New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-10-12
ON THE FIELD or DISASTER.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS OF THE CALAMITY
HOW DEATH CAME TO THE LEAsURErsEhhh hs
-sUFIERINGs OF THE PAssENGEEs-soRRo"
AND ANGUISH IN MANY TOWNS AND
VILLAGES STORIES OF THE
rorTTcION
COLLISION.
GENERAL PRESS DIsPATcH.l

GENERAL PRESS DIsPATcHl
Wilkesbsrre, Oct. 11.-Throughout the night inc
Lehigh Valley station was thronged with hunuic"' VI
persons, suffering untold agony The people were
loud I'm their denunciatlons of the company ior re
fusing all information and causing needless suncring'
At 30 a. m. the report was In circulation una,
ARRANGEMENTS had been made for the feecip1 vi ="
largo number of the wounded at the hospital Inc
rrlmor was soon confirmed. The officials were eA'
pectlng twenty five of the victims. with such ilS'
of wounded coming In this direction, the puDnc puse
stood st over the horrible possibilities, ana thou
sand fainting hearts Quvered In dread. Many per
sons wanted to go the scene OF the disaster ana
endeavored to charter locomotive. Fa,her MoSiah'
Of Scranton offered to pay cash for speeiai rah'
but the favor could not be obtained, owing 10 the
absence Of superintendent Mitchell at the "rech
THE ENGINES AWFUL PLUNGE
Many persons, after waiting during the long,
weary hours from 10 TO In the morning, took
the soutb-bound train which passed here at $40
a. M. and went to tho scene OF the disaster ~
was there learned that the third section Oh the eA
curson train had stood on the track low hhnurcu
yards from Mud Run, waiting for the sections ahead
to get out of the way. fagman, some say hau
been sent back with a lantern TO guard ths tram
from the rear Suddenly the passengers on the rear
platform train approach at high rate OF
speed. Several of these passengers VINO saw INC
danger jumped and escaped In an instant the hash
of the headlight Illuminated the interior OF mo III
faed car; there was iflghuui Crash anu u'o
engine plunged full into the crowded mass OF people
The shock drove the rear car through the next one
for two-thIrds of IFS 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. The uninlmed, bnt
stricken passengers OF both trains made their
way 10 the shattered engine and cars, where the full
horror OF The terrible disaster dawned upon them
y. ~, min
scaldng steam and water which hid from their eyes
the fullest measure Of the horrible scene, while its
kissing sound deadened the shreks and groans of those
Imprisoned in the wreck CHASTITY white faces peered
into the windows, to DO greeted by faces far more
ghsstly.
Some Of the dead sat plnOned In their seats, erect
In life, staring open-eyed, as If aware Of the hor
bic SURROUNDINGS As the steam and smoke cleared
from tho rear car its awful sights revealed The
tmbcrs we're crushed and wrenched while on all SIDES
hung manglcd bodies and limbs. The few bodies which
were not manged burned and sca'9r@ 10y ii'
steam. and little remained I'm the car Vhi-A hoi'
human semblance. when the shock OF the first crash
had in a measure subsidized the unnjurcd began TO do
what could be done for their unfortunate companions
The few light tools on the train were called into
rcqulson. but proved feeble instruments indeed
The ST Francis Pioneer Corps who were on the train
piled with zeal the broadaxes which were meant for
holiday occasions. They we're, however. but little
In the meantime the windows of the cars were smashed
In brave men entered aud released those least hurt or
least entangcd.
SCENES OF AGONY AND DEATH
In one case they found John Lynch, Of Wlkesbarre,
hanging from the roof by one leg His cries brought
friends who to relieve his suffering. stood upon the
wrcckage and held his weight upon their backs until
he was released from his terrible position
A young lady was found caught By the lower limbs
,tf,I nSpd lu lp
could not be freed and an unfortunately instructed
blow Of an axe severed II from the body. She hero
ically bore her torture, and, taking out her gold watch
she handed II to acquaintance as gilt to friend
ar home She was put on board one of the trains aud
received all possible care, but she could not survive
her terrible injuries, and died in the arms OF friends
on board the car.
To free the bodies In the rear car, the trainmen at
tached a 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 the surrounding friends
ordered the engineer TO desiSt on pam o. MS me;
They did not wish TO SEQ the mangied forms sun
further mutilated. The few houses about the spot
thrown open to the sufferers ana bonhIes wers
that tho work will DO completed before noon
train ' ahead when far down the road. They sprang
from their seats and stared In wonder ana surprise
that the train did not sacken its speed. suddenly
their engineer and fireman were seen to Jump then
came the shock. The engineer. Harry Cook and the
fireman. Hugh Gallagher, sustained slight injuries
Tho fI-,man subsequently stated that no the red
llcht. informed tho engineer and then jumped. The
passengers gave many different accounts OF the proa
BILE caise of the accident some attribuiing II TO nc
negligence Of the fagman In not going back with the
rcd light Others that the fourth section, which
ran into the third, had no air-braAcs
RELATIVES AND FRIENDS WILD WITH TERROR
After the news was received at the hospital confirm
ing the worst fears the at the station were
beartrendlnc indeed. Several hundred persons as
scmblcd as the report spread that the train was com
ing and rush was made for tho platform. IL was
then re- ported that the wounded board and were
70 he taken on to MN Creek. the hospital there
to be transferred. Ono desperate man hearing ms
sprang forward and with an awful imprecation. de-
carcd that his family were on me ya anu cas tns' Ky
ii was learned a little later that no wounded were
tain many from Pleasant Valley and Mnooka, who had
left dead friends behind A. thew allehicd and met
acquanances their shreks ana war, h were p,', t 10
aud sister were dead, and another uio'hcr' anu 81
The crowd became wild with excitement. Gradually
the facts narrated above were cleaned from the more
composed \ sal incident was the presence on ne
platform of Michael whaen, of Pleasant Valley. Up
and down he wandered questioning each one as to his
two boys of twelve ana fourteen zen, @ s., ,h r ho "s
hurt The strong man groaned The Informant hul-
rled away and told reporter that he thought both
special train Of three cars n charge Of Dr. gc,o W
Trnmer or Of whs from maven the wreck with twenty
four injured persons They weaver wer0 of Pai hs
nutv who accomnanlcd them to the City
Hospital. DR. Trimmer reports that many OF the
Injured arc badly burned by gas coming rom the engine
stack.
WAITING FOR BULLETINS OF THE DEAD
The scenes At the Lchigh Valley station this morn
Ing beggar all description Hundreds of men, women
and children thnngcd the platform and waiting-r rooms
the sole topic of conversation being tho terrible dsas
ter OF last night The people were divided mo
groups each one Of which was that some relative
or friend was among the dead or injured Everybody
that certain friends missing were elthet
Killed or hurt superintendent Mitchell, who was at
tho scene OF the disaster. doing his best TO get the
dead out of the wreck, elenaphcd at 10 o'clock that
lt was difficult task TO identify the dead, owing 10
the absence OF friends. All day long superintendent
Mitchers Office was hcsicged by anxious inquireis.
As the morning hours advanced the crowds at tho
ehich Valley station increased. until fully thousand
excited. sorIowfu people moved In and out Of The
building In nervous frepdatou. The company posted
d LnlIc-Ln nL tho deal IN D cnnsnrmOns nacN