The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-01-23
In a Lake Of FIro and 8Ftm.
stone"

The whole chapter OF accidents az
fords few horrors 10 compare with the
situation of the passengers on the train
from Wellsyille. Pa, which was burned
last week. The Railroads, in the oil
regions. are lined with huge tanks for
storage Of kerosene as well Is retorts
for refining it. just Ike the turpentine
stills on the Carolina Central II r.
Near TarpoEt, Pa. there was a long
"down-grade,' so steep that the train
ran like lightning unless held back BY
the brakes.
The illiated train had Arr we'd near
this place, when the engineer saw that
a tank had overlooked and formed a pool
of oil for several hundred yards along
the track. He could not stop before en-
tering the oil. and 10 stop in il would be
death Cor all so the only thing was 10
run right on. The oil instantly ignited
and became a lake of fire flaming 10 the
skies. \ passenger describes what fol.
lowed:-
The train was running at the rate of
fifteen miles al hour. Suddenly the ear
became dark, then jets and tongues Of
flame leaped up on the sides and through
the ventllators of the car. The glass
broke with a snap and the heat became
uncomfortable. | knew at once that We
were passing through an oil fire. as | re
cognixed the peculiar Kissing OF burning
oil. Turning to sister Mary, l said ]:
I'VE are passing through an oil fire be
quiet, it will soon be over" People be-
gan to jump through windows. On all
sides was heard the cracking of glass aud
the deafening roar ot the sea of flame.
That car was q regular he'll. 1t seemed
as if We were all doomed. The situation
was terrible. The car was filled with the
cries of women and children and the
groans Of strong men. Women and chill
dren were picked up by strong hands
and bodily thrown through the cracking
windows. Those who jumped out Of the
windows Jared better than the few who
dashed through the door, into the ocean
Of flame, which surged to and fro like
huge W. upon the bed OF the road.
Those who jumped from the windows
landed in huge drifts of snow. Those
who went through the doors had their
hands, faces and clothing badly burned
and slnged-some 50 badly that they will
die. | started down the aisle, but the
heat was SO awful that it made my head
swim. 1t was impossible to move. The
car swayed to and iro like a ship in a
heavy sea. The windows offered the
only means of escape. | said to Mary:
We must jump through the window
arranged her cloak about her head. The
heat had already cracked the glass, |
picked her up bodily, and, mastering all
my strength, dashed her headforemo.t
through the window. | then picked up
a little girl, who was crying, and threw,
her out Of the same window, and then
made the jump Of my life, landing in a
snowdrift. My mustache and my hair
we're only slightly siDged. Ny sister
rolled down the bank, but escaped with.
out a scratch. 1t was the most exciting
event of my life. There is nothing SC
fierce as an oil fire, and the only wonder
to NE is that any of the passengers es-
capped with their lives. 1t seemed as il
the coach was all in flames in less than
two minutes after it was engultel Ia the
fiery sea of oil.
Z. P. Fletcher, of Bolivar, n. ", was
burned about the face and head He
was near the door. He said 1T seem
ed but an instant before the coach was
enveloped in flames. Quicker than a
fash the heat cracked the windows, and
the flames licked the interior woodwork
| forced open the door. The platform
and end of the car were on fire. \ dense
black smoke assembled heavenward. and
tongues of fame lesped out like bolts OF
lightning, destroyed everything in their
path. closed my eyes and jumped. ]
landed in a ditch, and threw myself in
the snow and rolled down a long hill. 1t
was the hottest fire that | ever saw. How
| escaped with such slight burns is
mystery. When | jumped [ common
ded my soul to God, as | never expected
to look upon this world again"