Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-07-19
THE RAILROAD COLLISION.

THE RAILROAD COLLISION.
The Philadelphia papers of yesterday are
filled with the distressing accounts of the col
lision on the North Pennsylvania Railroad, by
which ffty-two lives were lost, and aboutsne
hundred wounded, fully one third of whom
can scarcely survive. The Ledger says:
The excursion train proceeded at a rather
slow rate for some miles, owing to the great
weight to be drawn Then, fearful that he
would not reach the station in time for the
down train, Mr.. Hopple ordered an increase
Of speed, and as the train approached Dewey 8
Lane, which is about 12t miles from the civ,
it was running at quite a rapid rate. Still,
no accident was apprehended, as the rules of
the road required the down train to wait q E
teen minutes at the station, and if the up train
did not then appear, to send O man on horse
back, with a dag. ahead, to give notice tn at
the train was coming.
The regular train for the city, left Gwynned
at 6 o'clock and Ia minutes, the conductor
being Mr. Vanstavoren. At eighteen minutes
after o'clock the train reached Fort Wash
ington station. Finding that the excursion
train had not arrived Mr.. Vanstavoren de-
termined to proceed slowly. He was cautioned,
it is alleged, that he was ahead of time, but
maintained that he was not, and the train
went on. Thus, then, the excursion train was
approaching the curve of Dewey's Lane at a
rapid rate, while the down train was coming
at an ordinary rate of speed-and neither con !.
ductor was anticipating any trouble-when
there was a sudden shrek Of the steam whistle
and turning down of breaks-all too late
The iron horse Of the excursion train thun.
dered around the curve and plunged into the
opposing train with an awful crash. A scene
ensued that appals all attempts at description
The three foremost cars of the excursion
train, with their precious burden of human
life, were crushed to pieces upon the locomo-
tive and tender, and while large num Der of
the occupants were instantly killed and man
gled In horrible manner, the shrieks Of the
wonderland of those who, though unhurt,
cried out in agony Of dread-sent a thrill of
terror to the hearts Of all who heard them tn at
can never be forgotten. To add to the horrors
OF the scene, the broken engine set fire to the
cars OF the excursion train, and a number of
the passengers who were unable to get out,
were actually roasted alive!
Lines of men were formed, who speedily pro-
cured buckets and axes, with which they en-
deavored to entinguish the flames and rescue
the unfortunate passengers The FIRE RACED
with fury, however, and utterly defed the OK :
ertlons OF these persons, who were compelled
TO witness the shocking spectacle of men, We
men and children being burned to death,
without having it in their power to extend any
aid. AT this time the aspect Of the wreck Of
the cars, lit up with the devouring ames,
and rendered CHASTITY by the projection calcu.
lated to sicken the sternest heart
The down train suffered considerably bv the
collision. 1t consisted of the locomotive Ara
mlngo, a tender, q smoking and baggage car,
and passenger car. Not more than twenty
passengers were aboard. The locomotive and
tender were broken by the shock, and the
cars considerably injured. The passengers
were either pitched out down the embank-
ment-here about ten feet-or tumbled to.
gether In a manner to receive severe injuries
Inc engineer and fremen were badly hurt.
But all attention was directed to the shock
ing mass Of wreck, death and misery among
the remains of the excursion train As the
number OF assistants increased, the flames
were more vigorously assailed, and large num-
bers OF wounded were extricated and placed
by the roadside. Persons were sent to the
nearest farm houses, and the country people
fastened, with all the appliances at hand, to
the scene of horror. Finally the flames of the
burning cars were eXtinguished, principally
through the aid Of the Chestnut Hill Fire
Company, and then the persons at the scene
who were unhurt had ample opportunity to
take speedy measures for attending to the
wounded, and removing the remains found
among the ruins
Now came fresh series of horrors. Eleven
me1, women and children had been burned to
death in one car. They were caught under
one OF the sides and roasted, 80 that the re-
mains when extricated presented shocking
spectacle. The mangled remains of four men
and women and a child were dug from be meath
the engine and tender. The remains of an
infant were found under the ruins of the an.
CINE, in the ash-pan, The remains of six
other bodies were raked out of the ashes and
ranged side by side on the grass.
The North American says:
At the scene of the disaster, the excitement
among the surviving passengers, and those
who came to the ground, was at one time d.
rected against Mr.. VIM Vanstavoren, the con.
ductor of the down train, whose violation Of
the rules of the road was alleged to have
caused the appallin1calamity. That gentle.
man had borne the reputation Of being a care.
full, Intelligent and reliable man, and many
were at loss to explain his cond uct Soon
after the accident he came to the city. and
Immediately proceeded to his residence. at
Tenth and ButtonwOOd streets. There. Il IL
said, he appeared to be laboring under a
gloomy excitement, either proceeding from
mental trouble, or injuries received by the
collision. He went out and returned about
dinner time, when he retired to bed About
o'clock in the afternoon he was found dead
The story that he had committed suicide bv
taxing arsenic was spread throughout the city,
furnishing material for the gossips, Who have
never sofhcient mouthful when calamity
Vi TINS Kind occure Others said that orie