St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-03-24
A Burning Sleeping Car-NarroW Es~
capes.
PITTSBURGH, Pa, Marc

PITTSBURGH. Pa, March Is.
The passengers occupying one of the Pull
man sleepers drawn by the Western express
on the Pennsylvania Railroad, had a thrilling"
experience at Wilmore Station, a few miles
this side of Altoona, shortly after five O'clock
this morning. The train had PASSED Cressonr
and was nearing Wilmore, with all aboard
oblvious of their danger, when a tiny tongue
of flame shot out from among the curtains
near the end of the rear ca, gradually but
surely developing into an alarming blaze.
A passenger in berth No. Mr.. Pallern, OF
Baltimore, who was not sleeping very heavily
at the time, was aroused by the smell Of the
burning tapestry, and an instant later he
sprang out o. his berth, fully alert to The peril
of the moment, and gave the alarm. Imnle-
diately all was confusion, and the occupants,
OF the berths jumped out to find the Car en-
yeloped in flame. a dozen persons ran to the
doors, but finding the train still in motion
pulled the bellcord. Owing to the right signal
not being gwen, however, the engineer paid mo-
attention to it until it had been pulled several
times. In the meantime tn widest excite
m mt prevai,e |, and the passengers ran hither-
and rhither, not knowing what to do. Several
ladies tainted, and number were with diff
Guilty prevented from jumping Off,
The train was finally brought to a stand-still,
and the occupants Of the car rushed out. Some
of them were in their night-clothes, while 9TH
ers succeeded in saving enough of their eff
fects to make themselves appear respectable
The fire had not been discovered a moment
too SOON as by the time the train stopped and
the occupants of the burning car had escaped,
the whole sleeper was one mass OF flame. and
inside of twenty minutes was a heap of smoul-
dering ashes.
Of the twenty-six passengers who had occl1-
yrrryrp ftryr,a
four were ladies. and the others were children.
Fortunately none of them were injured. AS
they stepped from the train they presented
motley appearance. Some of them were
wrapped in blankets; others were without
hats and bonnets, and still others had no shoes
Among the passengers were General Pension
Agent Dudley Colonel Benjamin Wilson, an
ex-Congcessman of West Virginia: General
Calkins, of Indiana; Colonel Davidson, Of
Beaver, Pa: and Colonel Porter, Postmaster
of Cannellsyille. Pa.
The makeup of a number Of the gentlemen
was ludicrous. Colonel Porter had on one
boot and one slipper, and was hatless. Colonel
Davidson had his head done up In newspa-
per, while Colonel Ben Wilson. attired in q
blanket and bare headed, looked for al the
world like an Indian chief on foraging expe-
diton. General Dudley is said to have been
the coolest person on the car, and by his wise
counsel did much to allay the fears of the la
dies and children. 8
The fire originated in the rearof the car, and
is supposed to have been caused either by the
overturning of lamp or from the stove Con-
ductor Harry Hawkins, who WAS in charge OF
the sleeper, did all in his power to aid the pass
engers to escape, and was the last man to leave
the burn ng car.
The loss can not be Appropriated. The
Pullman Company estimate their share at
about $50, t0J. The loss t. the passengers was
considerable in clothing, watches and 1eWeirys
Some Of them also lost considerable sums OF
money. Upon their arriva! here ie unfoftu.
nate were kindly cared for, and We're soon pus
in presentable condition.