The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-01-16
RAILWAY CALAMITY.
Particulars of the Accident to tho Pacific Ex
press the PenBsylvania Raiiroad-rw
Coaches over an Embapkment.

Particulars of the Accident TO the Pacific Ex-
press on the Pennsylvania Raiiroad-rwe
Coaches Over an Embankment.
The Pittsburg Commercial of Saturday eve
ming has the following
Yesterday morning, between and o'clock,
an accident occurred on the Pacific express
train, Pennsylvania Railroad, coming west. The
train, consisting of baggage car, two passenger
coaches, and four Pullman sleepers, drawn by
engine No. 848, engineer, Mr.. Taylor, had
reached point about one mile aud quarter
eaet of the south Fork, which is about nine
miles east of Conemaugh, when rail broke
and the train, or q portion of 1t at least, was
thrown from the track.
The engine and baggage car passed over the
break safely, but the two first passenger coaches
lett the track and went over the emoankment,
one falling upon its side, with one end in the
Conemaugh river, and the other turning COM
pletely over, and bringing up at the foot of an
embankment fifteen feet deep, perhaps. The
cars were dragged some distance before they
went over the embankment and one of the
coaches took fire from the stove, but as soon as
the car dropped into the water 1t was extin-
guished. The sleeping cars was also thrown
from the track, but did not go over the bank,
and being of the Pullman pattern and very
strong, were not injured, No one in the
sleepers was injured. The coaches which went
over the bank were pretty well filed, yet strange
to relate no person was killed. The cars were
but partially wrecked and but one person was
severely injured. That person was William
Dietrich, news agent on the train. He had his
hand taken off In some manner not reported,
and So soon as possible, DR.. Lauman of Johns
ton, resident physician OF the company, arrived
and amputated the arm above the elbow. The
patient will no doubt recover. Two passengers,
Mr.. Schell and James Archie, place of residence
not known, were slightly injured, and two
others, whose names it is not considered worth
while to give, in consequence of the slightness
of their bruises. George Woods, conductor of
one of the Pullman cars, was also slightly in
jured.
The train was running on schedule time, at the
ordinary rate of speed, having passed Cresson
and other points east of Somerhill all right. The
tracks both ways were obstructed for awhile,
promptly to the Superintendent OF the Western
Division, Robert Pitcairn, Esq, force of work.
men were speedily despatched to the scene of
the accident and the distractions removed.
STATEMENT OF PASSENGERS.
Mr.. F. H. Glidden, of Cleveland, Ohio, and
called upon us last evening, and furnished us
the following statement:-Two sleepers were
thrown partially from the track, but nobody
was injured, and Mr. Glidden says the shock
was not unlike that felt in going over q "frog."
None of the passengers took notice of it. the
car that first went over the bank caught fire,
but the male passengers at once formed
themselves in line, and passed water
was extiDguished in short time. Both cars
were pretty well wrecked, and the passengers
in the first escaped through the windows and
side near the middle, it having been crushed in.
there was considerable space under it, the car
resting only on the ends. From this space the
passengers emerged, being assisted by the male
passengers who had escaped from the first coach
which went over, and which, it seems, was used
as a smoking car. The two sleeping cars which
left the track stood across, and obstructed both
tracks, whilst the others were not moved at all.
The trucks of the cars which went over laid on
the bank together with the debris belonging to
the wrecked cars. The passengers say 1t was
trightful to look upon the scene, and then reflect
how singularly fortunate and miraculous the
escape from death.
THE CAUSE.
Mr.. Glidden says there was a piece of rail
three feet long broken out of the track. He
thinks it remained in position until the trucks
of the first passenger car struck it, when the
axle broke, and the displaced portion of rail
was broken into three pieces. These pieces
were scarcely bent particle, and seemed to be
cut off as with knife.
Both these passengers express the highest
commentator of the conduct of the officers of
the train. They did all that men could posi-
bly, do.
A SUBSCRIPTION.
Mr.. Glidden and Mr.. Moore raised donation
among the passengers for young Dietrich,
amounting To Sll4