The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1890-09-27
A Passenger Train on the Reading
Road Goes Over an. Embark
ment Into a River.
Thirty or Forty People Perished in
the Water or Were Killed in
the Wreck.
The List of Injured Is Large, as the
Train Was Heavily Loaded
With People.
A List of the Dead and Injured
Which Have Been RecOv-
cred.
rerrlb1e Wreck on the Keadlng Road.

ere0.
Terrible Wreck on the Reading Road.
READING, Pa, Sept. ia wreck oc.
CURED on the Reading railway fifteen
miles above this place about 6:45 tonight.
If everything is borne out by subsequent
developments it is the worst wreck that
has ever occurred i'll this section in the his
tory of the Reading road. The train which
met with disaster left this city at sos
o'clock, ten minutes late. 1t is known as
the "positive express" and was running at
the rate of at least thirty-eight to forty
miles an hour. 1t had on board possibly
125 to $50 passengers and consisted of an
engine, mail, express and three passenger
cars. Above Shoemakersville, this county,
about fifteen miles above this city, there is
a place where the railroad is from eighteen
to twenty feet higher than the Schuylkill
river. Here, shortly before 6 o'clock, a
freight train ran into a coal train, throw
ing several cars from the latter on the OPP
posite track, and before the train hands
had time to 60 back and warn any ap-
preaching train of danger, the express
came around the bend and ran into the
wrecked coal cars on its track. The en-
CINE went down the %embankment, followed
by the entire train with its human freight.
The scene was one Of great horror. The
cries OF the imprisoned passengers vas
heart rending. 1t was a scene never to be
forgotten by those who escaped. Some of
the passengers managed to crawl out of
their prison and arouse the neighborhoOd.
Word was telegraphed to this city and help
summoned, but all information was re.
fused by the railroad officials of the Read
ing company. Physicians and surgeons
and a force Of 400 workmen were taken to
the spot by the company. and with the aid
of a travelling electric light plant the work
of clearing away the wreck was at once
proceeded with. The work was slow and
the dead and dying were taken out with
great difficulty. Up to 10 O'Clock tonight
six dead and some thirty wounded had
been taken out. OF the latter some were
brought to this city and others taken to
dead so far recovered are still on the
ground. The dead and wounded taken
out no to this time are as follows: Killed
William D. Shomo, Reading, badly
mangled; John White, engineer, Pottsville.
Pa; James Tomlin, fireman. POttsville, Pa;
Harry Logan, conductor, pottsyille, Pa;
body being crushed; E. w. Logan, baggage
master, Shenandoah. Disqualification
Ryland, Philadelphia, leg broken and i'll
ternally injured; Joseph Southwo0d. Cen
tralia, badly cut and internally injured;
James F. Morkel, Bethlehem, badly cut
John Thornton. Leesport. badly cut about
The head and body. Slightly injured
Joseph Nell, Shenandoah, cut about the
head and left shoulder broken; Frank Il.
Hall, manager of Frank Mayo's Dramatic
company, cut about the head and body and
bruised An e about If t st' c,a;s arms back and and
internally injured; Joseph Ashfield, Maho-
VIM. Glass, mayor of Port Clinton, badly
cut about the breast; Thomas Cooney,
Philadelphia, head and legs injured: Rob
ert Cotton, POttsville, injured internally;
Samuel Shellenberger, Hamburg, legs in.
jured; B. w. Cithler, Girardsyille, foot and
leg mashed; John GOolick, Mt. Carmel, in
ternally injured and hand mashed; w. w.
Johnston, Shenandoah, head badly cut and
leg broken; George Sanders, Reading, bad
ly hurt about the back and neck; Benja-
min F. Beecher, Shenandoah, left hip bad
ly cut and leg hurt; James Beirhart. Shen-
andoah, left hip crushed and legs hurt;
John Hess, Mahcney City, legs badly hurt;
David q. Young, Mahoney City, head bad
Hamburg, both legs broken; DR.. R. I. Sa-
lade, New RinK0ld. right arm badly hurt;
Jacob Ulmer, P%ottsville, both legs broken;
Samuel Combs, Mahoney City. badly hurt
about body and leg broken; VIM. SINNERS,
Ashland, hurt. The wrecked train is still
lying at the bottom of the river tonight.
The exact number on the passenger list is
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