The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-05-12
BURNED TO DEATH.
Two Cars Loaded With Dynamite and
Giant Powder Explode in
Pennsylvania


TWeuty-One houses Wreckeu, seven
People Killed and Twenty-Five
are More or Less Injured.
Between 10 and IL o'clock sunday night
terrible acciden; occurred on the Phila-
deiphia & Reading Railroad between Mt.
f. Carmel and Locust Gap, Pa. A freight
train consisting OF seyenty-iyc cars bound
for Williamsport became disconnected by
the breaking OF coupling and the engine
and three cars ran half a mile before the
crew discovered that the train was divided.
The first section awaited the arrival of the
second at the foot OF. "a heavy grade, and
the two brakemen, losing control Of
the second section, dashed into the
first section, causing an explosion IN the third
car, which was loaded with Dupont pow
der. At the scene OF the accident the rail-
road runs along steep hill, at the bottom OF
which stood two rows OF houses occupied by
the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron
Company's employees. On the hillside stood
little cottage occupied by John Quinn and
family OF four children, two boys and two
girls The force OF the explosion wrecked
the buildings, seventeen In all, and the
stoves set fire TO the ruins. Quinn and his
two little girls were burned to death. The
two boys escaped with burns Simon Ker-
wicks family, consisting Of Mary and Willie
Cavanaugh, adopted children, aged respect
lively ana IA years, Alice Kerwick, aged 8,
and his wife and newborn babe. Mr.. Ker-
wick carried his wife from the burning
building, but the children were all burned
TO death.
Thirty persons were injured the most serl-
ously bemg,Mrs. Miles Dougherty, legIbroken,
bruised. and cut; her mother, Mrs. Matheas,
cut, bruised. and internally injured; Mary,
daughter OF Mrs. Miles, neck cut and br,iis-
cd; Andrew McElwee, right eye destroyed
and neck cut; John Donlan, left hand am
putated and cut about the limbs; Mrs. Pat
rick McManus, injured by missiles; Mrs
Simon Kerwick. suffering from shock; her
condition is serious Several OF the injured
were sent 10 the Miners Hospital. In all
twelve cars were destroyed and seventeen
houses, with their furniture. All the win
dows In the Locust Gap Churches and schools
were broken and the doors blown OF. In Mount
Carmel large store windows were broken.
The total loss is estimated nc $4,000.
A visit TO the scene disclosed an appalling
sight OF ruins, the debris Of the freight cars
and the houses, together with here ana there
little heaps OF ashes and charred remains OF
the dead, presenting frlghtful picture.
The shock was terrible, SCATTERING a number
Of windows In Mount Carmel, two and one
half miles distant, and the report being
distinctly heard in Shamokin, six miles
away.
The Reading railroad, at the point
OF the accident-just at the extreme
western end OF the town-is about two hum
drcd feet above the level OF the street and
runs alongside the mountain. The street
contained a single dwelling on the north
side and three double ones on the south. or
these nothing now remains. They were
torn down by the explosion, and the fhe did
the rest. 1t was In these that all the deaths
occurred.
Mr.. and Mrs Kerwlck, who lost their.
three children, had wonderful escape. The
man was blown out OF the WINDOW, but only
slightly injured. He removed his sick wife
from the burning building, and afterward
rescued several OF his neighbours children,
which in his dazed condition ne believed 10
be hls own.
About one hundred yards below these
buildings there Is another TO w OF four double
houses. These are terribly wrecked. but In
them fire was ayerted, the jewellers prompt
ly cxtingufshing the burning coal in the
stoves. On the same street some three hum
dred yards east stand nine more houses, and
WhA' Hob ~ baNi1 WltAhtn chon pain tN-
idence OF the destructive force OF the explo-
sion. Boards are { IN out roofs cayed i'm,
and the interiors are simply masses Of
wrecked furniture.
so great was the upward force OF the ex-
ploding powder that the wheels and axles
were thrown n distance OF two hundred
yards. and one axle fell through the roof OF
one OF the houses on the lower street on the
hill above. Traces Of the debris may be
found quarter Of n mile away. The wrecks
cd train. In addition TO the ears which con-
tanned powder and dynamite, was freighted
with sewing-machlnes, phosphate, glass, oil,
lumber, -four, and sheet-iron. Within
radius OF sixty feet there Is perfect litter OF
these goods all broken and mixed up. Trees
near the train were uprooted. The lumber
car was loaded with flooring. While most
OF this has blown up the hill many OF the
long pieces are stuck In the ground beneath
the wrecked train. The explosion tore up a
hole in the ground fifty feet in diametcr.l
Mono Of the train hands was injured, al
though one Is said 10 have been blown con-
siderable distance. Locust Gap Is town OF
about two thousand Inhabitants