The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1864-02-06
Terrible Railroad Accident.
Seven Cars Destroyed, and Between
twenty-five and thirty Persons Injured.

Oue vi tne mOSt 1earful acc1dentS
which we have ever been called on to
record, took place on the Pennsylvania
Railroad, on Sunday morning The
Express train, coming West, approached
Bridge No: 8; over the Juniata river,
about four miles east of Tyrone, Blair
county, tho hinder axle of the tender
snapped in two, throwing two Of the ex.
press cars off the track. The train at
the time was in full motion, and before
the brakes could be put on, the engine
reached the bridge, dragging the two
express cars to the edge of the abut.
ment The coupling between the ten
der and express car now parted the en-.
gine and tender passing over the bridge
without further injury than described /;
The first express car was precipitated
distance of about forty feet into the Ju,
niata, and the second express and the
the baggage car, containing the mail
and baggage Of the passengers were
piled in heap The first passenger
car, nenrlv filled with soldiers. rolled
from the bridge. breaking into pieces,
and was followed hv the second passon.
ger car. which as it plunged from the
track into the river turned bottom side
nm. This car drew the philadelnh;a
sleeninc car from the track. the front
mart resting on the ton Of the second
passenger and tho hind end on the ahnt.
mont or the bridge. The Allentown
s'een'no car remained m the track nj
the edoe of The hridon. It still being
cnunled to the philadelnhia ar.
Tho rnra had hardly etrnck before the
rrv IF fire was raised the hagqapn and
frst and second passenger cars hoing
already in h'aze. The great height ot
the Phi'a'e'nhia slpnrinc car from the
ground made escape from it nerions in.
deed Tho shout wae raised that Mr..
Cass President offhe p. Fl. W. and G.
r. R couli not ret HE state room omen,
whirh waa corrohoratad nv his calling
for helm. Bct men crawlnd over him.
not needing his eff ,rt IN relieve himself,
each and every one intent on saving
himself. But Mr. Cass' shouts were not
in vain. An English boy. whose name
We were not able TO learn with the as
sistance of Mr.. c., pushed the door open
and he escaped. Mr.. Brittingham's
only chance of escape was to leap from
the window to the ground, distance of
some twenty FIVE feet He made the
leap without sustaining any injury.
By this time the cars we're being fast
consumed, save the two express cars
which escaped. The news of the acci-
dent was early communicated to the in.
habitants in the neighborhood, and soon
brought men, women and children to
the scene, each anxious to relieve the
sufferers. Those passengers but slight.
| ly injured had saved most of the mail
bags containing the letters, but the bag
gage was entirely consumed. But q
few moments elapsed before the acci.
dent was dispatched to Enoch Lewis,
General Superintendent Of the road,
who was on the spot soon with train
and number of men, Before three
o'clock in the afternoon train contain
ing those of the passengers that could
ride was on its way to this city, where il
arrived about nine o'clock
The following is partial list OF thu
passengers injured A. SteiDmyer, o
this city, badly not expected to survive
uothuH itO"dIui ha"IOuOONlhS' OoAlJ
Sergeant Husser, arm broL zen Mr.. Kin
ney, slightly; Mr.. Crulter, slightly
Mr.. Kennedy, injured internally, vii
recover; G. Sherry, leg broken ; Nj
Samuel Helving, arm broken; MI
; Marshall shoulder blade injured; Nj
Simpson, hurt about the head Nj
/ Henry Hitcher, hurt about the head
: Nick. Bohanna, badly injured, not e,
pected to survive Henry Light, sligh
'. y and Sc veral others whose names "
VIC have been unable to obtain; bl
their injuries are so slight that they wi
without doubt recover. Those of Il
9 injured who were notable to come on Il
i train last evening, are kindly taken cal
Il ofby Mr.. Lewis, and arc Of Altoon
J The arst span Of tho bridge was burne