Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1890-09-26
PINNED UNDER CARS.
A Terrible Wreck on the Reading
Road.
Many Killed and wounded-A Scene
OF Great Horror.

A wreck occurred on the Reading railroad,
IL miles above Reading, Pa, In which at least
20 persons were killed and % injured. The
cars went Into the river, and according 10
one estimate fully p bodies remain in the
wreck or have been swept away by the cur.
rent. Six bodies have been taken out. The
Train which met with the disaster left Read
ing at about 6 o'clock In the evening.
Il is known as the Pottsyille express and
WAS running at the rate Of at least 80 to ~
miles an hour. 1t had on board possibly l25
to $50 passengers aud consisted of engine,
tender, mail, express and three passenger
cars.
Above Shoemakerville, Pa. there is a curve
where the railroad Is about is 10 20 feet high.
er than the Schuylkill River. Here freight
train ran into coal train, throwing several
cars in the latter on the opposite track, and
before the train hands had time to 90 back
10 warn any approaching train OF the danger,
The PottsNille express came around the curve
and ran into the wrecked coal cars on its
track. The engine went down the embAnk.
ment, followed by the entire train with It's
human freight. The scene was one of great
horror. The cries of the imprisoned pas.
sengers were beartrending, Some of the
passengers managed TO crawl out Of theii
prison and arouse the neIghborhood. Word
was telegraphed to Reading and help sum.
moned.
Physicians and a force Of 800 workmen
were taken TO the spot by the company, and
with the aid of travelling electric light plant,
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. Up to 10 o'clock at night
elk dead and 25 wounded had been taken
out.
An Associated Press agent, at the scene OF
the wreck, says that conservative estimates
place the number OF killed at 40 or 30. II Is
almost impossible to estimate the exact num-
ber and the full horror Of the situation Is
not yet known. At IL O'Clock Mail Agent
Greenwald's body was taken out, followed
by the horribly msngIed bodies Of two Ma
hanoy City firemcn on their way home from
the Chester convention.
One Of the passengers who went down in
the wreck and who was but slightly injured,
says that when the passenger train left
Reading the cars were all well filled This
is his story THE train was going at lively
rate of speed. The passengers appeared a
happy crowd, many OF them ladies, chatting
and laughing after a days pleasure at tho
Berks county fair. l was viewing the lovely
country through which we were passing
when suddenly there came terrible crash. !
was hurled from my seat while the cars
rolled down the 20-foot embankment and
was thrown from one side OF the car to the
oluSl ihc q pNJy Wntu Uilt Gnu Wc0t
into the water and | was thrown against
the side Of the car with force that partial.
ly stunned me. Iquickly recovered myself
and managed to climb upon the seats on
that side Of the car which lay against the
embankment I was prisoner IN the car,
unable to get out, and while was nursing
my sprained ankle and wrist out Of joint |
realized that was in a scene of vertable
horror
Around and about me were human
beings struggling in the water, screaming In
their fright and some almost dragged me
back into the water again. A few saved
themselves as did and the remainder strug.
gled in the water and then quietly sank out
OF sight"
Up to midnight ID bodies had been recov.
cred. Five bodies were exposed to view In
the wreck, but they were pinned under the
timbers and could not be taken out The
wreckers OF Cressoua and Reading were
summoned. and we're soon hard at work.