Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1864-09-28
- 8 - a z = e. = = /.
LOCAL AFFAIRS

PENNSYLVANIA r. R-On Wednesday
morning last, about o'clock, the Fast
Line. East, on the P r. R., ran into a
@al train at Thompsontown, Ii miles
East of Miffiin, causing most dread.
fuI loss of life and property Owing
to the excitement naturally caused by
such sad affair, it is somewhat diff
cult to get correct account of it.
We copy the following particulars
from an account given in the Pittsburg
Commercial by Mr.. Oliver McClntock,
resident Of that city. who was an
eyewitness to the horrid scene. He
says:
The responsibility of the sad event is laid upon the
conductor Of the coal train which had stopped ar the
station for water being guilty of the inexcu-
saDe ignorance ia occuPying the Fast Lines time or
of the most cuipable negligence in failing of the pre-
caution of sending signaI-man to the TO warn
the approaching fah. especially as the position of
hiS train was at the end of curve and in the midst
Of q dense fog.
The passenger train approached at fu'l speed-the
engineer not discovering the fatal obstruction until
within fifty yards of it, He instantly reversed the
engine. and after whIstling down brakes twice ap-
piled the locomotive brakes which are connected
with all the brakes on the tran-he with the fireman
remaining at their posts and both escaping with but
slight INJURY
But the reversion and check were too late AS the
distance far too short for check upon the speed
under the most favorable circumstances with the ad-
donal disadvantage of the condition of the rails
which caused the wheels to lock and slide with but
little resistance TO the momentum of the train. Scarce
" than second had elapsed before the loco
motive had leaped entirely through coal car and
half the next. shiverng them to Fragments and dash
ing their contents in every direction and turning
almost bottom up.
al a+ fha 4
the truck when the whole momentum of the train
was instantly expended in driving the baggage car
completely through the first passenger car that the
frame work of the fitted closely and entirely with
IN the other. Mr.. McGreggor. the baggage master
the only person IN thai and he escaped with
but few sight bruises The nrst passenger was
duite full. containing at least fifty persons many of
whom women and children. These were. from |
the nature OF te foLSloh eithef crushed under the
baggage ear, or driven in to the rear of the
passenger the doors of which locked. as if
70 make death douby sure and escape $50 TO speak
the more impossible. But, horrible to tell the crash
of wood and glass scarcely over when flames
were discovered IN the rear OF the car. ana within |
four minutes had enveloped this holocaust of dead |
dying and mangled human beings in common fu- |
neral pile.
Il il not known whether the fire originated from !
the stove or from the gasOmeter-the latter being
most probable. However il started So onicLlv anS
spread 50 rapidly that the passengers who mrnedi /
ately hurried from the cars TO the front only
reached it IN time 70 find the flames already under
headway. and be compelled To listen to the hOrrid !
chorus Of the cracking fame of the burning cars the
aEon,zng groans Of men. and the heartrendiug |
powerlesS either 10 queuch the flames or rescue the
haPess victims from their prison of fire. Only one
could he obtained. and little nothing was even
arconP.'~hed with that-ene or two openings being
cut through only 10 find inner wall maze by the
tranSaSed baggage car Six persons IN all we're res
cleI rom the car the remain estimated least
forty persons, were either crushed DEATH or having
been wounded were burned alive.
one young lady some sixteen or seventeen wears |
Of age. they struggled to drag from window but be-
ng fast under the baggage car, she at last drew her
self back again and perished within man who had /
dragged himself partly through a window
self fast also and laying himself on the side of the
window. was consumed before the eyes of the bo,r
fed spectators. On the left side of the train snJ,ar
with one leg succeeded getting it through the win
low but unable to force his way further and per
'shed as he waShis charred remains. after the wood
work had sufficiently burned away. falling headl-ss
aTm'esS mass upon the other track. One woman with
lJuI cAdaFen are known TO have been among the
Conductor john Mullison and first brakeman Emo
~ last sitting this car bv the stove and
no hope is entertained Of their escape How many
and what persons buried in that fiery ton,b mav
never be told, as everything wa> literally consumed |
70 d'HeH ana utterly beyond recognition; the only
te-tae 10 waiting hearthstones being the unbroken
absence Of lcoked-for footsteps, and the voiceess
endless vacancy OF missed faces and remembered /
voices.
TIE forward platform of the third passenger car
having been driven upon the rear one Of the second
It Was made impossible 70 detach them; they accord !
suned There were number of xound@55 IN in ~ 80 |
ears but none killed All were gotten out although
was "y almost hercnean efforts that the doors were
broken open aud the inmates rescued.
y description IN the sIckeniDg and narrowing charac-
ter Of their details. The dense mass of baggage mat
yer ana human remains which the wreck Of the two
-. "alo ears contained caused them to burn a couple
u hpuTs longer than the two following On the RIGHT
l~ OF the tram quite early in the progress of he
IRE . chsTFed' shapeleSs and headless. mass rolled
smoking into the read down by the side of the track
l.E! @ ~ me ar and resting Upon tangled mass of
"a i"'> anu Hn Sleetng was another one with arms
drawn up upon the heart and legs burned of TO stumps
rom whose eztremIteS the femoral bones stood out
Win horrible dstInctness and nakedness in the arr.
y us side was another equally charred aud dlsfr-
Just under and living upon the Aanpe Of . xbaeI
was another black mass winch. with the encircIIng
springs OF hoOp->kirt were all that remained of q
woman. The smaller ribs and other bona. of MI !
ureh getting out from the burning mass presented If
possible a more sad aud lament able sight on the I
.e' sue resting between the wheels and on the after
"mch the flames tapped and licked unt the white ! /
sAu. shone out. and the features gaped ana rrpued
" hat with the kissing, steamng irving masses Of
shspeless humanity. aud the white caicined forms Of
EpS yerteor' hip and femora bones staring from out
the smoke and ashes. with the other narrowing dtss
OF the calamity We pray never again to be confronted
with such sight.
OF the wounded the most seriously burt ,yaa M
Brooks mail agent between Altoona and HarrIsb,ry !
who resides at Mtiin, ana got the train at thai
place. his injuries are internal, and thought to be
severe He taken home on the westward train /
lady who had been rescued from the first passenger
al auu taken 70 the station mouse, suffered very
we're internal injuries Surgical attendance was pro-
cured at an early hour and all the of the wound
60 we're dong well. Brooks has since died.
When the accident occurred, message was imIne-
caie3y sent for assistance. Afterwards two construc-
uon trains arrived simultaneously from the Fa.t and
West with large force of workmen and all the ne
lgNSaFy appliances for clearing the tracks and re-
placing the rails which had been bent out of shape by
tie neat In very short space of time the large
'ce ad the track cleared and repaired for the Nest
SAa @ tTain aud accordingly, at IL o'clock, willingly
O"ue farewell to scene Of so appalling calamity.
ITENs-Mr. Burrowes has appoint
ed Andrew Reed, Geo Bymyer, Mrs.
j. Hoffman, Mrs J NJ Cogley, and
Mrs, J. c, Sigler, Of this place, County
Snperintending Committee, tor carry
ing the act relating to soldiers or
phans into effect.-Joseph Brought