The daily gazette., 1878-07-01
Identifying the Unknown Men
Visit 10 the Scene-FulI Par
ticulars Of the Unfortu-
nate Event.

An accident occurred on the p. w. &
Is. X. R., Saturday night, which resulted
in the killing of four men, and the
wrecklng OF an engine and four cars
one baggage, two express and one
mail.
The train was the southern express.
which leaves Philadelphia at $3.50 and ar
rives in Wilmington at 1922. 1t was
drawn by engine No. n, of which Geo.
Babe was engineer, and his son, George
Babe, Jr., w;Ls fireman Sam'l Phillips, of
Philadelphia, was conductor of the train.
The train being somewhat behind time
was going al rapid rate of speed, and
when about three hundred yards below
Claymont station, the engine struck
against an obstruction in the shape of a
cross-tie whi ich had been placed across
the track, mt point where small ditch
runs under the road. The tie, it is said,
was secured in position by having one
end thrust under the ties which spanned
the small bridge while the other end pro-
traded aboveskle upper rail.
With such terrific force did the engine
strike this obstruction that after running
about ten feet, the entire train iumped
he track, and ran on the road bed for a
distance of about two hundred and fifty
yards. Then the engine plunged into
the bank ON the north side of the track
and overturned, while the tender was
torn from its couplings and forced ahead
of the engine for distance OF ten feet.
The cab OF the engine took fire, but the
flames were soon oxtinguished. One of
the express cars was overturned in the
rear of the engine, and Immediately be-
hind 1t were the baggage and mail CARS,
both upset agai nst the bank. The other
express car was thrown over on the
lower side, and was upset upon the north
bound track. The other cars-one smok.
ing and five passenger-had jumped the
track, but fortunately did not upset
whereby the occupants ESCAPED without
any injury beyond serious shock and q
severe shaking up. The shock of the ac-
the train, excepting those IN the rear car,
were eXtinguished. A fearful excite
ment prevailed among the passengers
but it soon subsidized when their condi
ton was ascertained and their safety as
sured
AS soon rs possible Conductor Phillips
went up 10 Linwood and telegrapheC
news of the accident to Wilmington,
when wrecking train was Immediately
made ready and sent up with large
force of workmen to the scene of the
disaster.
Meanwhile Mr.. VIM. McHurley, Jr.,
and Mr.. j. II. Addicks, who reside near
Claymont, arrived on the spot, and, with
several Others, gave the train hands all
possible assistance search was at once
made for the killed and wounded, and il
was soon hscertained that the engineer
and firemen were killed, and also two
unknown men, who, from their location
and general appearance, were supposed
to have been stealing a ride. The body
of the engineer was found lying in gut
ter beside the engine, being crushed so
terribly that the entrails were protrud-
ing, and a sever cut extended down
over hls forehead. His son, the fireman,
was found under the engine, his face,
neck and breast being terribly scalded,
and his left hand badly crushed. 1t is
supposed his death was occa ,ioned by
The escaping steam-Both men were
dead, when discovered, and it is thought
they were killed almost instantly when
the engine overturned.
Under the front end of the express car
lying in the rear of the engine, was found
the dead body of an unknown man, with
the head and breast badly crushed. The
man was lying directly under the car,
which had to be lacked up before the
body could be removed. AT the rear of
this car, jammed up against the platform
of the mall car, was found the dead body
of another unknown man, also fearfully
crushed about the breast and head. This
comprised all the casualties, and so far
as known only two other men were in
any way wounded.
The mail messenger received cuG on
one of his elbows, besides being severe
ly shocked, while the express agent,
Thomas Streets, had his leg cut and
scraped rather painfully. Mr.. Streets
crawled out ON top of the overturned car
and stood there, pistol in hand, until as
sured there were no tram robbers around
to turn the accident to their profit by
robbing the express cars. Mr.. Streets is
veteran in railroad life, and this is the
tenth time he has been wrecked.
AS soon as possible the dead bodies
were removed, and sent to Wilmington
on the train leaving Philadelphia at 945
o'clock, which soon arrived. The pas
sengers and the mail and express matter
were also removed to Wilmington as
rapidly aB possible, and We're finally sent
off on tram No. /, which leaves about 8
O'Clock a. IN.
The bodies of Babe and his son were
placed in the round house office, and the
bodies OF the two unknown men Were
laid in the old conductors room, on Wal
nut street, below Front.
All night long, and nearly all of Sun
day, the men worked at the wreck, re-
moving the broken cars, and straighten-
ing the track, which had been torn and
broken badly IN several places. The
north-bound track was soon cleared sur
ficiently to allow the passage of the reg
ular trains, with only few hours delay
and by noon the engine and broken cars
were brought to wilmington, folioWeu
by the smoking and passenger cars. Inc
men continued at work during the aIter-
noon, ard by evening the trach was III
its usual good order. during the nlgnt
telegrap bic apparatus was taken up ana
attached to the wires along the track ,and
operator Hates Kept the onclals III VIII