The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-05-15
CRUSHED IN A COLLISION.
Fifteen Men Killed and the Bodies
Burned Beyond Recognition.
A Freight and a Work Train Run Into
Each Other Near COnneIlsville, Pa.
The Terrible Results.

PITTSBURG, May IA west bound freight
collided with gravel train the Baltimore e
Ohio road one mile east Of Connellsville, be-
tween and 10 o'clock this morning a number
of laborers, variously estimated at from twelve
to twenty, were killed, and many were injured
The scene of the disaster is sharp curve, just
west of the Speer Sand Works. The freight
train was heavily laden with ore. The camp
train consisted of six cars, which contained
about fifty men, who had just been transferred
from the Pittsburg Southern road, and were on
their way to Ohio Pyle Falls to work on the
grading for double track on the east end of
this division. Both trains were going at a high
rate Of speed and came together with a terrible
crash. The engines remained on the track and
telescoped each other in to the smoke stack, but
the heavy tenders jumped into the air, fell, the
freight tender upon its engine and the gravel
train tender back upon the first car in the rear.
Six men were killed outright in this car, and four
others fastened down by the broken timbers
ard roasted to DEATH the car catching fire from
the overturned stove and burning up before the
stupefied survivors could comprehend the awful
situation of their shrieking companions. Three
men escaped from the car and one of them
have been extinguished had water been applied
in time.
The wreck itself was a CHASTITY sight. The
tender of the freight engine stood thirty feet in
the air. Inside of the iron car that was
burned could be seen, sitting amid the glowing
embers and twisted iron rods and dead ashes,
three grinning skeletons, onesitting bolt upright
apparently peering into the flames that had
smothered out his life, as well as those Of his
companions.
At noon large force of shop hands were on
the ground extinguishing the flames, and the
wreck train was at work pulling the debris
away and rescuing the charred remains. The
burned trunks of four of the victims have just
been taken out. Across the breast of one the
white unsinged flesh contrasts strangely with
the blackened surroundings The spot was
where the heavy timbers caught him
and held him in the grip of fate until
the flames left nothing but headless, armless,
legless trunk. The remains We're reverently
placed on a board, carried aside and laid down
upon the green grass, spotted with purple forest
flowers A lean and hungry looking mountain
dog snuffed the roasted flesh, and, licking his
chops, descended upon the remains. Fortunately
he was discovered and driven away.
1t Is expected that the wreck will he cleared
up this evening. The officials decline to say who
is to blame, but popular opinion puts it on one
of the train runners. 1t may have been a mis-
taken understanding of orders. The true cause
will not De known for day or two, and mean
time thorough investigation has been ordered.
When the wreck was cleared away it was dis
covered that twelve persons had been injured
and fourteen were missing The bodies of ten
of these were recovered the others are supposed
to have been completely consumed Of those
recovered, only two, Cassidan and Dermott,
could be positively identified. The others were
burned to a shapeless mass One of the injured,
j. T. Oshea, died on the way to the hospital,
making fifteen deaths as follows:
Patrick Cassiday, aged 40, residence Cumber-
land.
Scott Dermot, aged 81 residence Ursina, Pa.
Dennis Ward, aged 40, residence unknown.
Sheabey Neuman, residence unknown
Owen Conley, aged 30, residence Pittsburg.
John Perry, aged 80, residence Johnstown, Pa
Thos. Whitele, aged %, residence unknown.
Eli Sloan, aged %, residence unknown
Joseph Desmond, aged 81 residence unknown.
Patrick Kelly, aged 81, residence unknown.
John Hughes, aged A, Cumberland, Nd.
John Comfy, aged 40 New York.
Timothy Shay, aged 40, Staunton, Va.
j. It. Oshea, aged 81, Cumberland Nd.
The latter was fireman of the freight train,
and the others laborers. The wounded are as
follows:
James Smith laborer, scalp wound.
Samuel Clay, engineer of the camp train, right
arm broken.
William McNulty, laborer, Of Philadelphia, right
ankle fractured.
Daniel Albright, laborer, of Urefna, Fa., leg
broken.
W. J. Burns, clerk right arm broken.
Thomas McCabe, laborer, both arms broken.
Four Swedes, whose names are unknown, were
also injured, but not dangerously. The injured
we're sent to the West Pennsylvania Hospital,
at Pittsburg and the dead brought to Councils
vile for burial.