The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1889-07-26


The Fearful work Caused ~ Couple ~
Runaway Coal Cars .n the Lessgss val-
ley Road rs-.ense~ Trst" cnt
Through as Though the Cars we're Egg
~h~li.-The nead aud the Wounded.
SHAxoKrx. Pa. July is-A frightful
accident occurred on the Lehigh Valley
railroad. mile east Of this city last
evening by two runaway cars coiitding
with a passenger train. The dead are:
Aaron Shipe. single.
A carpenter at Hickory Swamp col
lirry. killed BY being crushed between the
tank OF the locomotive ani platform OF
ear.
John Roush. married. carpenter Al
Hickory swamp.
The wounded are: Norton Weaver.
legs and face fearfuily lacerated; Lev.
Albright. head cut. and leg broken; Ir-
win Kashner. both legs broken and heau
cut; John Baker. slate picker, shoulder
broken; unknown Hungarian wo-
man leg aud wrist broken
and head badly cut; Jas. Hodge. leg
broken and face cut; Patrick Britton.
legs frightfully mangled-will probably
die; Mike Britain. back broken. sup
posed fatally; VIM. Lideman, conductor,
bruised about the body and face cut:
Engineer Albert Seed. legs injured aad
face and head badly cut; Michael Gable
head cut aud badly bruised; Mrs. John
McHugh. serious internal injuries; John
Miller. Polander. collar.bone broken; J %
Fredericks, back broken-will die; Jac'b
Kulp. head, face aud legs cut aud
bruised; John Darott legs msngled;
John Thomas. jaw and face cut.
The cars were loaded with miners.
slate pickers aud women. At Coal Run
switch the road branches on TO the main
line. which had heretofore been hidden
by chain of mountains. After the train
gained the main line. miner sitting on
the rear platform saw the two runaway
cars dashing down the track at lightn ina
speed. With cry Of warning he jumped
on and rolled down an embankment in
safety. The hagnan, John Metz. fol-
lowed. and placed n number Of railroad
ties on the track. through which the cars
passed like shot.
By this time the inmates OF the two
passenger cars. which were LITERAL;
packed. beheld the danger, aud will;
scene Of confusion ensued. A simultnu
cons rush for the doors was made. \
few succeeded iu gaining the platforms
and safely jumped of. Then a lam PC
Cured in the door. A number ESCAPED
through the open windows and rolled
down n steep embankment. Mrs. John
McHugh, about 10 become q mother.
leaped from her seat and shouted 10 the
men ia the rear car: "Clear the wfy for
me"' Instantly the men who we're light
ing like demons 10 get out, cleared . pas
sage through which the woman rsu. out
70 the platform and jumped of the flying
-. ..s.I I..E 4.w4 IL .
| crash came
| After the runaway cars struck they
| passed through the passenger cars like
bullet the coal flying about like bat
| terry az Gatling-guus playing on regi-
1 ments Of massed troops. The scene tina
| followed was terrible. All this time thu
| wrecked train kept the track. and rushed
| on to Luke Fiddler station with lightning
I like swiftress, two miles down the line.
| Then the engine left the track aud thu
4 cars telescoped. Here Is where the mos
\ damage was done. After the vast clouds
| Of dust cleared away. the work Of
| rescue commenced aud in an hour the
dead and wounded were taken out. The
\ cars that caused the wreck started from
| the Excelsior colliery, two miles east o.
| Coal Run switch. There were four cars
standing on the sidin. below the co'iiery.
and il il supposed that some boys. ia
order 20 obtain a ride. unc"up.ed the two,
aud loosed the brakes. When nearing =
! patent switch leading 70 the main tracks
the brakes were put on, but the boys be-
| ing unable 10 tighten them enough. be-
| came frightened and jumped Of and took
| TO the woods. wrecking crews are nov
on the scene Of the disaster and will have
! the road open for traffic by morning. The
\ road will sustain a loss % $1,000.