The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-01
Details of the wreck.

MEANWHILE, Pa, Dee. 3l.--The details
Of the wreck which occurred on the New
York, Pennsylvania & Ohio railroad,
five miles west OF this city, at $50 o'clock
this morning, prove the disaster TO have
been the most horrible that ever occurred
IN this vicinity. Tho coliding trains were
the Thundcrbolt, through train from
Chicago to New York, consisting Of an
express, baggage, smoker, ladies' car and
two Pullman slccpcis, due in this city at
$50 o'clock am, and ircight train No. y,
a wcst-bound double headcr. Both trains
were over two hours late, and the express,
being entitled 10 the right Of way, was
running without orders. Simply taking IL
for granted that the express was in, Con-
ducior Murray, Of the freight, pulled out
for Geneva, where he had orders against
trains Nos. % and 81. Almost simulta-
neously the trains swept by the last two
intervening stations, Geneva and
Buchanan, only four miles apart, and, n
the word was sent 10 The dispn,chcrs
office in this city, the inevitable result
was certain. The two trains the
Thunderbolt running forty-hye miles and
the freight train fifteen miles an hour
met on long iorcst-hidlen curve with u
crash that
WAS TERRIBLE 10 WITNESS.
Passenger engine No ~ and freight en-
gine No. 81 seemed TO raise bodily In the
air, and In an instant they were standing
on their furnace ends, pilots pointed 10 the
sky, and their drivers locked In the en-
brace OF death. And ~ they stood for
hours, held firmly 10y tho ruins Of the two
trains on either side. Roth engineers aud
iircmen Of the two colliding engines were
crushed between the irun drivers, the
mangled bodies Of Engineer Swan and
Fireman lIumcs pinned Ia death, Just M
they were on the point Of lcaping from
their engincs. The sight was sickcning,
but was soon covered from view by friend
ly blankets. The baggage ear, express car
and smoker Of the passenger train were
completely wrecked. The baggage car was
tclcscopcd iuto the smoker like wedge,
splitting II open aud sweeping every seat
from the floor. The total number Of pas
scngcrs ON the train was iifty-ihrec, fifteen
Of whom were In the smoker All of these
were moro or less injured, and William II.
Stephenson, Of Toledo, o., dird shortly
after lac was taken from the ruins.
TnE CRASH WIS HEARD
for a great distance, and soon the ncighbor-
hood was aroused and men and women
running across the field 10 the scene OF the
ruin. The passengers who were not in
jurcd seemed IN q dare, aud for few
moments the people seemed spccchless
with the horror Of the accident The
groans and cries that sIon came from the
ruins brought people ~ q realization of
the terrible situation, and In very short
time large force Of men were nj work
systematically doing all they could FOR the
wounded and dying. Tho railroad com
pany, after dispaichng two wrccking
crews 10 the scene NJ The disaster, soon
followed with passenger train ON which
10 transfer the passengers of the wrecked
train, and bring the w0nndcd and such Of
the dead ~ had been recovered "a Mead
Vile. The tmin was supplied with
strcichcn blankets and oil the horrible
pamphemalia for caring for the dead, aud
the work Of Transferring the wounded was
prosecuted quickly, yet almost In silence.
The several physicians oi the city who
went ont on the special irain wcrc busy
attending 10 the wounds NJ the injured,
and as fast ~ they could bc ta1en out Of
the coaches willing hands carried them 10
the ear which had been especially pre-
pared for their use. The wncking crew
worked with win. and soon q portion Of
TuE NASGLED nfuAISs
Of Fireman IIumcs were taken from the
wreck. The almost unacceptable form
presented sickenine sight. The limbs
and lower part of the holy were ground TO
pulp. The aged luther oi llumes had mr.
rived, aud his wailingr, when he gazcd
upon the distorted body Of his son, were
hcarirnding Engineer swan was cx-
posed TO view, but ~ tightly was his body
wedgcd in the wreck TINT no attempt was
made to remove Il. A portion Of the body
of George, and also the arm and shoulder
Of Fireman Irwin, could DO seen. The
work of clearing the wreck was prosecuted
IN the face OF driving storm of slcct that
lasted the entire afternoon, yet the hori-
bic scenes possessed n peculiar fascination
for men, and even women, who fingered
about the il.fatcd spotuntil the horrible
work of the wrckcis was completed.
Those VI the passengers who were not In
jurcd were transferred and sent forward on
otter trains, while
Tng DEAD ANn WOUNDED
were brought TO this city the former 10 be