The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-16
RAILROAD DISASTER.
A Passenger Train Fired BY burning OIL
Three Women Burned 20 Death
Fifteen Other Casualties.
fBy te,eyrnpl, TO the Dispatch. !


BRADFORD, PA, January lo.-Tbe en-
gineer Of Train No. 2, through train be-
tween Wellsville, Y. Y. and Bradford.
east OF here. at 9:45 A. NJ. discovered oil
on the track. He reversed bis engine. but
was too late, and the brakes could not hold
the train. 1t dashed into the oil, which
was fresh and gassy. A spark from the
fire.box igniied the oil, ard the flames In
simultaneously enveloped the train, which
dashed down the steep grade OF one hun
dred feet to the mile ut the rate OF forty
five miles an hour.
There were about forty passengers on
board, who became extremely paniclly and
Jumped from the doors and windows into
the snow, which was three feet deep. Near
the doors the doomed victims crowded,
blockading the passage-way. At curve
half n mile from where the flames seized
the fated train the engine and ears were
deraiIed Three women, named Kitty Mo-
ran, Mrs. Lewis Fair. and Mrs. Connolly
or Jones, we're burned TO death. Fifteen
men and one boy were burned and wound
ed. The engineer and fremen jumped
from the train-the former, Patsey Sexton.
was badly burned about the face and
hands. and will likely die. He made him.
self a hero bv standing by his engine in
the face OF certain death.
The wounded are being taken care OF by
President Carter and Superintendent VIII
liams, who have 2 full corps OF physicians
and attendants. They are being brought
TO Bradford and lodged in hotels.
The passenger-coach L. entirely con-
sumed and the baggage-cdr partially de-
stroved. The mails and baggage were
partly saved. The bagga"e-masier and
express-messenger jumped from the train
and escaped with Il few injuries. The
arms and legs of the victims were burned
off. Many OF the wounded are in criti-
cal condition. and four or five will, ac-
cordlng to the opinions OF physicians, die
before night.
The burning train as it dashed down the
mountain side was an appalling sight. al
most unnerving those who witnessed 1t.
Lnier.-Five women ESCAPED with slight
injuries. Three were killed. their bodies
being burned to crisp. Three OF the men
are likely to die.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE CALAMITY.
BRApFoRD. Pa. January IA stream
OF waste oil flowing from a tank across the
Bradford Bordel and kinzua railway
caught fire this morning a. passenger
train from Wellsyile for Bradford ran into
il. aud the train was immediately enyel-
oped in flames. The track Tor fully one
hundred yards was covered with OIL. 1t Is
believed that the gas coming in contact
with the fire-boX OF the engine exploded,
firing the oil. and the flames spreading on
the hurricanes wings developed the
doomed train in an instant in blazing
mass. So intense was the heat that the
windows cracked and fell in, and in less
time than it takes TO write it the passenger
coach and bagoa9e-car were converted into
Il mass OF fire. Ii was terrible moment.
The coach was filed with passengers and
there was rush for the doors. but the heat
was so intense that the panic-stricken pas
SeDgers were driven back and forced TO jump
through the windows, landing in the snow.
4 relief train with surgeons and cots was
dispatched 10 the scene. Upon its arrival
there terrible sight presented itself. The
pasSenger-cOach and baggage.car were a
mass Of smoking ruins. The engine lay on
its back, having turned n complete sOmer-
sault. 1t is definitely known that only
three persOns-all wOmen-werc burned to
DEATH Mrs. l.. c. Fair. OF kinzua juno
ton. was burned beyond recognition. Her
husband escaped by jumping through a
window. Miss Kate Moran, OF Aliens, y.
Y, was burned almost 10 a crisp. Miss
Moran was found hanging outside the
coach, grasping a window-sill. The other
dead woman has not been identified. She
was badly burned. Sixteen persons were
more or less seriously burned, six OF whom
will likely die.