The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-10-14
FRIGHTFUL RAILROAD ACCIDENT


A L0con0tive Burfes Itself i'm . Crowded
Excursion Car-HOrrf5le ManEiing OF
Helpless Hamanity.
The details of horrible railroad accident are
reported from Pittsburg, resulting in perhaps
not less than forty-fve deaths, and more than
as many more wounded. The unfortunates
we're excursionists, and had gone to Pittsburg
to witness the closing scenes of the exposition,
and the Democratic demonstration. The first
section of the Walls accommodation going east
left the Union Depot at II 81 p. M The back
platform was 80 crowded that the headlight on
the second section following could not be seen.
The first section stopped at the regular station
on Twenty-eighth street, where they we're de-
layed on account of another train which was in
the next block. The second section came along
at good speed, but, owing to the crowds on the
back platform of the first section, the signal
lights were hidden from view and consequently
the engineer of the second section did not see
the train ahead of him until he was SO near it
that his train could not be checked in time to
arrest the collision, and the engine went crash
ing into the rear coach of the first section, as
packed as it was with human beings.
Among those unfortunates the engine buried
itself to the very car windows, in among the
screaming, suffering men, women and children,
mangling all who were in its course. The
boiler head of the colliding engine was bursted
off by the shock and the scalding water and
steam poured over the occupants of the car
if bent on completing the horrible work that
had gone before. 1t is impossible to describe
the fearful scene that followed The means of
the dying and wounded and the shrieks of those
who had lost their friends was frightful.
Word was Immediately telegraphed to the
Mayors Office for assistance, and twenty-five
policemen, with full corps of physicians and
wagons were dispatched at once to the scene of
the disaster, where they were soon busily en-
ployed in alleviating the sufferinSs of the VIC
Tins and: clearing the wreck. The wounded
who were unable to care for themselves were
carried to the Soldiers Hospital, located but a
short distance from the accident.
The name of the engineer of the second loco
motive is Julius Huey, and that of the fireman
Rambo. Both are residents of Pittsburg, and
escaped uninjured, notwithstanding they stuck
to the engine when it plowed through the rear
car of the other train.
A correspondent, writing on the day follow
ing the accident, says: Up to the present time,
twenty-one deaths have occurred. as follows:
Edward Prentrer, Pittsburg, aged twenty-seven,
scalded, died this morning; Homer Kepple,
twenty, lives in the East End, scalded; Mrs
Margaret Jacobs, Pittsburg, aged fifty, crushed
and scalded John Torley, Pittsburg, aged
forty-eight, scalded and burned Kate Torley,
daughter of John Torley, aged sixteen scalded:
Miss Jessie Slmcox, in the West End, aged
sixteen, inhalation of steam; Annie N. Schuster,
East End, aged twenty-five, inhalation of
steam; Milton II. Edwards, son of Hon. Mat
thew Edwards, aged twenty-five, scalds and in
halation; Miss Dorah Taylor, of Pittsburg,
about twenty-five, inhalation of. steam; James
O'Neal, California, Pa, aged thirty, died this
morning from scalds recelved; Chas. Hetzel.
East End, scalded; Edward Butler, baggage
master, aged twenty-five, crushed and burned;
Isaac X. Love, Edgewood, Pa, aged seventeen,
crushed; William H. Love, brother of Isaac,
aged nineteen, scalded and friShtfully mutilated;
Mrs Elizabeth BOYD, Pttsburg aged thirty
6ya inhalation. Miss Rosanpa Rovd ci,
law of Mrs. Boyd, aged twenty, inhalation
David Ballinger, railroad employe, head cut
from body; Samuel Elliott, conductor, aged
fifty-two, crushed; James McAIeehan, Dallas
Station, aged sixty, scalded; VIM. Linnhardt,
East End, died from internal injuries and in
halation; Miss Emma Winneberg, aged nine
teen, Pittsburg, scalded.
Those dangerously injured are now in the
West Pennsylvania Hospital, of Whom the
physicians saw but few will recover: George
Young, East End; Frank Kinsinger, East End; /;
JEFF. P. Myers, Frewsburg, Chautauqua County,
n. Y; Frank Delavie, East End; James Hetzel
Edgwood; H. W. Black, Swissvale; Robert
Dickson, Swissvale; David Aiken, Cherry Camp,
Laurence, East End; Hugh Muldoon, Spring
Hill, Pa, James Dempsey, Spring Hill, Pa;
William J. Smith, Spring Hill, Pa. Annie Quinn,
Shadyside; Miss Moilie Stinebaugh, East End
Miss Matte Taylor, Edgewood Miss Mary Daw-
son, East End Mrs. J. p. Richmond, Edge
/
Leslie, East End.
These are injured painfully, but not serious
! ly: Nancy Manley, colored; Catherine Manley,
and Wilkins Manley, all of Waynesbrg, Pa.
| Miss Bessie hcmand, of Pittshurg.
! Robert Pitcairn, Superintendent of the road,
one of the best in the country, said that if the
| rules had not been disobeyed the accident would
not have occurred. The train had not gone
| into the block operated by the signal system,
| and the fiagman was under an impertiye order
10 han half a mil 70 foil
! and must not wait to be ordered back by the
! conductor, but go on our own accord. This ap-
! plies where the train is in the block or still In
the yard limits. As, in this case, the flagmer
and all employees of the trains are old and ex-
perienced men, and the officials can not con
denim them until an investigation is had, but
the matter will be sifted, and the responsible,
placed where it belongs.
! The passengers state that the fagman
whose name is Penrod did not go back. III,
will be examined. The orders for the move.
ment of trains are the same as in vogue fol
| thirty years, and the officials insist that tn,
train men, and not their superior officers
violated the rules. Public opinion seems tc
place the responsibility on f1agman Penrod, o.
the first section.
Mr.. Pitcairn says the loss by the wreck vii
not be $1,000; that the run in was no ex
traordinary accident; that the escaping stean
was the cause of fatality. The run in might
occur again without the loss of single life
The latest intelligence places the number O
dead at twenty-four, and the physicians sa,
that twenty others will certainly die from th
effects of the steam which they have inhaled
The blame, as nearly as can be learned
seems to rest upon Hughey, the engineer of tn
second section, and the fiagman, who is no,
thought to have been sent back to flag the sec
ond section by conductor Elliott, who was killed
1t is also said that the railroad officers ordere
this class of trains to stop at Twenty-eight
street, to allow fares to be collected, and tina
Hughey did not know this.