Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-06-16
A SAD EXCURSION,


PHILADELPHIA. Juue A.
tram from Atlantic City on the Camden
ana Atlantic railroad ran of the track at
at Lakeside about eleven miles from Camden
this morning. The following persons are
reported killed: Wesley Palmer, engineer !;
george Baxter, engineer; Walter Vaughn,
baggage master; Albert Smith, conductor !:
scott Wylie, mail agent and Nicholas Bar
Der, and many persons are injured The
accident was collision near Ashland be-
tween the A. NJ. express from Atlantic
City and train of a few cars bearing an ex-
cnrsion party Of the second Presbyterian
church Of Camden to Lakeside Park
Previous to the departure of the excursion
tram from Camben despatch was forw arded
oy the superintendent to the operator at Ash
and st alton with orders din ecting the accom-
mediation train to lay off at siding st that
point until the special excursion train had
passed. 1t is not known whether or not the
order was received as sent or whether the
conductor or engineer of the accommodation
train disregarded the order. 1t is known
however, that the trains came together with
| terrific force in u curve about mile west of
Asland station.
The following is q correct list of the killed
and wounded:
KilIed-W Palmer. engineer. aged
so; Geo. Baxter, engineer. Lakside train,
aged 80; Albert Smith, conductor, aged 80;
Winfield Scott Hill, mail agent aged 35 !;
Nicholas Barber, fireman Gustavus Edwards,
young man residing at Marlton; Frank
Fenton, supervisor of the road, aged As.
Injured-Henry Ditz, special officer re-
siding in Camden, scalded and hips broken;
Leonard Baush, Lakeside Park, back hurt
and badly scalded face and body; Frank
Mccormick, leg broken and scalded about the
the body; Wiley Caskey, aged 10, internally
injured, feared fatally; John Rosenbaum,
express agent. badly injured about the back
and head; Albert Glen. conductor, internally
injured, hip broken and spine injured; Cora
May Lippencott aged II, and her brother
Eugene, aged l6, legs slightly hurt; Louis
Mclean, fireman of the excursion train, in
jured about the head John Caskey, an ex.
cursionist, aged IL, and John Lager of Ber.
lin, internally injured Charles II. Hand.
slightly injured; Henry c. Chew, hurt about
the BODY. s. G, Warner, confused scalp;
George st. George, arm badly fractured;
Joseph Moore, news agent, badly cut; j. II.
Sooy, badly cut about about the body.
IL is stated that the accommodation train
should have taken a siding at Ashland, above
Lakeside Park in order to allow the excursion
train to pass. The operator at Ashland, it is
charged. is responsible for the accident in
permitting the accommodation train to pass
without goiug into siding. 1t is said the
operator was a new man. The injured were
placed under immediate medical aid. Such
as could be removed to Camden were taken
down at noon. One of the passengers says
that after the collision we all scrambled out
of the car, some escaping by the windows.
Both of the locomotives were completely de-
molished and the escaping steam made IT i'm
possible for any one to approach within 90
feet of the wreck. Great excitement existed
among the people in the two trains, especially
among the woman and children on the ex-
cursiOn train. The sight presented after
the accident occurred was a terrible one. The
train hands and messengers were running to
and fro and so much excitement existed that
they were unable to render any assistance to
the injured and dying. When the news
reached Camden train was hurriedly made
up and about 10 physicians summoned and
the train departed for Ashland. A wrecking
train was also sent to clear the track. The
point where the collision occurred is consid-
one of the worst on the line. The place is
about two miles from HaddOnfeld and one
mile from Ashland, a heavy down grade
curve in both directions. In the middle of
the curve is q wooden bridge over Cooper's
creek. There is only a single track in the
curve with q slight embankment on each
side. The accommodation train was running
at the rate of 90 miles and hour when it en-
tered the curve and after the two trains met
the utmost confusion ensued among the pas
sengers.
Willie Caskey died this evening, making
the sth victim. Samuel Archer, one of the
wreckers was badly hurt this evening while
pulling the engines apart. part of one of
the ropes broke and piece of iron pulled
out of place and struck Archer on the head,
fracturing his skull.