Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1884-01-23

hanging onto the framework of the ar
Both hands were closed with a vice.
like grip upon the window sash. The
clothes were entirel y burned of 1t is
evident that death was caused by in
haling the flames. The young lady
had managed to crawl out of the win
dow, and while on the very threshold
OF escape from death fell back victim
to the terrible flames. The third victim
was Mrs Libias Jones, of Reed City
Pa. She was burned to crisp Mrs
Connolly, of Reed City, who was re-
ported dead. escaped with slight injuries
and was able to go home this afternoon.
The ten year-old daughter of w. E.
Proctor, of Tarport, was on the train.
She had the presence of mind to boldly
jump through window Her injuries
are slight. Mrs Thomas Parker, of
Bordell, Pennsylvania, threw her four
year-old child out of the window, and
jumped out Both escaped with slight
burns and bruises. John Burke, Of the
Bingham House, Dunkirk, n Y, with
his sister Mary, was on the il-fated
train They occupied seats near the
center of the car. They escaped with
out injury.
Mr.. Burke said: "The train was
running at the rate of 10 miles an hour.
Suddenly the car became dark. Jets
and tongues OF flame leaped up on the
sides and through the ventilators of the
car. The glass cracked with a snap
and the heat became uncomfortable.
knew at once that we were passing
through an oil fire. l recognized the
peculiar Kissing of the burning oil.
Turning to my sister Mary said: we
are passing through an oil fire; be
quiet, it will soon be over People be-
gan to jump through the windows. On
all sides was heard the crashing Of the
glass and the deafening roar of the sea
of flames. The car was regular hell
in less than three minutes after it
caught fire. 1t seemed as if we were
all doomed to burn to death The situ-
alton was terrible. The car was filed
with the cries of women and children
and the groans of strong men. Women
and children were picked up by strong
hands and bodily fired through the
cracking windows Those who jumped
out of the windows Jared better than
the few who dashed through the doors
into the ocean of fame, which surged
to and fro like huge waves 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
singed, and some were so badly burned
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 fro like q ship
in heavy sea The windows offered
the only means of escape. l said to
Mary: We must jump through the
window | arranged cloak about
her head. The heat had already crack
ed the glass. l picked her up bodily
and mastering all my strength dashed
her head foremost through the window.
] then picked up little girl who was
CRYING and threw her out of the same
window, and then l made the jump OF
my life, landing in snow drift. My
moustache and my hair were only
slightly singed. My sister rolled down
the bank, and escaped without scratch.
1t was the most eventful experience OF
ny life There is nothing so fierce as
an oil FIRE, and the only wonder to me
is that any of the passengers escaped
with their lives. 1t seemed as II the
coach was all in flames in less than two
minutes after it was engulied In the
fiery sea of oil. The heat was 80 fierce
that in less time than 1t takes for me to
tell it the car windows were cracked
and tongues of fame were licking the
heads and faces of the allrighted passen-
gers"
ANo HER VICTIMS STORY.
j. p. Fletcher, of Bolivar, n. Y,
was burned about the face and head.
His left hand was bandaged up. lie
was near the door. He said; at
seemed but an instant ere the coach
was enveloped in flames Quicker than
fash the heat cracked the windows
aud the flames licked the interior wood
work. | forced open the door. The
platform and end of the car were on
fire. A dense black smoke ascended
heavenward. Tongues of flames lcaped
out like bolts Of lightning, destroying
everything in their path closed my
eyes and jumped landed in the ditch
and threw myself into the snow and
rolled down long hill. 1t was tho
hottest fire that ever saw. How l
escaped with such slight burns is
mystery. When | jumped commend
ed my soul to God. as never expected
to look upon this world again"
An eve witness of the disaster says:
at was the grandest and yet the most
awful scene that human eyes ever
Witnessed. For q distance of nearly
half a mile the roadbed was covered
with oil APPOINTS it was over the
rails. The moment the gas came In
contact with the fire box it exploded,
firing the oil. In less than one minute
the engine aud cars were enveloped In
flames. Great black pillars OF smoke
assembled heavenward. Tho driving
wheels of the engine, which was dash
ing along at the rate OF fifteen miles an
hour, scattered the oil over everything.
With rush aud roar which might
have been heard for q mile the flames
leaped fully $50 feet ahead of the loco
motive which was thus compelled to
run through vertable sea Of fire, such
as is seldom the fortune OF man to wit
ness. Ii was q terrible race and the
only parallel can remember is the oil
train which burned up near Brocton,
n. Y, few years ago. How the en-
gineer, train hands, and the men, wo-
men and children escaped is something
that only Providence can explain. IL
,yae n aipht TO make the strongest heart