Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-08-20

Strong Men Painted.
A Herald reporter, who was on the train
says; The engine jumped the track on the
west side, plunging into the steep bank
adjoining the John Quincy Adams estate.
The nine cars attached to the engine
plunged after IT, The first three-a bag
gage, PHllman and smoking car-went
past the engine, but the fourth car. a
passenger coach, collided with the engine
and was instantly filled with escaping
steam. The i'll fated car was completely
wrecked IL contained seventy-iive passen-
gers-men, women and children
THE windows on the east side were all
closed, thereby preventing the steam from
escaping. The scenes about the car We're
of the widest description, women and
children were searching for their friends,
while stout hearted men tainted as the
steamed bodies of dozen women and chill
dren were being taken from the ruins
The lawns on each side OF the railroad
werc soon covered with killed and injured.
Heroic efforts were made by the train
hands and passengers to rescue some Of
the passengers, and they succeeded in re-
moving twenty or more who were only
slightly injured. There were 8N passen-
gers In tho train, 100 being from Brock
tom
Fenncil's Escape from Death.
In the fourth car William Fennell. n
carpenter and house builder, at No. II
Harvard place, was passenger. IL was
there that the major portion OF the cas-
ualtles occurred and nearly II not all OF
those who lost their lives. He said: II
saw the flesh burned from men and women
as that frightful steam enyeloped them,
and saw men groaning and shrieking in
their death struggles AS the scaldinQ fumes
became hotter and denser.
81 hardly know how / escaped. When
the bottom Of the car burst out II left a
hole just large enough for my head di-
rectly over my head, and the edges Of that
hole reached in some way. Then pulled
myself up and looked through the opening.
All about was wreck and ruin. On a fence
bordering the railroad track were ten or
twenty men watching the scene Of ruin aud
powerless from fright and astonishment to
help us. ! screamed, shouted and swore
at them, but they would not move, and the
more yelled the more helpless they be-
came. These men-I hate to call them
thatr-refused to aid me- got out the car
as best / could and did what was able 10
in assisting others.
He Saw Many Persons Die.
"Our car swept like lightning right on TO
the broken engine and was forced on top
Of Il with terrific shock. We seemed
snatohed right mp from the earth fifty feet
in the air. When the car descended on
the engine II had twirled over. and wounded
passengers were thrown ruthlessly about.
AS the car struck on It's side solidly, the
bottom Of IL was torn away, and thus an
opportunity was given rs 70 get out. That
was the only thing that saved the lives of
forty or fifty passengers. The death deal
ing steam entered the car ia dense clouds
from the locomotive beneath rs, filing
every crevice and almost sufrocated those
whom It did not burn to death. II caused
all the deaths that occurred Ten women
were gasping about me rs / tried to shrek
| and shout, and as they became weaker and
weaker as the steam flletS their lungs /
could see them push their hands or feet
through the torn windows trying In vain
20 get breath Of fresh air. / don't know
how many / saw die before me- There
were forty or fifty passengers in the car
and nearly all Of them were wounded more
or less"
The Cause Of the Wreck.
There ere various theories as to the
cause OF the accident For several feet
back along the track there is sort Of
furrow, which seems 10 indicate that some
thing about the engine broke and plowed
into the soil for some distance, finally de-
railing it. The general impression, how
ever, seems to be that the engine was
thrown from the track by spreading rails,
and it is stated that gang of workmen
had been repairing that portion Of the
track and may have left some Of the rails
insuifciently spiked.
Judge Edwards Close Call.
Judge r. w. Edwards, Of Louisville, KY,
had narrow escape from death He sat
two or three seats behind the Fennelly
party from Louisville, of whom three have
already died and fourth is expected to
die, the seat between being unoccupied
When the crash came tie feSsEs,sra truck.
rising through 1ae car floor pushed this
intervening seat against him, and as he
Jumped to avoid il caught one leg and
held him down. Instantly the car beca roe
nlled with smoke and escaping steaf.
Judss Edwards broke the glass in his win
dow and thrust forth his head
81 last the smoke cleaned and the party
outside helped him through the window,
when he found his only injuries 70 be cuts
on his wrists
Mr. c. r. Brodis, Of Washington, d. c.,
sat in the rear car and when the crash
came jumped to the door and sprang out
upon the ties without injury. Eleven bodies
were afterward taken from the corner op-
posite this seat
The Work or Rescue.
When the work Of rescue commenced the
scene was a strange one. The fatal car. o36.
was crushed upon the engine and half Gov
cred with steam and smoke. A man lay
breathing in agony in the midst Of this
burning mass and brandy was poured down
his throat TO keep him alive, while many
willing hands bore away the Instructions
TO reach him, but when at last he was
taken out he was a mangled corpse
Mrs. George NJ. Snow, Of Winter Hill,
sat in the forward part of the fatal car
with her son, Chester A. Snow, years Of
age, when the car truck burst through
the floor and passed between mother and
child without injuring the child. The
mother was afterward scalded in the face
and hands and received internal injuries
from the shock Of the collision.
Conductor f. f. Benson, of the Pullman
car Puritan, had singular experience.
He stood on the platform Of his car when
he felt the jar of the cars leaving the track.
Rushing into the car the final shock threw
him head first directly through a window
upon the outward track. His only injury
consisted Of cuts about the face from con
tact with the window.
Mr. Fennelly's Unhappy Lot.
The most unfortunate party was the fam
lily of Oscar Fennelly, of Louisville. XIV.
His wife, three children, mother and maid
were IN the party. His mother was killed