Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-05-15
second ni,batca.

PtTTsBuRG, May 14.-A west-bound
freight c6llided with the gravel train OF
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, one mile
east of Connellsville, between 8 and 10
O'Clock this morning. A number OF Ia
borers, variousiy estimated at from twenty
to twenty. five, were killed, and many
were injured. The scene of the disaster
was in a curve just west of the Speer Gre
Works. The freight rain was heavily
laden with ore. The camp train consisted
of six box cars. 1t contained about fifty
men, who had just been transferred from
the Pittsburg road and were on their way
to Ohio Pyle Falls to work on the grading
for double track on the east end of this
division. Both trains were going at high
rate of speed and came together with a
terrible crash. The engines remained on
the track and telesceped each other into
the smokestack, but the heavy tenders
Jumped into the air and fell, the
freight tender upon its engine and
the gravel train tender back
upon the first car in the rear
of it. Here was the scene OF death.
Six men we're killed outright in the car,
and five others were fastened down by
| the broken timbers and roasted to death,
the car catching fire from the overturned
stove and burning up before the stupefied
survivors could comprehend the full stu
alton of their companions. Three men
escaped from the car, and one of them as
sured correspondent that the fire could
have been extinguished had water been
applied in time. The wreck itself was a
CHASTITY sight. The burned trunks of four
Of the victims have just been taken out.
| Across the breast OF victim the uilsinged
mark contrasts strangely with the black
| ened surroundings that show where the
L hao tiynt her holA in
| grasp of fate until the flames left nothing
but headless, armless and legless trunk.
| The remains were reverently placed on q
| board, carried aside and laid down upon
the green grass studded with purple flow
ers. A lean and hungry-looking mountain
| dog snuffed the roasted flesh, and licking
his chops, descended upon the remains.
Fortunately he was discovered and driven
away. 1t is expected the wreck will be
cleaIed up by tonight. The officials de-
cline to say who is to blame, but the
popular opinion is it is one of the train
runners. The tender of the freight engine
stood twenty feet in the air. At the side
of the car that was burned could be seen
sitting around the glowing embers, twist
| ed iron rods and dead ashes, three glin-
| ming skeletons, one sitting bolt upright,
| apparently peering into the flames that
i that had smothered out his life, as well as
those of his companions. 1t is impossible
at this writing to get list of the dead
and wounded. but it is known that John
Neville, John Ward, John Carey and John
Hughes were burned. Pat Cassidy, who
was on the first car, was instantly killed.
Another named Shay, who was injured,
has just died. At noon large force oi
shop hands were on the ground extin-
gushing the flames, and the wreck train
was at work pulling the debris away and
rescuing the charred remains. 1t may
have been a mistaken understanding Of
orders. The true cause cannot be known
for day or two. An investigation has
been ordered.