Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-08-27

READING, Pa, Aug. pa horrible ac-
cident occurred, this forenoon, shortly
before II o'clock, on the Mount Penn
Gravity Railroad, a mountain route en-
circling Mount Penn, 800 feet above the
city of Reading. The road was opened
five months ago, and was doing good
business ever since. The cars were
taken from point on the outskirts OF
the city to the top of the mountain, -
distance Of five miles. On returning
the cars were allowed to go down the
mountain by gravity, by way of another
route, to the point of starting.
This forenoon, about 80 clock, car
containing about eighteen passengers
was taken from the station to the top of
the mountain. This consumed about
thirty minutes. On top of the mountain
there is high stone tower where the
passengers were allowed to alight to en-
Joy the scenery for thirty miles around.
There are different stories as to the
cause of the accident, but it appears
that when the tower was reached, the
point where the gravity portion Of the
tached, when the car ran away while the
passengers were still on board The dis
lance to the point of starting is five
miles, and it is estimated that
this was covered by the runaway car in
about three minutes, the car attaining
fearful speed, estimated at eighty miles
an hour. 1t remained on the track to
the foot Of the plane, going around all
curves, while the passengers shrieked
in their fright, and several jumped out.
When the car reached the station at
the foot of the plane it jumped the
track and rolled down a fifty foot
embankment where 1t landed up
side down, with the passengers impris-
oned inside. The greatest excitement
prevailed, and soon large crowd gath
cred. Doctors and the ambulance were
sent for, and the dead and injured re-
moved.
Four were taken out dead. Among
them were Chas Rettew, aged So, con-
ductor of the Inflated car, and Edgar
M. Levan, an attorney Of this city, aged
about 40.
Norman B. Wimsher, of this city, who
was standing at the foot of the plane
when the car came dashing down the
mountain, gives graphic story of the
accident. He says that he first heard
distant roar as of thunder,
and Oh looking up saw the car
come down the mountain, but stick
ing to the tracks, at rate of about
mile in forty-fve seconds. lie had
barely time to recover himself when
the car, like flash of lightning, dashed
past the station and down the en-
bankment fifty feet below. Mr.. VIM
sher was the first on the ground. He
says that he found the ear
turned upside down, the passengers
all thrown into a confused mass, and
that with the assistance Of others who
arrived on the ground he helped to
carry out the dead and injured. There
were about dozen of the latter with
broken limbs and battered heads, their
clothing all covered with blood. Mr..
Winsher says that as the car fell the
united shrieks of twenty voices added
terror to the scene.
In addition to Edgar M. Levan and
Charles Rettew, who were killed the
two others killed were Miss Rosa Pfeif
fer, young lady of this city, anG Miss
Harriet Hinkle, of Philadelphia. The
following will die: Mrs. Hiram Schiller
and Mrs w. A. III. Schmel Among
the other injured are Sallie Bye and
Mary Guthrie, of Wilmington, both bad
ly hurt. and Willie Schmel, of this city,
both legs broken