The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1856-07-31
rrun sAe Phiiadslphia Ledger, Of the 18th
Terrible RailroaA Accident.


We are called upon this morning to record
me Of the most appalling railroad accidents
which has ever occurred in this country, caused
,y collision between two trains on the North
Pennsylvania Railroad, one being an excursion
rain. with six hundred children attached to
he Sunday School Of st. Michal's Catholic
Church. Kensingtou. -aa
This train left Shackamaxon depot at five
o'clock yesterday morning, with its living
freight Of happy children, their psren.s and
teachers, looking forward in anticipation 81
the pleasures and enjoyments OF day spent
amid the beautiful scenes Of WhitemArsh val
lev. The excursion was % large, there being
twelve hundred tickets sold, We are informed,
that it was divided into two trains, the hrst
carrying GOO persons. 1t was under the charge
of Alfred +. Hoppel, one OF the regular con,
ductors on the road. Owing 70 the number OF
persons in the cars. the train was delayed be
yond the time appointed Tor II 70 start, hence
the speed was increased on the way to make up
the time thus lost.
At few minutes after six O'Clock, the ex-
cursionists reached Camp Hin, near Fort
Washington, some thirteen miles from Phila-
delphia, and while passing around the curve nj
this point, and the track also being hid by .
deep cut, the locomotive, while pulling the
train at the rate Of about thirty miles per hour
came in collision with the regular passenger
train which left Gwynedd at six O'Clock, and
which was under the charge OF Mr.. VIM Van
stavoren. The engineers on the train did not
see the danger until they were within one hun
bred yards Of each other; the breaks were i'm
mediatey put down and the engines reversed,
but not In time to break the force OF the con
cussion.
The fireman Oh the excursion train, John
Butcher, was thrown about 800 feet in field,
and escaped with but slight and not at all dan
gcrous wounds The engineer, Mr.. Henry
Harris, hell between the engine and tender and
was almost instantly killed. Five OF the ex-
cursion cars were broken to atoms, scattering
their living load upon the ground. To add to
the confusion and horror OF the scene, several
~ 81. s1.5 r~s sst Ell Ere Soe7 ss.':, !s'.z -
the locomotive and many Of the passengers
crushed beneath. Those who were endeavoring
TO fee from the burning car were su1ocated or
burnt to crisp. Among this number was
the pastor OF the church to which the Sunday
School was attached, Father Sheridan. lie
was so badly disfgured that his face could not
be recognized.
The down train escaped with but slight dam
age, and no one upon it was seriously hurt, ex-
cept Joseph Edwards, the baggage master,
who had one OF bis legs broken, caused, We I'M
stand, by his jumping from the train.
The scene at this time Is described as most
terrible. The shrieks Of the dying and wound
ed and the lamentations OF those who had es-
capped themselves but lost relatives or friends by
the accident, all combined to render the event
one Of the most appalling that has ever occur.
red in our State. As soon as the news reached
the city terror and alarm seized upon those
who resided in that portion Of the city where
the excursionists came from. Thousands OF
persons ilocked 10 the Shsckamaxon depot,
at Washington and Montgomery streets, for
the purpose OF ascertaining the exeent OF the
accident and the fate Of their friends and rela
tivcs.
At the approach to the Station-house OF the
train which had been sent down to the city,
the rush Of those desiring admission was 80
great that il was with difficulty that large
police force could keep them out. The build
ing was then surrounded by weeping friends,
while inside the shreks Of the wounded made
the scene very appalling. The carpenters in.
side and number Of persons to assist them,
were bnsily engaged In constructing tempora-
~ filters, 10 remove the wounded. The dead
were placed side by side. on q platform erected
for the purpose.
As soon as the dead and wounded were re
moved from the cars, they were again despatch
ed TO the scene Of the accident, for the purpose
Of bringing in the bodies that had not been re
moved from under the cars. at the time Of the
leaving Of the first train.
This dreadful affair, we presume, will he
| thoroughly investigated. The blame is thrown
L.. Al ~ L.
train, who, ii is said, disobeyed the standing
instructions Of the Company by not stopping
the train and waiting for the down train, when
he found that be Was behind his time. A fear
iul amount Of responsibility rests upon some
body's shoulder. On the other hand, it is said.
that the engineer Of the down train was ahead
Of time. and that this was the cause Of the col
lission. The conductor Of the down train, We
understand, committed suicide yesterday, after
the accident by swallowing arsenic He was
probably driven to this rash act by the fear
that the blame for the terrible calamity Of yes
terday would he thrown upon him. He lived
in Bu'tonwood street. above Tenth.
\ gentleman who saw the accident, and was
within ffty yards Of the spot where the collision
occurred, states that the cars on both trains
were running about 30 miles an hour. On com
ing in sight OF each other both whistled for
down brakes" but the distance was too short
to prevent a collision. On coming together.
both engines struck with tremendous iorcs, rear.
ed up and fell over on their sides, the bottoms
ofboth engines coming together. The first two
passenger cars performed the same evolutions a.
the engines, the third car being piled on the first
two. making complete wreck Of all, the force
OF the collision scattering the burning cinders
arm he. ...I -. G..