Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-10-18
AWFUL RAILROAD WRECK
ONE HUNDRED People, SAID 10
1LHD RE IN.IILREu

ONE HUNDRED People, SAID 10
Also BIN INJURED.
-
The Trains, which Were on the nc :
high valley road, Were Crowded
90 the doors Win Axcurs.ontsts
Returning from n Church COnven-
tiOns
PorTsyILLE, Pa, OCT. 10. Information
reached this city to'night Of terrible sc.
ciient which occurred on the Lebigh
Wiley railroad at Mud Run, the first al.
uon above Penn Haven. A grand parade
OF Catholic societies took place at Haz.e-
ton today, and O large excursion was run
from WilkeSbsrre for The occasion com.
posed OF lodges, bands, and sight seers
from Wilkesbarre, Nanticoke and other
points along the line.
The excursion train was run ia two sac.
tIons, and upon tho return trip 10, night
tho rear section ran into the forward acc
ton ut Mud Bun at 8 O'Clock With dieas.
trous results. Several cars OF heforyard
section were telcscoped, snd forty per.
sons were killed outright and about an
equal number Injured, many Of them
probably fatally. II is impossible to
ascertain tho names or residences o. any
OF the victims, but their number is stated
above with approximate accuracy.
WuKEsBARBE, Pa Ost. 11.--About 10
o'clooa last night, dreadful accident on
the Iiehigh Valley railroad was rumored
TO have taken place End further renort
said the wrecked train was section q
the excursion train returning from Halle
Npra ManrIsy 4 r
wanna people had gone there and no one
knew just who had returned. The rail.
road ofticialB were mute. They knew
nothing. Gradually the stories took ter
rible form. 1t leaked cut that snperin-
tendent Mitchell and others bud gone
down the road on special engine. Then
u private telegram arrived saying the as.
cident had occurred at Mud Run, ono
section OF the excursion train running
into another. Forty persons were reported
killed. People wore In agony and the
crowd at tho depot swelled TO hundreds.
still the officials were mnte. No dis.
patches could be gotten over the wires.
Many well. known citizens were seen at
tho depot wrinRing their hands, faces
fearful and pnle with dread. Women
thronged the depot with terror stricken
oouutenances, sobbing. crying, or ailent
and trembling with dreadful uncertainty.
Still the railroad officials preserved their
terribly cruel silence, declaring that they
know nothing. Every means was taken
TO get information, but oil to no purpose.
A New Jersey Central train finally
brought news to the effect TINT 80 persons
we're killed, and the excitement grew
ltense. All the White Haven physinians
and gone TO the eoeno. There were rs
cars from Wilkesbarre to Hazleton, the
number OF passengers being about 8 500.
Tho sections we're all crowded to suifoca
ton, furnishing the conditions for The
terrible loss of life in case Of a wreck.
Throughout the night tho depot was
thronged by hundreds Of persons suffer
iu0 r.lold agony over tho uncertainty.
The throng was loud in ~ denuneiation
Of the company for refusing information
and cau9ipg needless suspense.
At $50 q. NJ. the report was in circula.
tion that arrangements had been made
for tbs receipt Of large number of tho
$4,000 OF the hcspitRl. The rumos was
som nnsarcne1 ne officials were OK
pecting 70 Of the victims. With such q
List OF wounded coming In this direction
the public pulse stood still over the hor-
rible possibilities, and thousand faint
ing hearts qutyered in dread.
Many persons wanted to no to the
scene OF the disaster and endeavorod to
charter q locomotive. Rev. Father Aoy-
Ian, OF Scranton, offered to pay cash Cor
any expense in that direction, but tho
favor could not be obtained owing to the
absence of Superintendent Mitchell at
the wreck. Many persons after waiting
during the long, weary hours from 10
o'clock to in the morning, took the
south bound train which passed here Of
BIO and went TO the scene of tho appall-
ing disaster. II was there learned that
the third section Of tne excursion train
had stood on the track, few hundred
yards from Mud Run, waiting for sections
ahead TO get out Of the Way. A hagman,
some say, had been sent back with
lantern to guard the train from
the roar. Suddenly the passen-
train approach at high rate Of speed.
Several of these passengers who saw the
danger Jumped and escaped. In en- In
slant the fash of head Light illuminated
the interior of the Inflated rear oar; there
was frightful crash and tho engine
plunged full length into the crowd of
humanity. The shock drove the rear car
through the next one for two.thirds Of its
length, and the second car was forced
into the third. Not single person es.
capped from the rear car. The second
was crowded with manned and bleeding
bodies, and the third car had but few pas
sengefs who escaped.
The uninjIred but terror-stricken pas
HengerB OF both trains made their way
out Of the cars, and ON going to the tele-
so0ped engine and oars, the fall horror Of
the terrible disaster dswEed upon them.
The shattered engine was pouring forth
streams OF scaldipg steam and water
which hid from their eyes the fullest
rleasure of the horrible scene, while lis
Kissing sounds deadened the shrieks and
groanB OF those imprisoned in the wreck.
Ghastly white faces peered into the WIN
dows to be greeted by faces far more
ghastly. Some of the dead Aat pinned IN
the seats erect, % in life, storing open
eyed aE il aware Of the horrible sur
xoundings. As the steam and smoke
cleared from tho rear oar, its awful sights
were revealed. The timbers were crushed
and wrenched, while on all sides hung
mangled bodies and limbs. The few
bodies which were not mangled were
burned and scalded by the steam, and
little remained in the cor which bore
human setablance.
When the shock OF the first crash had
In measure subsidized the uninjured be-
gan to do what could be done for th'lr
unfortunate companions. Tho few light
tools on tho train were brought into re-
QUESTION, but proved feeble instruments
indeed. The st. Francis Pioneer Corps,
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