amingo, under charge of conductor VIM. Van
Stavoren, left Fort Washing on station, mile
and half below Germantown, at six o clock
and fourteen minutes. When the train was
at the station. the conductor inquired if the
excursion train had arrived. A gentleman
answered in the negative. The conductor
Sil Sitoy OU6lfr pS up. s...d els~t y
gave the word fright. The bell rung, and
the train proceeded down at slow tate; the
engineer was repeatedly sounding his whistle.
The collision tonk place about one hundred
yards north of pewey's Lane, ana twelve and
half miles from Philadelphia.
The up train consisted Of twelve passenger
cars, a baggage car, and locomotive and ten
der. 1t is estimated there were eleven hun
dred persons or this tram, of which over balf
were small children. The crash of the two
trains was distinctly heard at the hotel at Fort
Washington, and for distance of over a mile
out at Dewey's Lane. All the physicians in
the neighborIng towns were summoned to the
place, and used their best efforts to relieve the
wounded.
The most horrible sight Of all, was that of
the burning cars, for III few minutes after
the collision, the fire spread rapidly through
the broken remnants, burning and roasting
to death nineteen men, women, and children.
The groans and shouts of the wounded, and
those held by the legs and arms to the burn
ing wreck, were of character 10 appal the
bravest heart
A line OF men was at once formed and
buckets used to extinguish the flames, but
they ere unsuccessful.
The scene upon arrival at Maser street,
beggars description-the fathers, aud mothers,
and relatives of the excursionists, having as
sembled there to the number of about 1000,
to learn the result of the dreadful catastrophe.
A spectator says The scene was the most
awful l ever witnessed. Of five cars, moth.
ing was left starding but the wheels every
bit of wood work was totally destroyed. A
Number of the dead were lying in heap, so
dreadiully burned that you could not tell
whether they were men or women. Among
these was, it is believed. the Rev. Mr.. Sher.
dan, priest of the st. Michaels Church. He
was with the excursion party, and his body
was not foand.
Under the ruins the bodies of some fifteen
OF eighteen persons could be seen. No por-
ton OF them could be reached but their limbs.
Here leg protruded, and there an arm OF
head could be discovered. The cars could be
seen burning at distance Of four miles and
the Chestnut Hill fire company FASTENED to
the spot, and by their exertions in extinguish.
OF rescuing the dead
A train which started from the scene at Q
z. NJ. brought down about 20 of the wounded.
Under temporary sled lie the bodies Of
eight other human bodies, SO charred as to be
utterly unrecognizable.
Near where the engines came in collision,
portions ofhuman bodies lie among the smok-
ing tlmbess, bent-up IRON, and displaced rails
The scene in the cars beggars description
for horror. Every conceivable kind and de-
gree of wound was to be seen and nothing
save agony from the wounded or their affict-
ed friends and relatives met ones eyes at every
turn.
The place where tho accident occurred is
called Camp Hill station. 1t is IA miles from
Philadelphia. The road curves twice, so hat
at, say so yards off, the locomotives could not
be seen by their respective engineers. The
ground Of the road is made, an embankment
running along for about 100 or $50 yards
This embankment is about 20 feet in height.
The tack is single, and when the locomotives
rushed 80 fatally together, they rose on end,
their tire boxes nearly touched the wheels
were knocked of, and they turned over, and
now lie side by side in the same direction,
which is nearly square across the road.
1t is impossible to say how many lives have
been lost by this most terrible calamity. The
estimates very. but from our personal obser-
walton we should place the number at from
40 to as, and from 81 to 10 wounded, more or
less severely.