Daily Republican., 1881-01-07
THE THEACMER0Us suIron.
Wreck OF O Delaware HnIiRGad
Train-JOhn Flinn, a Carpenter.
Killed and q Nunbor wounded.

Wreck OF o Delaware HnIiRoa
e Train-JOhn Fllnu, a Gsrpe@teA
Killed and q Nuaber wounded
A very serious accident occurred las
, night at Lsmokin junction, a station o.
I the P. W. 4 3. Railroad about tw
E miles south Of Chester, in which on
mau was killed and a dozen injured
0 some Of them seriously. The unfor
= tunate man that was killed, and th'
most that were I'M j1re1 wers riding IL
the smoking car at the tins OF the
accident. The following appears Il
bs the correct details Of the accident
The Delaware train left Philadelphia
at the usual time 5.1s p. m, with III
usual complement Of passengers. II
reached Chester all right on time and
started for Wilmington nSs intending
to stop at La,nokin junction unless
there was signal. There being nc
signal to stop the train it was about
going by..at its usual rate Of speed
when Suddenly the engine, instead Of
keeping the main track, veered to the
right and plunged in on the Baltimore
Central track which there forms O
junction with the p w. Il B. railroad.
The evening train from the Baltimore
Central was ready to move on to Phila-
delphia as soon as the Delaware train
had passed ny. 1t instantly flashed
upon the minds OF the train men that
there must be a collision as the Bslti.
more Central train stood not more than
Is feet away.
Almost in an instant the tive engines
came together, and wera completely
smash ed in and the Baltimore Central
train started backward on its track. A
scene OF indes Jribable confusion en-
sued and the cries and groaning Of
wounded men were mixed with the
crashing Of timbers, the rattling jingle
Of broken psrss of glass and lamps, and
tho Kissing of escaping steam from the
two disabled engines. The baggage
mail and smoking cars were thrown
from the track by the concussion and
went humping over the ties until the
train spent its force AID came TO sstand
still. Under the circumstances tele.
scoping OF the cars ooud no. be avoided
but fortunately this was confined to the
baggage and smoking car. aud forum.
ately again, the rear end OF the bag
gage car telescoped back through the
smoking car with tho roof SO far above
the heads of the passengers that they
all escaped serious injury from that
cause. Had the roof Of the baggage
car came ba, l. foot lOwor serious loss
HOf life must havs ensued.
By the tor0o OF the collision most of
the passengers IN the smoking car
we're thrown to the floor. The only
person killed by the accident was John
Finn, = carpenter on the road, who
had just finished job at Philadelphia
aud vas returning To his home in this
city, at No. 600 Piue street. At the
time of the accident he was sitting or
the front seat warming himself at the
stove. When the two ears tolescoped
he was caught between the timbers and
terribly hurt. There was great cash |
across his temple and 6 terrible hole in
his breast, near the shoulder. AS soon
as possible after the accident and the
passengers began to collect their scat
tered senses, the mangled man was
taken out and carried into the second
story OF the depot building, where he
diel in O ieE minutes. This was the
olly case that had to be- taken from the }
smoking car, all the others being able
TO help themselves and get out of the
car either by the rear door or by break
ing the glass out OF a window and
through the aperturss.
Amongst others in the smoking car
" ers James L. Crippen, C. s. Middle.
Ion, Edward RumfOrd, James Monaghan.
William G. Peunypacker and Nathan
L. Japusy, of this city; William Polk
of Odessa aud A. II. Silver OF Red Lion.
Mr.. Pslk is member Of the Levy Court
and Mr. Silver an ex.msmber though
'till acting and they had been In Phil
ldslpia purchasing furniture for the
l5w Court H0uss. OF the gentlemen
Ismsd hesSrs. Polk and James K.
jrippen were considerably bruised and
,ut but not seriously.
Mr.. Crippeu had just slightly risen
II his seat to talk to gentleman be-
ltad him when the roof Of the baggage
,ar came crushing through and knocked
lis hat off. The first intimRtion he
lad OF danger was the crash, and then
10 tel his seat giving way beneath
iim Feeling the pressure Of heavy
imbers above him he dreE himself
loosely between the seats. What must s
nave been a few seconds to him, an
niednite space Of time, between the
irst shock and the cessation OF the
,oise, as of q car running..heav lily over
ha ties. Ia this brief moment a great
rushing OF timber was going on above
lin aud his first thought was Of dang
r from the stove which had been burn
ng before the orash, and which was
tkely to ignite the wreck. By the as
istance OF a passenger who had been
N tho seat to the rssr OF him, the tim
,ers we're so lifted al to enable him 10
lick hole in tie window, through
Which he crswled minus hat, overcoat, d
and 0vsrshoes. These tLingg, I
ls said, we're afterwards recovered.
Ms5srs. Polk and Silver had been I
itting together until the train reached
'hester, when Mr.. Polk took q seat d
With Ssrick Shalloross, and was CON.
'ersing with him at the time of the r
hook. Mr.. Silver saved himself by
topping, and Mr.. Polk was struck P
yer the head and very severely ipjur- o
d..
Mr.. Silver tells of the affair to O RE. {
UBLrcAN reporter as follows: Mr.. Polk v
nd myself had been to Philadelphia l.
furniture for the new court
IouSe, and was riding in the smoking "
ar in the third seat from tho front on G.
he right hand side. Just after we had R
'assed Chester Mr.. Polk went back Ia Il
he car to speak to Mr.. Serick Shall h
ross, and was talking to him when thu a.