Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-05-16
A RAILROAD WRECK.
Collision of Two Trains by which Fifteen
Men are Killed.

Collision of Two Trains by which Fifteen
Men are Killed.
Pittsburg, May l4-A west-bound
freight collided with general train on
the Baltimore aud Ohio railway one mile
east Of Connellsville between Q and 10
O'Clock this morning. A number Of
laborers, variously estimated ut from
twelve to twenty, were killed. aud mauy
we're Injured. The scene OF the disaster
IL on u sharp curve Just west of speer
Sandwoods. The freight train Was
heavily laden with ore. The camp tralu
consisted OF SIX cars aud conta about
fifty men from the Plttsbury Southern
road, who were on their way to Ghio Pyle
Falls to work on grading for double
track on the east end ot thls division.
Both trains we're going at high speed.
and cams together With terrible crash.
The euglues renamed on the track and
telescuued each other into the smoke
stack. but the heavy tenders jumped
into the air and Tell, the freight tender
upon Its englne and the gravel train ten
der back upon the first Car iu the rear of
1t. Heie WAS u sceue Of death. Six men
were killed outright in this car aud four
Others fastened down by broken timbers
and we've roasted to death, the cur catch
lug IRE from an overturned stove and
burning up uefure the stupetied survl.
vors cuml.i comprehend the awful situa.
tlou Of their skrleklug companluus.
Three men escaped from the car. Tue
wreck Itself Was u giiastly sight. The
tender ot the freight engine stood thlrt,
feet iu the all at the side Ut the iron Car
that was burned, and there could be
seen sitting amid the glowing embers
twisted lrOu rods and dead ashes, three
griunlng skeletons, one sitting bolt up.
nght. upparautIy peering iuto the flames
that had smutnered out his lite as well
as those of his companions. 1t is impos
s!bie ut this writing to get list OF the
dead aud wounded.
| Al noon q large force Of shop hand.
were on the ground extiuguishing the
flames In the wreck, and at wOrk pull
ing the debris away and 1escuing til,
charred remains. The burned trunks q
four victims have been taken out
Acio 1888 the breast of one the white un
4 slnRed flesh contrasts strongly will
the blackened surroundings. Tha
spot was where the heavy timoers caugh
HIM and held him III the grip Of fate un
til the flames left nothing but the head
less. armless, legless trunk. The re
mains we're reverently placed on board
carried aside aud laid down upon til
green grass, spotted With tue purpl
forest flowers. A lean aud hungry LOOT
ing mouDtain dog snitfed the loaste
flesh, licked his chops and desceude
upon the remains. Fortunately he wa
discovered aud driven away.
1t ls expected that the wreck will b
cleared up this evening. The Official
decliue to say Who is to blame, but popr
lar opinion puts it gu one of the trai
runners. it may have been mistake
understanding of orders. The true caus
will not be known tor day or tw,
although an investigation has been OF
, dered.
!: When the wreck was cleared away
I was discovered that twelve persc ns hu
been Injured and fourteen more wei
missing. TIE bodies of ten of tho
. missing were recovered. The others al
supposed to have been completely Co
sumed. o. those recovered only tu
were positively identified. The othe
Q were burned to shapeless mass. o.
d Of the injured died on the way to Il
8 hospital. making fifteen deaths.