Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1888-10-12
DEADLY DISASTERS.
Particulars of the Lehigh
Valley Horror.
HORRIBLY MANGLED HUMANITY
A Fatal Collision in Ohio and One on
the Northern Pacific-The
Quincy Victims.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.


Mud Run, on the Lehigh Valley road,
was received at 10 O'Clock last night.
There were nearly 5000 people from
Luzerne and Lackawanna counties in the
excursion at Hazelton. There were
seventy-eight cars from Wilkesbarre, the
number of passengers being about $500.
The sections were all crowded to suffo-
cation, furnishing conditions for terri
BILE loss of life. People focked to the
depot wringing their hands in agony.
Railroad officials could not or would not
give any information, nor would they fur
nish facilities for anyone to go to the
scene, though anxious ones offered to
pay any price. Throughout the night
the depot was thronged by hundreds of
persons suffering untold agony over the
uncertainty. The throng was loud in its
denunciation of the company for refusing
all information, and causing needless
suffering.
At 80 A. NJ. a report was in circula-
ton that arrangements had been made
for the receipt of a large number of
was soon confined. Officials were ex-
such q list of wounded coming in this
direction that the public pulse stood still
over the horrible possibilities and
thousands of fainting hearts quivered in
dread. Many persons, after waiting dur
ing the long, weary hours from 10 P. NJ.
to in the morning, took the south
bound train which passed here at 5 10
and went to the scene of the disaster.
HOW THE DISASTER OCCURRED.
There it was learned that the third
section of the excursion train had stood
on the track few hundred yards from
Mud Run, waiting for the sections ahead
to get out of the way. A flagman, some
say, had been sent back with lantern
to guard the train from the rear. Sud-
denly the passengers on the rear plat
form saw the train approaching at high
rate OF speed. Several jumped and es-
capped. In an instant the flash OF the
headlight Illuminated the interior OF the
Inflated car. There was q frightful
crash, and the engine plunged full length
into the crowded mass of humanity. The
shock drove the rear car thraugh the
next one 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. The third
car had but few.
The passengers who escaped uninjured
from both trains made their way out OF
the cars, and on going to the telescoped
engine and cars found the engine
pouring forth streams Of scaldirg
steam and water, which hid from their
eyes the fullest measure of the horrible
scene, while it's kissing sound deadened
the shrieks and groans of those i'm
prisoned in the wreck. CHASTITY white
faces peered into the windows 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 surroundings.
AWFUL SIGHTS.
As the steam and smoke cleared from
the rear car awful sights were revealed.
Timbers were crushed and wrenched ,
while on all sides hung mangled bodies
and limbs. Few bodies were not man
gled, burned or scalded by steam, and
little remained in the rear car which bore
any human semblance. When the shock
of the first crash had in measure SUBJ
sided, the uniniured began to do what
could be done for their unfortunate C om-
train proved feeble instruments indeed
The St. Francis Pioneer Corps, who
were on the train, piled with zeal the
broadaxes meant for holiday occasions
They were, however, but little adapted
to the work and were soon rendered USE
less. In the meantime the windows of
the car were smashed in and brave men
entered and released those least hurt or
least entangled.
John Lynch, of Wilkesbarre, was
hanging from the roof by one leg. His
cries brought friends who stood upon the
wreckage and held the weight upon their
backs until he was released. A young
lady was found caught by the lower
limbs. One limb was released. The
other could not be freed, and unfortu-
nately INSTRUCTED blow of the axe sew
cred it from her body. She heroically
bore her torture, but could not survive
the shock and soon died.
To free the bodies in the rear car the
trainmen attached locomotive to the
wrecked engine and started to pull it
from the wreck. The first movement of
the shattered wreck brought from the
wounded such awful cries Of distress that
surrounding friends ordered the Ell gi-
neer to desist on pain Of his life. They
did not wish to see the mangled forms
still further mutilated. The few houses
about the spot were thrown open to the
suffering. Bonfres were lighted to aid
the work of relief.
PASSENGERS CONFLICTING STORIES.
Passengers on the rear train state that
they saw the train ahead when far down
the road. They sprang from their seats
and started in wonder and surprise that
the train did not slack speed. Suddenly
their engineer and fireman were seen to
jump. Then came the shock. Engin-
.eer Harry Cook and fireman Hugh Gal
lagher sustained slight injuries. The
fireman states that he saw red light
and informed the engineer, then jumped.
Passengers give many different accounts
of the probable cause of the accident,
some attributing it to the negligence OF
the flagman in not going back with red
light.
BRINGING IN THE WOUNDED.
The train from the scene of the acct
dent arrived this morning bringing
number Of those who went down to make
inquiries, and from them the foregoing
facts were cleaned. Scenes about the
depot are of most distressful character.
A special train of three cars arrived here
at 5 O'Clock this morning from the wreck
With twantv.four iniurad Thew were