The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-07-05
a FEARFUL WRECK.


Disastrous Wreck on the Pennsylvania
Road Near Latrobe-A Long List OF
Killed.
PITTSBURGH Pa, June IA triple col.
lision of freight trains occurred near La
trobe. Pa, forty miles east Of this city, on
the Pennsylvania railroad about 2:30
o'clock yesterday morning. Thirty cars
we're wrecked and possibly forty persons
killed, many of them unknown.
At the hour named freight train No 3os.
west bound. left Latrobe and had just
reached the bridge about fifty yards west
Of that place when it collided with an ex.
ira freight train, No. 1918, coming in the
opposite direction. Another east bound
freight was standing on side
track on the bridge and the
wrecked trains crashed against il,
causing one locomotive and thiriy.one
cars to go over the embankment into the
creek, a distance of fifty feet.
Engineer Caldwell and his fireman were
killed instantly. and Brakeman Miller was
terribly crushed. while the bodies of four
tramps were taken from the wreck. There
was nothing about their clothing to iden.
tify them. They were stealing ride.
James Flanagan and a companion
whose name could not be learned, were
brought from the wreck 10 this city in the
afternoon. Flanagan was q returning
Johnstown laborer. He said twelve
person were on the car with him at the
time Of the collision, but could not say
whether they escaped. He was seriously
bruised. His companion was un.
conscious and it is thought fatally hurt.
A carload of lime in the center of the
train was last to go down and it was scat
tered over the pile Of shattered cars. Then
the debris took fire and notwithstanding
the efforts of the people to put out the fire
the debris was consumed Arms and legs
of the victims could be seen protruding
from the debris, but no member Of the
crew remains to tell Of those who went
down.
Up to eight O'Clock last night ten dead
bodies had been recovered and those of
Engineer Caldwell and George Fralich,
the fireman, had not yet been found The
dead recovered up to that time were as fol-
lows: George Corgal, % years. of Jersey
City, on his person was found receipt
for dues to l.. o. o. F., signed Allen Snyder;
Hugh Kelly, Philadelphia, his father is
puddler at Lochiel iron works, Harris
burg, Pa; an unknown man about
% years of age, feet IL inches in
height weight about 10 pounds, short
black mustache and black hair: John
Cortchlow, of Homestead. Pa. aged about
35 years, leg and arm burned of; an I'M
known man, dark hair, heavy mustache,
about 40 years, 8 feet inches; an I'M
known man. dark brown hair, smooth
face, about 90 years old; an unknown
man, head almost burned off; Charles B.
Ferguson. on inside of memorandum
found in pocket was the name of Charles
E. Hardin, Northumberland County, Pa,
Mr.. Myers Merhod, aged about 81 years:
Benjamin E. Merich, supposed to be the
front brakeman, aged about 25 years, had
silver watch and revolver.
The dead are being taken to the uuuer.
taking establishment of F. j. Stader as
they are recovered and prepared for
burial. 1t is almost certain that at least
twenty-five people were killed in the
wreck The water in the creek at the
point where the accident occurred is about
twelve feet deep, and it is expected that
ten or twelve bodies are held in the creek
by the wreckage.
John II. Miller, a fagman on one Of the
freights, states that the proper signals
were given when the position of the shift.
er was discovered, and Engineer Caldwell
answered. but the speed was too high.
When the ill-fated train left Boil
liver about forty workmen boarded
her, but Conductor Barnhart put them
off at Derry. When the train left
there a grs at many of them boarded her
again. Four of the injured taken from
one car stated that eleven others were in
the car and in another box car it is stated
by one of the rescued that there were
fifteen or twenty men. One or two of the
bodies taken from the wreck were terribly
burned by the lime which covered the
wreck.
The train, going at a speed OF twenty
five miles an hour, crushed into the cars
on the bridge, tearing up the rails and ties.
plunged over the side of the stone bridge,
n descent of forty feet, into the bed of the
creek. At the same moment al east
bound freight was passing on the other
track and one of the wrecked cars caught
the car next to the caboose on this train.
wrecking it and bad y using up the push
ing engine. Eighteen loaded and thirteen
empty cars together with an engine are q
total wreck.