The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-18

Two Runaway Cars Dash Into a Passenger
Train with Frightful Results.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
SHAMoKIN. Pa, July 1S.-A frightful ac-
cident occurred on the Lehigh Valley rail-
road. mile east of this city, this evening,
by two runaway cars colliding with q
passenger train. The dead are:
Aaron Shipe. single, carpenter at Hickory
Swamp colliery, killed by being crushed
between the tank of the locomotive and
platform of car; John Roush, married, car
penter at Hickory Swamp.
and face fearfully lacerated; Levi Al
bright, head cut and leg brOken Irwin
Kashner. both legs broken and head cut;
SoaIsn. 5ohn Baker; nUIo slate1pieker; shoulder
leg ga and wrist broken 'Aa and "0a.i head
broken and face cut; Patrick Britton. legs
frightfully mangled will probably die);
Mike Britain back broken, supposed IA
tally; VIM. Lindeman, conductor, bruised
about body, and face cut; engineer Albert
Seed. legs injured, and face and head badly
cut; Michael Gable. head cut and badly
bruised; Mrs. John McHugh. serious inter-
bone broken; Joe Fredericks, back broken.
twill die;) Jacob Kulp, head, face and legs
cut and bruised; John DarOtt, legs man
gled; John Thomas, jaw fractured and face
cut.
The cars were loaded with miners, slate
pickers and women. At Coal Run switch
the road branches on to the main line,
which has heretofore been hidden by a
chain of mountains. After the train gained
the main line, a miner sitting on the rear
platform saw two runaway cars dashing
down the track at lightning speed. With
a cry of warning he jumped off and rolled
bowman embankment in safety. The flag
| man, John Metz, followed, and placed a
number of railroad ties upon the railroad
track, through which the cars passed like
shot. By this time the in
mates of the two passenger cars,
which were literally packed, beheld
the danger, and wild scene of confusion
ensued. A simultaneous rush for the doors
was made. A few succeeded in gaining
the platforms and safely jumped off. Then
a jam occurred in the doorway. A number
escaped through the open windows and
rolled down steep embankment.
| Mrs. John McHugh, about to become q
mother. leaped from her seat and shouted
to the men in the car, Clear the way fol
mel" Instantly the men, who were fighting
/ llkt utilUuS W Sct Outs CltdTeQ u passage
through which the woman ran out to the
platform and jumped off the flying train
| into the creek. A second later the crash
came.
After the runaway cars struck they
passed through the passenger cars like 9
| bullet, the coal flying about like a battery
of Gatling guns playing on regiments Of
massed troops. The scene that followed
was terrible. All this time the wrecked
train kept the track and rushed on to Lux,
Fidler station with lightning-like swift
ness two miles down the line. Then tn,
engine left the track and the cars tele
scoped. Here is where the most damag,
was done. After the vast cloud of dus
cleared away the work of rescue com
menced, and in an hour the dead ant
wounded were taken out.
The runaway cars came from the Excel
sior colliery, two miles east of Coal Run
station. There were four cars standing OF
the siding below the colliery, and it is sup
posed that some boys, in order to obtain
ride. uncoupled the two and loosed tn
brakes. When nearing a patent switcl
leading to the main track. the brakes wer
put on, but the boys. being unable L
tighten them enough, became frightene,
and jumped off and took TO the woods
Wrecking crews are now on the scene O
the disaster and will have the road opel
for traffic by morning.
The road will sustain loss of $4,000.