Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-10-18
THE MUD RUN DISASTER.
Details Of the Tsrribls Disaster on
the Lehigh Valley Road,
BY Which Three Score Lives Were Lost
and q Great Nnmher Injured
Heartrending scenes .mid
the Debris.

wnKEsBARRE, Pa. Oct. 1.-THE follow.
ing is a later account giving fuller details
Of the terrible disaster on the Lehigh
Valley railroad near Mud Run, Pa, on
Wednesday night:
About ten O'Clock last night dreadful
accident on the Lehigh Valley railroad
was rumored to have taken place. and
further reports said the wrecked train
was section of the excursion train re-
turning from Hazletou. Nearly six thou
sand Luzerne and Lackawanna people
had gone there, and no one knew just who
had returned. The railroad officials
were mute. They knew nothing. Gradu-
ally the stories took terrible form It
leaked out that Superintendent Mitchell
and others had gone down the road on
special engine. Then private telegram
arrived, saying that the accident had oc-
CURED at Mud Run, one SCI tion of the ex-
cursion train running into another.
Forty persons were reported killed. Peo-
pie were in agony, and the crowd at tn 9
depot swelled to hundreds. Still the Off
cials were mute. No dispatches could be
gotten over the wires. Many we'll known
citizens were seen at the depot wringing
their hands; faces fearful and pale with
dread. Women thronged the depot with
error-stricken countenances, sobbiug
crying or silent and trembling
with dreadful uncertainty. Still the rail-
way officials preserved their terribly
cruel silence, declaring that they knew
nothing. Every means was taken to get
Information, but all to no purpose. A
New Jersey Central train finally brought
news to the effect that eighty persons
were killed. and the excitement grew in :
tense. All the White Haven physicians
had gone to the scene. There were sew
enty-eight cars from Wilkesbarre to
Hazleton. the number of passengers be-
ing about $500. The sections were all
crowded to suffocation, furnishing the
conditions for terrible loss of life in case
Of wreck. Throughout the night the
depot was thronged by hundreds of per-
sons, suffering untold agony over the I'M
certainty. The throng was loud in its de-
nunciation OF the company for retusin
all Information. and causing needless
suffering.
At $3.50 a n. the report was in circula-
ton that arrangements had been made
for the receipt of a large number of the
wounded at the hospital. The rumor was
soon confirmed. The officials were ex-
pecting twenty-five OF the victims. With
such a list of wounded coming in this di-
rection, the public pulse stood still over
the horrible possibilities, and y thousand
tainting hearts quivered in dread. Many
persons wanted to 60 to the scene of the
disaster, and endeavore1 to charter a To-
connective. Rev. Father Moylan. of Scran-
ton, offered to pay cash for any expense
in that direction, but the favor could not
be obtained. owing to the absence of Sn-
perintendent Mitchell at the wreck.
Many persons, after waiting during the
long weary hours from ten to three in the
took the south-bound train,
which passed here at ten minutes after
three O'Clock. and went to the scene of
the disaster. 1t was there learned tn at
the third section of the excursion train
had stood on the track few hundred
yards from Mud Run, waiting for Sec
tons ahead to get out of the way. A flag
man, some say, had been sent back with
a lantern to guard the train from the
rear. Suddenly the passengers on the
rear platform saw train approaching at
a high rate of speed. Several of these
passengers, who saw the danger, jumped
and escaped. In an instant the fl ash of a
headlight illuminated the interior of the
Inflated rear car; there was a frightful
crash, and the engine plunged her full
length into the crowded mass of human.
ity.
The shock drove the rear car through
the next for two thirds OF its length and
the second car was forced into the third.
Not a single person escaped from the
rear car The second was crowded with
MANNED and bleeding bodies aud the third
car had but Few passengers who escaped.
The uninjured, but terror stricken, pas
,engers of both trains made their way out
Of the cars, and on going to the tele-
scoped engine and cars the full horror of
the terrible disaster dawned upon them.
The shattered engine was pouring forth
streams of scalding steam and water
which hid from their eyes the fullest
measure of the horrible scene. while its
Kissing sound deadened the shrieks and
groans of those imprisoned in the wreck
CHASTITY white faces peered into the
to be greeted by faces far more
chastity. Some Of the dead sat pinioned
in their seats, erect as in life, staring
open-eyed, as If aware Of the horrible
As the steam and smoke
cleared away from the rear car, its awful
sights were revealed. The timbers were
crushed and wrenched, while on all sides
hung mangled bodies aud limbs. The
few bodies which were not mangled were
burned and scalded by the steam, and
little remained in the cars which
bore human semblance. When the
shock of the first crash had In a measure
sub sided, the uninjured began to do what
could be done for their unfortunate com.
Dauions.
The f. " light tools on the train were
called into requisition, but proved feeble
indeed. The St Francis
Pioneer Corps, who were on the train,
Piled with zeal the broad axes which
we're meant for holiday occasions. They
we're, however, but little adapted to the
work, and were soon rendered useless.
In the meantime the windows of the caIs
we're smashed in, brave men entered and
released those least hurt or least entan.
,led. In one case they found John
Lynch, of Wilkesbarre, hanging from the
roof by one leg. His cries brought
friends, who. to relieve his suffering.
stood upon the wreckage and held his
weight upon their backs until he was re-
ieved from his terrible position. A
1oung lady was found caught by the
over limbs; one OF her limbs was quick
y released, but the other could not be
reed, and an unfortunately misdirected
blow of an axe severed 1t from the body.
She heroically bore her torture, and tax.
ng out her gold watch she handed it to
In acquaintance as gift to a friend at
lome. She was put ON board of one of
he trains and given all possible care, but
he could not survive her terrible in
uries, aud died in the aries OF friends on
BOARD the car.
To free the bodies in the rear car the
rainmen attached q locomotive to the
wrecked engine, and started to pull it
rom the wreck. The first movement OF
he shattered wreck brought from the
Wounded such awful cries OF distress
hat the surrounding friends ordered the
ngineer to desist on pain OF death