Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-01-14
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The snow storm OF Friday night caused
the most serious blockade on the p, W.
d b. railroad that has occurred for years,
the tracks in this city being covered to
such an extent with heavy drifts that
through travel was suspended from s
o'clock Saturday morning until noon.
The blockade was also accompanied by a
terrible and fatal collision near the foot
of Justison street, in this city. Three
men were killed and five injured.
The collision occurred about 7.45
o'clock. The Wilmington Northern
train, which leaves the p, W. ~ b. rail
road station at O'Clock for Reading, was
backing in. 1t consisted of engine No s,
baggage and mail car No. and passenger
car No. IA. On account of the heavy
drifts, it was piloted by shifting engine
No. ., Of the p, w. & b. railroad, which
was attached to the rear of the passenger
car, the front of the engine being
next to the platform of the car. The
train, thus composed, ran in on the
north bound track, until between Shipley
and Market streets, its progress was
stopped by several freight cars, which
had been thrown from the tracks during
the night by the drifts. The w. d. N.
train then ran back TO the switch near the
gas house, and crossed over to the south
bound track, when 1t again started for
the station.
Meanwhile, shifting engines No. 16 and
] of the p, w. d b. railroad, had been
sent out from the station with snow
sweepers attached, to clear the south
bound tracks for travel Both engines
were running rapidly and the w. 81 N.
train, piloted by shifter No. and fol-
lowed by engine No. B, was also under
good head of steam, unusual power being
necessary, on account of the clogged
condition of the tracks. just east of
Justison street, opposite the Harlan &
Hollingsworth. 0ompany's tracks, the en-
gines came together, with terrific crash.
The result was appalling. The brunt
OF the collision was borne by engine No. .
and the Wilmington " Northern pas
senger car, and the engine tele-
scoped the car for fully one-third of its
length. The rear trucks of the passenger
car were forced clear to the middle of the
car, and the boiler of No. followed
them, crushing the rear end of the car
into fragments. The seats were torn up
and broken from one end to the other,
while the cab OF the engine was broken
into pieces, the boiler fractured and the
machinery twisted into unacceptable
shapes.
On account of the binding drifts OF
snow, the engineers of the approaching
engines were not aware of the danger un-
til the collision occurred, which accounts
for its terrific force. The engineer
and fireman of No. Sand three brakemen
who were on the engine, were also crushed
into the terrible wreck.
Immediately after the collision the pas
senger car took fire from the furnace of
the engine, and the escaping steam from
the fractured boiler added to the horror
of the occasion and increased the torture
of the miserable victims. Their suffer
ings, however, must have been
brief, as their crushed and mangled
condition, when taken out, showed
that death could not have been long de-
layed. An alarm of fire was promptly
sounded from box No. "a, at Front and
Justison streets, and the fire department
responded with alacrity. Assistant En-.
gineer Wigglesworth took charge, and
seeing the condition of affairs. procured
buckets and poured water upon the places
where the victims of the wreck were con-
fined under the broken timbers, SO as to
preventive complete incineration of theil
bodies. A large force of policemen also
quickly arrived, and the tiremen, police
and employees promptly sent from the p.
w. 81 b. railroad station went to work as
soon as possible to remove the dead and
wounded.
It was nearly 8 o'clock when the.last
body was taken out, and frequently
during the operations the spectators were
rendered sick by the horrible sights pre-
scented. Some of the wounded were ter
ribly crushed, and one of the dead mer
had both legs cut off, while his entire
body was horribly burned and crushed
Another had his stomach crushed unit
che eutrails protruded, while the third
when taken out, held aloft crisp ant
ouiyering arm, from which the flesh hat
been almost entirely burned of, while hi
face was crushed in and CHASTITY wount
laid open the back of his head made evel
more CHASTITY by the destruction of all tn
hair by fire. The odor of burning fiesl
was plainly perceptible, and the sight
were such as to make the spectator
shudder with horror, while those VIII
engaged In the work of removal coul
scarcely control their feelings sufficient
TO continue their humane labors.
The excitement was most intense
Great crowds quickly collected, and a
the dead bodies were SO terribly mutilate
that none knew them. much commotio
was caused by those who feared they wer
friends or relatives. The dead were II
moved to the dead house at the p, w.
n. station, and the wounded sent ut one
to their homes in hacks and wagons pr,
gided by the p, w. g. b. officials. Ate
the removal of the bodies the flames wei
finally extinRuished by stream of wat,
from an adjacent fire plug =
Aside from the casualties, the result
of the accident were as follows: II
Wilmington d Northern passenger car
wrecked completely, inside, from END
END, all the setts peihg 5orn up ~
proheh' eiio 'no lea. M Ill
tneiI Poeieioh s ,;s,I =,
stra,heu anu . p,on, o"D ane,;ra NJ !
mashiIeiy Mooheu -, ~ =,
poiler-heau neofe ~ o..o - n
chlnery Thrown ou, VI ggui els '.sl y
j, cab broken ana Iaclinery uanhae N
WILL require geheIal oF tu :;
baggage ana aiaii,car " y. eisa
No. escaped ~itnout injury! pnl %
cars were tnro"h iroiA 'to i"iis "
collision' a., u,..a.
oonductor Diach Vi tne Wiilil ~ -
Northern raiirohu' anu ouPeii :.tn !.
MeCausiana, were Jallheu S1,;.;
wrecked passenger cur wneh vne ooii,si
occurred; ouperip.eiuen' moo'' =,
almost py nniiaole, eS'1 NJ ~,
oS 'o-io m;,doy Of the
and climbed out, after viii
he drew Conductor Black out. The /
Ter was taken to his home, No. 1908 W