The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-07-03

I.raonr. Pa. June 95.-The Loyalhanna
stone bridge Of the Pennsylvania Railroad,
AT this place. was this morning the scene of
the collision Of three freight trains. Ten
dead bodies have been found, and il is piob-
able that between % and > more viii be re-
covered from the wreck tonight and to-
morrow, while scattered IN the wreckage at
the foot OF the bridge are 81 cars and an en-
gine-
THREE AwFrL CRASHES.
The Derry shilier had ieft IS cars standing
at the bridge in charge Of David Heaeox,
the hagman. lIeacox walked doSn the
track TO the block house, when. al 20
O'Clock A. NJ, "A west bound freight train
came up at the rate Of IS miles an hour.
The fiagman signaled. but the engineer,
James f. Caldwell, either did not see the
signal or could not stop the train. Like
cannon shot it struck the cars on the bridge.
while at the same instant a train from the
West struck the cars at the other end
The west-bound freight and the cars on
the bridge crashed together down over the
side of the structure to the water, almost 40
feet yet the wreckage was piled up. higher
than the bridge, while buried in the ruins
were the engineer and fireman, together
with the other trainmen and about 40 men
who had boarded the train at Johnstown for
the purpose Of riding free to Pittsburgh.
FIRE ADDS HORROR TO THE SCENE.
There were several car loads Of lime in the
wreck, which at once set fire TO the debris.
The roar of the flames was not loud enough,
however. to drown the cries of the unfOriu-
mates pinioned in the wreck, who were liter
ally burned alive.
The alarm was at once given and soon the
Iatrobe Fire Department was on the ground
and at work rescning the victims and keep
ing down the fire AT daylight the fire was
sufficiently under control for the wrecking
engine to work.
THE WORK OF RESCUE.
The work of rescuing the dead was vigor-
ousy pushed, and 10 bodies were taken out
during the day. Most of the bodies were in
good condition, except for numerous burns
from the lime.
The injured were taken 10 the Clifford
House and to DIR. Donnelly's office and were
attended by Dotors Donnelly and Schreck-
engast, the company physicians. From there
they were sent to their homes and TO the
Pittsburgh hospitals.
The dead were taken to the undertaking
rooms of f. j. Stader, who embalmed and
coflined them. With the exception of one,
the bodies could easily be recognized. The
cofiins were laii ont in row and each one
numbered, together with a description of
/ corpse.
THE CONDUCTORS STORY.
A. F. Barnhart, the conductor of the
West bound freight, said to-day " We have
1 been troubled much with tramps lately.
When we reached Johnstown about 90
tramps boarded the train and took possession
of a number of empty ears. At Derry we
stopped the train and put them all of. |
went TO the block house and in the darkness
/ they nearly ali succeeded in getting on
/ again, but could moi he certain about the
/ number
I'VE were running about % miles an hour
/ when we reached Llirobe was in the
caboose, and consequently do not know
whether the signal was given or not. Then
came the shock, and jumped out in time to
see the engine 90 down and bury Engineer
Caldwell and Fireman Fralich beneath il.
rushed down the bank and caught sight Of
some one in the water. | reached out and
helped him ashore. 1t was John Miller, my
front brakeman, who had worked himself
loose and was trying TO swim TO the bank. l
could hear the cries of Others. but could not
reach them. Then came the kissing of the
lime. and in a moment the wreck was a
sheet of flame, and a scene of horror. By
the light of the fire number of Others were
rescued, but there still was number of
Others burned alive"
SCENE OF THE DISASTER.
The Loyalhanna stone bridge where the
accident happened, is about ilfly yards west
of i.atrobe The bridge is about one hun
dred and ilfly feet long and has three spans.
The roadbel at this point is all filed, til e
banks are very steep and from the water to
the top of the bridge there is distance OF
almost 10 feet.
To-day the arches are jammed with the
debris. while leaning against the west span
are the bent and twisted heavy bars for a
new bridge. On the west bank are the
broken fragments Of freight ears, while on
the eastern bank, and stretched along t be
road for nearly 100 yards, is the debris OF
the wreck.
THIRTEEN MORE B)DIEs.
GREENsBURG. June 2G-It is reported to-
night that at II o'clock thirteen more bodies
had been taken from the wreck at Loyal
hanna bridge.