The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-06
an OIL TRIM IN FLAMES.
setting Fire to Thousands OF Gallons or Pc
troieum-E pio.lon OF OH Tanks.

SLAT1NGToN, Pa, April 5.-While train No
40. which left Mauch Chunk Mt about i.10 this
morning was stopping near this place to allow
n hot journal to cool OH. engine No. l5i. draw
ing forty oil tanks and four freight cars that
left Mauch Chunk about ten minutes later, came
speeding along at the rate Of twenty miles an
hour. No signal had been set TO warn the ap-
preaching train. and the engineer did not see
the danger until 1t was too late to prevent n col.
lsion. Then he and the fireman jumped for their
lives. An instant afterwnrd the crash came.
which threw several cars Off the track. broke the
bridge. and let some fifteen oil tanks into Trout
creek. The boilers Of engine No. lji exploded
and the cab busnt into flames The oil tanks.
heaped one upon the other. caught fire from the
exploded locomotive. and illuminated the neigh
borhood for miles around. The burning oil
ran to the railroad bridge across Trout creek
and in few moments that structure was In
flames and was soon destroyed. The stresm Of
fire then poured into Williams Custard's ex-
tensive foundry and machine shops. and in n
short time that establishment was entirely con-
sumed. The little town was quickly aroused.
and the inhabitanis turned out to stay the pro-
grcss OF the fire. Had II not been for the pres
ence OF mind Of Edwin Conner. through whose
Efforts the rear cars were pushed back. the
whole town might haye been destroyed.
A Uar; Of Engine No. l5i was hurled by the
explosion through the roof ofthe house occupied
by Jacob Hummol. about 100 yards from the
scene OF the accident striking near the bed oc-
cupied 10y Hummel and his WIFE Several other
buildings were damaged. and glass broken.
A short time after the collision an oil tank ex-
ploded scattering IN" burning oil IN all drec-
tions. William Shoemaker Of LOckport and
another man. whose name is not known We're
killed. ana the following persons Were burned.
their recovery being considered doubtful
Joseph Goldberg, Chas. Bartholomew. Edward
Selbert, Arthur Williams Daniel kicber. George
| Ives. John kochner. Aaron Snyder, John
| Rohrbach, Low Hughes. Samuel :. Marshall.
Thomas ". Jones. Matthew Jones. Irwin Clark.
and Irwin Beers. large number of persons.
including women and children. were slightly
burned. max ing the total casualties about forty.
The Lehigh Valley Railroad depot WAS partly
| burned. aud two other oil tanks exploded be-
| fore the fire wis got under control
There are conflicting reports ~ To where the
| blame rests. There il "A signal tower heie. and
engine No. 1j4 which was running irregular
| The engineer. j. Wetmore, and the fireman
| Irwin Mosser. assert that the light WAS not
| turned so as to signal them back. and several
| citizens confirm th"ir statement The station
master however says that the signals We're prop
| erly fixed. and that the collision WAS III" fault
| OF the engineer OF the oil train. Wetmoro aud
| Mosser are seriously injured.
| The down passenger train reached here at
| O'Clock. transferred its baggage and passcn-
| gers over the bridge there being train in
/ waiting for Philadelphia. below the wreck The
Iehgh Valley trains are now running over the
| Iehgh and Susquehanna road Arrangements
| are being, male to erect n temporary bridge
| eight hours. All freight trains will be dscOn-
fpr ia mr.