Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-10-12
WRECK AND DEATH.
THg s0-cALLRD RAILROAD ACCIDENT IN
PEENsyLvAHiA.
Details Of the Horrible AHAir-The Killed
and Wounded-Hearuend
ing Scenes
nv lelerraph o ,he napnl.h.l

iBy telegraph % the Dispatrhl
WrLIFsTARRF, PA. October H.
About 10 o'clock last night a dreadful
accident on the Lehigh Valley railroad
was rumOfed 10 have occurred. and 1t
was further said that the wrecked train
was section of an excursion returning
from Hazleton. Nearly 5000 Luzerne
aud Lackawanna people had gone there,
aud no one knew Just who had returned.
The railroad officials were mute. They
knew noticing. Gradually stories took a
terrible form. II leaked cat that super
intendent Mitchell and others had gone
Gown the road on a special engine.
Then private telegram arrived saving
an accident bad occurred at Mud Run
one section Of the excursion train run
Mug INTO another. Forty persons were
reported killed. The people were 10
agony. and the crowd At the depot
saclled - hundreds Still the officials
vfro mute. No dispatches could be
gotten over the wires. Many well-known
ctulcns were seen At the depot WrDging
their hands. their faces fearful and pale
with dread. Women thronRed the depot
with terror-strcken cOnntenances,
fObbnQ. crying. or silent and
trembling with dreadful uncertainty.
SOL the railway officials preserved
their terribly cruel silence, de-
c'aung that they knew nothing.
livery means Was taken 10 get inior-
nation, but all 10 10 purpose.
ATTAeT
A New Jersey Central train finally
brought news b the effect that eighty
were killed aud the excitement grew in
frn.o. All tho White Haven physicians
hsa gone 10 the scene. There were
seventy eight cars from Wilkesbarre 10
Ualiclon. tho number of passengers
hrup about 800 The sections we're
a'l crowded 20 suiiocation, furnishing o
condition for a terrible loss Of life in case
ri 90 wreck. Throughout the night the
oDuot was thronged by hundreds Of per
sons suffering untold agony over uncer-
tautv Tho throug was loud IN its de-
uuucntiou ~ the company for refusing
go Information and causing needless suf-
l-rug At 1880 A. VI. q report WAS IN
circulation that arrangements had been
rnie for the receipt Of a large number
uf wounded at the hospital. The rumor
Ua3 soon confirmed The officials were
l.rs ctug twcnty five Of the victims.
w th such lIst Of wounded coming IN
tbs direction the public pulse stood still
over the horriblepossibiIities, and thou
fsui imnhug hearts quvcred in dread,
Many persons wanted 10 gOtO the scene Of
iue disaster and endeayored to charter a
comotiye. Rev. Father Moylan, Of
Scranton. offered 10 pay cash Tor any OK
lou-c ODD that direction, bat the favor
could mot bee obtained owing 10 the all.
nee Of Superintendent Mitchell mt the
wreck Many persons. after Whiting du-
7Ing the long, weary hours from 10 20
1u tie morning. took the south-hound
train which passed here at 3lO and went
q, the scene At the appalling DISASTER IL
sa- there learned that the third section
at She excursion tram lad stood on the
track few hundred yards from Mud
buu Whiting for the section ahead to get
nut of the way The tlagman, some say,
laj been seut back with lantern 20
guard the train from the rear. Sud-
denly passengers ON the rear platform
ttW tram approach ut a high rate Of
fYr,d. Several of these passengers who
tlw the danger jumped and escaped. In
.u instant tho flash Of headlight H.
umnatcd the interior Of the lll-iated
rear ear.
A FEARFUL CBAsH
There WIS u frichtful crash, and the
engine plunged her full length into the
crowded mass of humanity The shock
Grove the rear car through the next one
f.r two thirls of It's length, and the
.coud car WAS forced into the third.
.ot single person escaped from the
rear car The second was crowded with
manned ard bleeding bodies, and the
IUiri car hai but few passengers who
escaped. The muprci but terror
stricken passengers of both trains
m,3v Their way ont of the cars
rouF g. the tcI,sr0pci engine ana cars,
where tine iull horror Of the terrible dls-
go ter dawuei upon thcm. The shattered
curiuc WAS pouring forth streams Of
sraldiu. steam aud water, when hld
from their eyes the fullest measure OF
I-.If ...,.. ,,l,f.t a.. Ii-afytf
'...l .i..I,..3 ,,o ,br,.ls a,d croons
,a.,.'..,n.I nm r,a w,o,t
n. -f..,.i f...'.'.' '.,'i ;,,o tbo v,,.
I..'. d.. .-..,.3 M, rcss far NOR.
vi.
''''''' IN '''''''
Some Of the dead sat pinned IN the
0onts erect as in hie, staring opcncyed
aa d aware of the horrible SURROUNDINGS
tib'r tho steam and smoke cleared
from tho rear car its awful sights were
r.,elcl 1lmhrrs were crushed and
vr.uchcd, Whlic on Ail sides hung man
l.ej bodies aud hmhs. 4 few bodies
winch were NOT maneled were burned
and tcHIdot hV steam, AMI hi'le remain
"a 100 tno car winch hort human sem
r.naoe. When the shock Of ite trst
crash ho. in "a measure subsidized tho un-
INJURED began &" Go what 'ou'h pe zone
nr their unfortunate companion" me
irV hight tools on the tram were called
1uto relWs'uon, uut proved Ieeole M
t'llmoui7 indeed lie NI 81 I'u'lS
i Nu''l N"'i'' VIZ" WV '" 80
l.'" WI" '''' .', ,'.''' 49, ....''...D.
10 IN Atitttt'N AN'A '''.'''A' '''''t''t+t1