Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-09-25
RAILROAD WRECK.
A APASSENGER TRAIN DERAILED AND
THROWN INTO THE RIVER
While Running at the Rate of at Least
Forty-Five Miles an Hour

READING, Pa, Sept 20.-A wreck oc-
CURED on the Reading railroad seven
teen miles above this place at about Gas
last night. If everything is borne out
by subsequent developments, 1t is the
worst wreck that has ever occurred in
this section in the history of the Read,
ing Railroad company. The train which
met with disaster left this city at 6:1C
o'clock, ten minutes late. 1t is known
as the Pottsville express and was run
ming at the rate of at least forty-five
miles an hour. 1t had on board prob
ably 125 to $50 passengers and consisted
of engine. mail and express cars and
three passenger cars. At Shoemaker
vile, about fifteen miles above this city,
there is curve where the railroad is
about eighteen to twenty feet higher
than the Schuylkill river. Here, shortly
before o'clock, freight tram ran into
coal train, throwing several cars of
the latter on the opposite track and be-
fore the train hands had time to go 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. The engine went down
the embankment, followed by the entire
train with its human freight. The
scene, which was one of great horror,
can be better imagined than described
The cries of the imprisoned passengers
were heartrending. 1t was a scene never
10 hn fArorO4%a,, Nv -.
pated and survived. Some of the pas
sengers managed to crawl out of their
prison and aroused the neighborhood.
Word was telepraphed to this city and
help summoned, but all information
was refused at this point by the railroad
officials. Physicians and surgeons and
force of 800 workmen were taken to
the spot, and the work of clearing away
the wreck was at once proceeded with
Work was slow and the dead and dying
were taken out with great difficulty
At an early hour this morning thirteen
dead and some thirty wounded had been
taken out. Of the latter some were
brought here and others taken to the
Miners hospital, at Ashland. The dead
so far recovered are still on the ground.
Forty or Fifty Persons Have Perished.
Direct communication has Just been
had with the scene of the wreck and it
is reported that the number of killed
will reach forty or fifty. 1t is impossible
to get the exact number and the full hor-
ror of the situation cannot now be
known. Thirteen bodies have been re-
covered. The names of those known
have already been given and the re-
mainder are unknown. Five bodies are
exposed to view in the wreck, but they
are pinned under the timbers and have
not yet been taken out.
The Story of the Disaster.
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 filed, many
of the passengers being ladies. / sat in
the front part of the last car. The train
was going at a lively rate of speed.
The passengers appeared happy crowd,
many of the ladies chatting and laugh
ing after days pleasure at the Berks
country fair. l was viewing the lovely
county through which we were passing,
when suddenly there was terrible
crash. 1 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 like boy, when splash
went one end into the water, and was
thrown against the side of the car with
force that partially stunned me. l
quickly recovered myself and managed
to climb upon the seats on that side of
the Car which lay against the embank-
ment. was prisoner in the car un-
able to get out, and while 1 was nurs-
ing my sprained ankle and dislocated
wrist, realized that was In a scene of
veritabla horror. Around me were hu-
man beings struggling in the water,
screaming In their fright, and some al
most dragged me back into the water
again. A few saved themselves as did
and the remainder struggled in the
water, and then quietly sank out of
sight.