The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-07-22
nfps Of tbe Ban.
rERR1BLE RAIL ROAD ACCIDENT
as K1I1Ep-1OO WOUNDED.

A collision took place on the North Penn
] syIvania Railroad, on Thursday morning
last, between an excursion Train containing
| the Sabbath School children connected with
| St. Michers church of Philadelphia, ano
the regular train.
Six cars were demolished.
| Thirty five excursionists, including Faith
er Sheridan, were killed, and 100 wounded.
The calamity occurred near Fort Wash
/ ington, and many of the wounded were
! brought to Germantown. near Philadelphia
Surgeons were Immediately dispatched from
Philadelphia to the scene of the disaster.
The excursion train contained eleven
hundred children, parents and teachers
The trains came in collision at curve near
! Fort Washington, with the down train; the
latter was going very slowly. The excur-
sion train was going very rapidly, endeaV-
oring to reach the stopping place Both
the locomotives were crushed and three
cars of the excursion train, together with
those that were in them were consumed by
fire. A number were crushed beneath the
ruins so that extrication was impossible
The scene was most heartrending.
When the locomotives came together
they rose ON end, the fire boxes of each
nearly touching, and fell over across the
| road. The fire being scattered about the
wreck, the first excursion car soon caught
fire, and the flames rapidly communicated
to the others piled up upon it. The most
extraordinary efforts were made to extricate
the unfortunate mutilated beings who were
| crushed amid the wreck and rending the
air with their dying groans.
Many of these poor beings were still alive
| when the flames reached them, and thus
suffered as it were double death. Their
groans and shrieks for aid were awful and
heartrending, altogether beyond the power
of language to describe.
Fortunately there were two hotels, Q
! dwelling and blacksmith shop and small
shed within threehundred yards ofthe wreck,
all of which were used to shelter the dying
| and wounded. A number of physicians
from the city and from Germantown were
early in attendance, doing all within their
power to aid the sufferers.
Two fire engines from Chestnut Hill came
to the spot, and forced water through the
hose to the wreck from neighboring stream,
After working for several hours the fire was
extinguished, and the human remains were
removed. Nineteen burned bodies we're re-
moved to the blacksmith shop-three sup
posed to be females. Under another shed
was placed eight other bodies, SO charred
by the flames as to defy recognition.
The body of Father Sheridan has been
recovered and brought to Philadelphia.
An immense crowd was attracted to the
spot from the surrounding sections of the
country; many friends of the excursionists
walked from Philadelphia, and others pro-
coed thither in every description of vehicle,
which were made use of in bringing the
wounded and dead back to the city.
VIM. Van Sawen, the conductor of the
train, driven to desperation by the calami-
ty, committed suicide by swallowing arsen-
ic. VIM. Lee, the engineer of the same
train, has been arrested and committed for
examination.
All the remains of the victims have been
gathered up and brought to Philadelphia.
Twenty bodies have not been reoog
nized. They are mostly bnrnt so as to de-
fly recognition.