The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-01-24
A FIERY RIDE To DEATH.
a Passenger Train EnvelOped IN Burnins
Oil-The Cars Consumed, Three Women
Burned to Death and Many Seriously In
jured.
BRADFORD, PA, Jan. Is.

jured.
BRADFORD, PA, Jan. Is.
A stream of waste oil flowing from q
tank across the Bradford, GOrdell & Kin
qua Railroad caught fire this morning. A
passenger train from Well,ville for Brad
ford ran into it, and the train was imme-
diately enveloped in flames. The track for
a distance of ore hundred yards was COW
cred with oil. 1t is believed that gas COM
ing in contact with the fire box of the en-
CINE exploded, firing the oil, which spread
on the wind, and enveloped the doomed
train in an instant in 4 mass of flames. So
intense was the heat that the windows
cracked and fell in. In less time than it
taxes to write it, a passenger coach and
baggage-car were converted into a seeth-
ing, kissing cauldron of fire. 1t was a ter
rible moment. The coach was filled.
There was a rush for the doors, but the
heat was SO intense that the panic-stricken
passengers were driven back, and forced to
jump through the windows, landing in the
snow.
A relief train with surgeons and cots
was dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival
a terrible sight presented itself. The pas
senger coach and baggage car were smok-
ing ruins. The engine lay on its back, hav-
ing turned complete somerset.
THE DEAD.
Mrs L. C. Pair of Kinzua Junction, was
burned beyond recognition. She wasa young
woman and had only been married two years.
Her husband escaped by jumping through a
window.
Mis- Katie Moran, Aliens. n. Y, small
station near Akin, was burned almost to u
crisp Miss Moran was found hanging out
Size OF the coach eraSpIng the window sill.
The third woman burned TO death, has not
been identified.
INJURED.
Prof Taught is not expected to live.
Patrick >exton, engineer, is terribly burned
about the face and hands.
Nike Walsh. fireman, was horribly burned
about the face and arms.
w. H. Belma1, injured internally.
Jerry Denagan, brakeman, han Is badly cut.
Charles Heidr che. express messenger, was
burned about Ii. bands.
George Mccartney, newsboy. was terribly
burned about the head and hands; not ex-
pected to live.
a. n. Carpenter, of Little Gene-ee, face and
left hand burned.
Jerry Haggerty. Ceres, y. Y, badly burned
about the lace and heal.
Mrs. Black, daughter and son. of Akin, n.
V. burr ell about the head and HANDS
Mr.. Black was most severely burned.
G. W Van, wife and son, of INDIANAPOLIS
Ind. burned. The boy was badly burned
about tn face and IndS.
John KafoOr. Akin. n. Y, terribly burned
about the face and hands.
An eyewitness of the disaster said: at
was the grandest and yet the most awfu
scene that human eyes ever witnessed. Fol
a distance of nearly half a mile the road
bed was covered with oil. At points it was
over the rails. The moment the gas came
in contact with the fre-box it exploded,
firing the oil. In less than one minute the
engine and cars were enveloped in flames.
Great black pillars Of smoke assembled
heavenward. The driving wheels of the
engine, which was dsshing along ar the
rate of fifteen miles an hour, scattered the
oil over everything with a rush and roar
which might have been heard for a mile.
The flames leaped fully 80 feet ahead of
the locomotive, which was thus compelled |
to n n through a veritabie sea of FIRE, such !
as is seldom the fortune of mant to Witness