American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-07-26
NEWS PARTMENT.
HORRIBLE RAILROAD ACCIDENT.
FEARFUL LOSS OF LIFE.

uVRKiDLE NAlLkOAD ACCIDENV.
FEARFUL LOSS OF LIFE.
PHILADELrnIA. July TIA torinus
accident is reported as havina occurred
ION tho Nor'h Pennsylvania Railroad
this morning to an excursion train con-
tanning the Sunday School of>St. Mich
aePs Church. The report is that the
locomotive exploded aud set fro to the
cars. Several lives were lost. The
accident occurred near For, Washing.
ton.
SECOND DEsrATcu.
PHILApELPHIA, July I'LL, A. Nj.
The accident Was collision. 1t oc.
CURED about n O'clock. between the
down train and excursion train. Hor.
rible rumors have reached tho city
some making the number Of killed from
Gfty to sigty, others say two hundred
lives hare Teen losti
THIRD DESPATCH
Parliamentary July II. % o'clock
The latest accounts from the scene of
the disaster report thirtyGce killed
and nearly one Auadred badly rounded.
There were eight hundred persons
on the train.
Six cars were entirely demolished.
Among the killed is Father Sheridan.
the priest of st. Michael's Church.
FOURTH DEspATcHl
The excursion train contained eleven
hundred children, parents and teach
ers. The trains came in collision at a
curve near Fort Washington with
the. down train, the latter was CO.
ing very slowly. The excursion tain
was going very rapidly, endeavoring to
reach the stopping place. Both the To-
comotiyes were crushed, and three
cars of Tho excursion train, together
with those that was consumed by fire;
number were crushed beneath the
ruins so that extrication was impossible.
The scene was most heart rending.
Eleven mon and women, and two
children were consumed in one car
The total killed is SO, and the number
wounded 6S.
.a- ...-. LATER. .. -. .....
The scene of,he disaster is fourteen
miles from the city, in the neighborhood
oftwo curves, so tina, approaching trains
cannot be seen FIVE hundred yards dis
tant. The track is also single. When
the locomotives came together they rose
on end, the fire boxes of each nearly
touching, and fello acloss the road.
The fire being scattered about the
wreck, the first excursion car soon
caught fire, and the flames rapidly com.
municated to the two others piled upon
it. The most extraordinary efforts
were mado to extricate the unfortunate
mutilated beings who were crushed a.
mid the wreck, rending the airwith their
dying groans. Many Of these poor be-
ings were still alive when the fames
reached Them, and thus suffered as it
were a double death. Their groans
and shrieks for aid were awful and
heart.rending, altogether beyond the
power oflanguage.
Fortunately, there were two hotels,
dwelling, and blacksmith shop aud
small shed within three hundred yards
Of the wreck, all of which was used to
shelter the dying and wounded. A
number Of physicians from the city and
from Germantown were early in atten-
dance doing all within their power TO
aid the sufferers.
Two fire engines from Chestnut Hill
came to the spot, and forced water
through hose to the wreck from neigh
boring stream. After working for
several hours the fire was extingushed
and the human remains were removed
Nineteen burned bodies were removed
to the blacksmith shop-three supposed
10 be females. Undor another shed
were placed eight o!her bodies so char
red by the flames as to defy recogni.
ton.
The body Of Father Sheridan has
been recovered and brought to the city.
An immense crowd was attracted to
the spot from the heighboring houses &
the surrounding seclions of the coup.
try. Many friends oftbe excursionists
walked from the city and others pro
ceeded hither in every description Of ve-
hecle, which were made use of in con-
veyiDg the manned and dead TO the
city.
THE LATEST.
PHILADELPHIA, 10 p. Mali the re-.
mans of the victims have been gathered
up and brought to the city. Twenty
seven bodies have not been recognised.
They arc mostly burned so as to defy
recognition.
-------------s-oe -
Disaster ON Lake Erie Steamer burnt
and many Lives Lost.
BUFFALO, July l7.--The steamer
Northern Indiania took fire at elaYen