The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-02-20
"A Fearful Explosion--B blown Up on. the
Eric Rufsruad--0nc MAN Killed. Scye-
raj Fatally Injured, and Several Miss
sng--The Cars take Fire.

SusoUEHAsNAi DEI1r, Pa, February IA.
About s O'Clock last night the authorities
about tho Erie tler0t at this place, rs well rs
the entire village, were attracted by the loud
1 and continued whistle Of alocomotiye coming
down the grade east of the station and BY a
| bright light in the east. The headlight Of
the locomotive soon became visible, and it
was seen to be approaching at fearful rate.
IL stopped at the depot, and the engineer. as
| well rs his excitement and apparent fright
would permit him, stated TO the astonished
| crowd that had assembled that pusher-angine
25l, which left The place together with the
| engine which had just arrived behind extra
| freight SO few minutes before, had exploded
about three miles up the grade, and nine per-
| sons on the engine and CHOOSE ahead Of it
had been killed. The widest excitement at
| once prevailed.
A surgeon and number of citizens were
1t once sent to the scene of the reported dis
| aster by the railroad officials. Upon arriving
there fearful scene met their sight. Down
bank thirty feet laid the demolished locomo-
tive, and in the glare Of burning freight and
ol-cars laid four PROSTATE forms, one OF them
CHASTITY in death. Although the report of
the engineer ut Susqueianna was not found
to be strictly true, the disaster was yet
fearful one. .
The particulars, as given by one of the
tralnmen, are as follows: Extra train No.
Sc, Minor Reyes conductor, left Sus1ue-
ma about lmlf-past 7 O'Clock with the
pushcr No. 25l ana another one to hep her I'D
the grade. The grade is about seventy-iive
feet TO the mile, and to raise it freight trains
are obliged to have the aid of one or more
pushcrs, engines without tenders, and very
powerful ones, too. When about halfway
to the summit the boiler of No. 2j1 exploded.
the break occurring in front, in the under
side This lifted the locomotive bodily from
the rails and sent it several feet in the air
and then down the emhankment, throwing
it completely around 50 it faced the station.
The scaldirg steam was sent rushing into
the caboosc ahead, where Conductor lieyes,
his llagrnan, and four brslhemen, were sitting.
The rear pushcIs, with full head Of steam,
closed up the space left by the exploded en-.
ginc, and crashed into the caboosc. That any
Of the inmates escaped death docs not seem
possible. but beyond very severe sctlds on
hands and faces by the steam no injury was
done to them. AS soon as they recovered
from their confusion the conductor and his
men. as well Is they could, commenced an
invcs: igation Of the disaster and its results.
Lying several feet from the track, dead
and nmngied, they found the body OF Pat
rick McCov, of Deposit, Il tTackmall.
On one side of the track an old man was
found with two ribs broken and large hole
cut in one Of his legs. On the other side OF
the track was his son with his leg mangled.
These two were on their way home, at the
Summit, and, standing upon the rear plat
form of the c:boGsc at the time Of the acci-
dent, were hit BY piece Of the boiler.
Michael Carey, the engineer Of the iated loco
motive, was found Il short distance away,
sitting with his head in his hands. Upon
bcin. spoken to he looked about with al al
sent and confused air and asked where his
engine was. His head was badly cut, and he
had no consciousness whatever Of the acct
dent.
Charles Underwood, the fireman, was
found in the caboosc OF the locomotive,
down the bunk, crushed and scaled, but
alive. lie was carried UP the bank and
made as easy rs possible.
\ boy who was riding on the pus!:er was
also carried down with il. but escaped injury.
Charles Dean. Frank Blokcr, Michael Fritz,
and Patrick Connolly, were badly sc2lded.
\ boy who was Standing Oh the platform
OF the ctboosc, near the old MN who was SO
badly hurt, is missing.
4 few minutes after the explosion the CO.
boosc caught fire, which communicated to ali
oil-cun adjoining it. Bat for the arrival of
the mai! train from the East, which lad been
tagged none TOO soon to prevent Il still greater
disaster, the whole train would have been
destroyed, as the locomotive was unable TO
move it.
The engine Of the mail train was detached
and coupled to the engine Of the freight !l'ain,
and the burning cars Icing separated tic
others were moved out Of danger.
The dead body Of McCay and the in
jured persons were brought to tliis ST.
| tiUn.-Ucrnid