Washington sentinel., 1856-07-19
Terrible Railroad Accident.


nay We find in the lntelligencer the follow
ing account of the terrible accident on Thurs
day upon the Pennsylvania railroad The
cause of it, as usual, was the most criminal
conduct of those having charge of the two
trains. This placing upon single cast as it
were, the lives of hundreds of passengers, will
only be corrected by hanging until they are
dead the scoundrels who thus sacrifice, by whole
sale, human life.
The feeling of public and universal indigna-
ton will be greatly heightened in the present
case by the fact, that many if not most Of the
killed and MANNED, were little children.
As an excursion train of the children of St.
Micbaers, Church Philadelphia, was proceeding
on the North Pennsylvania railroad, Thursday
morning, it came in collision with the down
train. Sir cars aoere entirely demolished, thirty
nine persons killed and sirty-nine manned or
,oounded. Many of the wounded were conveyed
in carriages to Germantown, and surgeons were
dispatched to the scene Of the disaster.
The excursion train contained eleven hundred
children, with their parents and teachers. The
collision occurred in curve near the town OF
Fort Washington, about fourteen miles from
Philadelphia. The down train was running
slowly, but the excursion train was going rapid
ly, endeavoring to reach the stopping place
before meeting the down train. Both locomo-
tives were crushed together, setting fire TO the
mass of broken cars, and consuming the bodies
of many victims of the collision. The scene
was heartrendng
Among the killed are Rev. Daniel Sheridan.
chorister of the church, Hugh Campbell, Mary
Lely James McIntire, John Dogan, Edward
Hall, John Rivers, James Hickey, William
Barnard, Henry Haines, Mary McDelaip,
Catherine McGurk, Ellen Clark, Sarah Nc
Grugan, Catherine McGrugan, Kate McGirr,
John Brady, Margaret Meany, John Mcclure,
James Carney, and Henry Harrison, engineer
of the up train.
In addition, seventeen bodies were counted
beneath the ruins Of the cars, mostly consumed.
Eleven men and women and two children we're
consumed in one car. Total killed 80 wounded
50. Twenty-seven Of the bodies are so burnt
that they cannot be recognized.
When the locomotives came together they
rose on end and the FIRE boxes nearly touched I;
they then fell over directly across the track.
The FIRE being scattered about, the first excursion
car caught, and in turn communicated flames
to the others while upon it. The most extra
ordinary exertions we're made to extrcate the
mutilated and crushed beings amid the wreck.
Many were still alive when the flames reached
them. Their groans and cries we're awful, but
so rapid and fierce we're the flames that no aid
could be rendered them. Two hotels, one
dwelling g-house, blacksmith shop, and a shed
stood within three hundred yards Of the scene,
all Of which we're used to shelter the dying and
wounded A number of physicians from the
city and Germantown we're early in attend
ance.
Two fre-engines from Chestnut Hill forced
water through their hose to the wreck, and,
after working several hours, the human re-
mains were removed. Nineteen burnt bodies
we're removed to the blacksmith shop, three Of
whom were supposed to be females. Under
the shed we're eight bodies SO cbarred as to
defy recognition. The body of Father Sheri-
dan was recovered and brought to this city.
William Vaustavern, the conductor Of the
down.train, has committed suicide by swallow
ing arsenic. William Lee, the engineer of the
same train, has been arrested and committed
for examination.