Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-09-20
READING' WRECK
Frightful Loss of Life Upon
That Railroad.
HURLED INTO THE RIVER.
Thirty or Forty Persons Are Re.
ported Dead.

HheAly o. hho Ahfse NunDer oil Fnssen-
gers Killed or MangIed in the Debris.
George B. Kaercher. the Famous Read
ing Attorney. One OF the Dead-scsnes
Of IndesoribabIo Horror at the wreck.
IL Il Said 70 DO the Worst Calamity
of the Kind ia tho whole History OF
the Road.
READING. Pa, Sept CA wreck occur
red on the Reading railroad. seventeen
miles above this place at about 6.i5 last
night II everything is borne out by sub
sequent developments, it is the worst wreck
that has ever occurred in this section ia
tho history of the Reading Railroad com
pany. The train which met with disaster
left this city at Gi0 o'clock. ten minutes
late. 1t Is known as the pottsville express
and was running at the rate of at least
forty-five miles an hour. IL had on board
from Is TO i50 passengers, aud consisted OF
engine, mail and express cars and three
passenger cars. Above Shoemakerville,
about fifteen miles above this city, there Is a
curve where the railroad is about eighteen
river. Here, shortly before 6 O'Clock,
freight train ran into a coal train. throw
ing several cars OF the latter on the opposite
track, and before the train hands had time
to 60 back to warn any approaching train
OF the danger. the pottsville express came
around the curve and ran into the wrecked
coal cars on its track.
Hurled Into the Schuvlgsiu.
The engine went down the embankment
followed by tho entire train with its human
freight. The scene was one Of great hor-
ror, and can be better imagined than de-
scribed. The cries Of the imprisoned pas
sengers were heartrending. ltwas scene
never TO be forgotten BY those who partici
pated and survived. Some of the passen-
gers managed to crawl out Of their prison
and aroused the neighborhood Word was
teiegraphed to this city and help summop-
ed, but all information was refused at this
point by the railroad officials. Physicians
aud surgeons and force Of 300 worlomen
were taken IN the spot, aud with the aid OF
travelling electric light plant the work OF
clearing away the wreck was at once pro
ceeded with. Work was slow and the dead
and dying were taken out with great diff.
Guilty. The names of the dead thus far re-
covered are as follows:
List OF the Dead.
=. w. Logan, parlor car conductor Of
Pottsville
- Grenawalt, mail agent
Harry L0ughlin, conductor, Of pottsvilie.
William D. Thoma, Of Reading.
James remplin, fireman, OF pottsyille
John White, engineer Of Pottsville.
John J.. Miller, of Cressona, Pa.
William ID. Shomo, OF Reading, and
David Augstoch, Of Mnhoney City, died
shortly after being taken out Of the wreck.
Some Of the Injured.
Joseph Nolk Shenandoah, cut about head
and left shoulder broken; Frank b. Hail,
manager of Frank Mayos Dramatic com
pany, cut ABOUT head and body, bruised
about arms and legs; John Carroll, st.
Clair, back and internally Injured; Joseph
Asheld, Mahanoy City, bruised about body
and legs William Glassmoyer, Port Clin-
ton, badly cut about breast, Thomas
Cooney, Philadelphia, head and legs ia.
jured; Robert Cotton, Pottstown, injured
internally; Samuel Shallenberger, Ham
burg, legs injured; B. W. Cichler, Girard-
vile, foot and leg mashed; John COoIick,
Mount Carmel, hurt internally and hand
mashed; w. Johnston, Shenan doah,
head badly cut and leg broken; George
Sowders, Reading, badly hurt in the
back; j. Franklin Beecher, Shenandoah,
left hip badly cut and legs hurt; James
Bernhart, Shenandoah. left hip crushed
and legs hurt; John Hess, Mahanoy City,
legs badly hurt; David Gicysung, Mahan0y
City, head badly cut and legs sprained;
Lyman Dick, Hamburg, both legs broken;
DR., B. r, Solade New Ringold, right arm
badly hurt; Jacob Ulmer, Pottsville both
legs broken; Samuel CoOmb, Mahan0Y
City, badly hurt about body and log brok-
en-; William Summers, Ashland, hurt;
Harrison Riland, Philadelphia, leg broken
and internally injured; Joseph SouthwoOd,
Centralia, body cut and internally injured;
James r. Merkel Bethlehem, badly cut
about head and internally injured; John
Thornton, Leesport, badly cut about head
and body, seriously injured.
A Survivors Story.
A passenger who went down with the
wreck and who was but slightly hurt, says:
when the passenger train left Reading
the cars were all filled, many Of the pas
sengers being ladies. | sat in the front
part of the last car. The train was going
az lively rate Of speed. The passengers
appeared o happy crowd, many of the
800 NAttANAt. NNA laughing hlAtt a utl
pleasure at the Berks County fair was
viewing the lovely country through which
we were passing, when suddenly there was
q terrible crash. l was hurled from my seat
while the cars rolled down the twenty
foot embankment and / was thrown from
one side of the car to the other, when
splash went one end into the water. and |
was thrown against the side Of the car with
a force that partially stunned me.
Horrible Scenes.
Il quickly recovered myself and man
aged TO climb upon the seats on that side
OF the car which lay against the embank-
ment was a prisoner IN the car, unable
to get out, and while | was nursing my
sprained ankle and dislocated wrist, re- |
allied that | was in a scene of veritabe |
horror Around me were human beings |
in the water, screaming in their |
fright. and some almost dragged me back /
into the water again. A few saved them |
selves as did. and the remainder strug-
gled in the water and then quietly sank
out Of sight"
Recovering the Bodies.
The injured had their wounds dressed on
the bank, and those who live near were
taken TO their homes and those who reside
In this section were brought TO the Read
ing hospitals. The company put about 200
men at work in getting out the dead and
dying, which work was greatly facilitated