The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1888-10-18
FEARFUL RAILROAD ACCIDENT.
Tho Horror Of Chattsvorth Eclipsed in
Pennsylvania-sixty-O Ono Persons Killed
and twenty-five Injured.

The Horror OF Chattsvorth Eclipsed in
Pennsylvania a-sixty-One Persons Killed
and twenty-five Injured.
WILKEsBARRE, Pa, October, IL
About 10 o'clock last night dreadful
accident on the Lehigh Valley Rail
road was rumored to have taken place,
and furtherreport said thewrecked train
was a section of an excursion train re-
turning from Hazleton. Nearly 5000
Luzerne and Lackawana people had
gone there, and no one knew just who
had returned. The railroad officials
were mute they knew nothing. Grad
ually the stories took terrible form.
1t leaked out that Superintendent
Mitchell and others had gone down the
road on special engine. Then pri
vate telegram arrived, saying an acci-
dent had occurred at Mud Run, one
section of the excursion train running
into another. Forty persons were re-
ported killed.
The people were in agony, and the
crowd at the depot swelled to hundreds.
Still the officials were mute. No dis
patches could be gotten over the wires.
Many well known citizens were seen at
the depot wringing their hands, the
faces fearful and pale with dread.
Women thronged the depot, with terror
stricken countenances, sobbing, crying,
or silent and trembling with dreadful
uncertainty. Still the railway officials
preserved their terribly cruel silence,
declaring that they knew nothing.
Every means was taken to get infor-
nation, but all to no purpose. The
New Jersey Central train finally
brought news to tie effect that eighty
were killed, and the excitement grew
intense. All the White Haven physi-
clans had gone to the scene.
There were seventy-eight cars from
Wilkesbarre to Hazleton, the number
of passengers being about 5,5C). The
sections were all crowded to suffoca-
ton, furnishing a condition for terri
| BILE loss of life in case of wreck.
Throughout the night the depot was
thronged by hundreds of persons, suffer
ing-untold agony uncertainty. The
throng was loud in its denunciation Of
the company for refusing all informa-
ton and causing needless suffering.
At $3.50 q. NJ, the report was in cir
culation that arrangements had been
made for the receipt of a large number
of wounded at the hospital. The rumor
was soon confirmed. The officials were
expecting twenty-five of the victims.
With such list of wounded coming in
this direction, the. public pulse stood
still over the horrible possibilities, and
thousand fainting hearts quivered in
dread.
Many persons wanted to get to the
scene of the disaster, and endeavored to
charter a locomotive. The Rev. Father
Moylan of Scranton offered to pay cash
for any expense in that direction, but
the favor could not be obtained, owing
to the absence of Superintendent Mitch
ell at the wreck.
Many persons, after waiting during
the long weary hours from 10 to 8 in
the morning, took the South bound
train, which passed here at $40, and
went to the scene of the appalling dis
aster. It was there learned that the
third section of the excursion train had
stood on the track a few hundred
yards from Mud Run, waiting for the
section ahead to get out the way. A
f1agman, some say, had been sent back
with a lantern to guard the train
from the rear. Suddenly the pas
sengrs on the rear platform saw a
train approach at high rate of speed.
Several of these passengers who saw
the danger jumped and escaped. In
an instant the flash of the headlight
illuminated the interior of the ill-fated
rear car. There was frightful crash,
and the engine plunged her full length
into the crowded mass of humanity.
The shock drove the rear car through
the next onefor two-thirds Of its length,
and the second car was forced into the
third.
Not single person escaped from
the rear car. The second was crowded
with manned and bleeding bodies and
the third car had but few passengers
who escaped uninjured but the terror
stricken passengers Of both trains made
their way out of the cars, and on going
to the telescoped engine and cars, and
cars, the full horror of the terrible dis
aster dawned on them.
The shattered engine was pouring
J forth streams of scalding steam and
water, which hid from their eyes the
fullest measure of the horrible scene,
} while the Kissing sound deadened the
shrieks and groans Of those injured in
the wreck.
CHASTITY white faces peered into the
windows, to ;'e greeted by faces fal
more ghastly. Some Of the dead sat
pinioned in their seats, erect as in life
staring open-eyed, as if aware Of theil
horrible surroundings.
AS the steam and smoke cleared from
the rear car, it's awful sights were re
vealed. The timber were crushed and
wrenched, while on all sides hung man
gled bodies and limbs. The few bodies
, which were not mangled were burned
, andscalded by the steam, and little re-
, mained in the car which bore human