The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-25
IL :" ~ II ~ Il " Az
THE GATHERING OF The CLANS.
The Movement on Canada.
The War in Wyoming.
Pennsylvania Railroad Accident.
Weston's Weary Walk.
ETC., ETC.. ETC., ETC., Etc.
DISASTER.
Particulars of the Accident the Penusyl-
vania Central Railroad.


The Lancaster Express OF last evening says:-
An emgrant train west had reached the Leaman
Place Station about O'Clock this morning, and the
engineer had just finished taking in water and was
about to start when he witnessed the Philadelphia
express east coming round the curve, distance OF
about fifty yards AS soon as the express train had
turned the curve the engineer (of the express)
noticed that the switch was open, and Immediately
reversed the engine and sounded the whistle for
down brakes. Both himself and the fireman then
leaped from the engine. The engineer and fireman
of the engine OF the em1grant tran seeing That col
lisOn was unavoidable, also jumped from their
places, but had hardly reached the ground when the
engine OF the express train struck the engine of the
emgrant train. The collision made terrible crash,
and nearly all the cars of both trains were more or
less injured.
AS soon as the express engineer sounded down
brakes, Thomas w. Swayne one OF the brake
men, sprang to his post and had hardly reached the
platform when the collision occurred, and he was
crushed between the platforms OF the baggage and
the front passenger car. He lived about fifteen
minutes after the accident He was young man,
married about three months since, and resided in
Philadelphia.
Ihe emigrant train consisted of about ten or
twelve cars with between three and four hundred
emigrant passengers on their way to the West The
men who were injured, and one OF whom has since
died, were standing upon the platform OF one OF the
cars near the middle Of the train The force Of the
collision threw the platforms Of the forward cars
guards and lifting the body from the trucks. 1t
here that the men were caught None Of the pas
sengers in either OF the trains who remained in their
seats were injured, though a number must have
made very narrow escapes, as the bolts OF nearly all
the forward trucks were displaced and broke
looking holes, and scattering spnters in all direc
tiOns.
The water tank Of the express train was thrown
across the track and the trucks torn from under
the front baggage car was thrown up an embank-
ment about nfteen feet from the track. The engine
Is considerably damaged, bat that attached to the
emigrant train escaped less seriously.
1t was not ascertained at noon to-day who left the
switch open. Milton Manahan, conductor Of a
freight train, had passed over It west before the
arrival of the emigrant train. His train on
to siding in order to let the former pass. He
asserts. however. that he closed the switch after
him. The engineer of the express, which arrived
very soon afterward, on the other hand, says he
noticed the switch open soon as he turned the
curve, or about thirty yards from the switch Fur
ther investigation may elicit the truth.
The engineer Of the emigrant train was just in
the act OF starting when the express came in sight
Had he got underway but second or two the ex.
press engine woufd have cut right ~tArough one OF
the crowded emigrant cars, and there would have
been a fearful scene of crushing and death.