The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-02
RAILWAY DISASTER
A Paris Express Runs Into o
Swiss Excursion Train.
Fourteen Persons Killed and
Many More Injured.

The people Of Switzerland have hardly re
covered from the railroad scare caused by
the disaster at Moenchenstein in June, by
which more than 130 persons on an e1cur'
sion train lost their lives and about 300 were
injured. when they have been again
startled by. another wholesale loss
of life from railroad acct
dent. This last disaster has occurred on the
Jura-Simplon Railroad lines near the village
of Zollikofen, not far from Berne end re.
suited in the death Of fourteen persons and
the serious injury Of twenty-four others.
The victims were all Swiss peasants.
A special train, carrying large number
Of pleasure seekers from the country, was on
its way to Berne the passengers intending
to take part in the fetes in progress there
and elsewhere throughout Switzerland.
The train was stopped at Zolhkofen in
order to enable it to be shunted into a
siding, so as to let the Paris express pass
it. By some gross negligence, apparently,
upon the part Of the railroad officials, the
Paris train, loaded with foreign trav-
elers, was not warned to look out
for the excursion train while passing Zolli-
kofen, and the result was that the express
dashed into the special train. Luckily, the
engineer Of the express had caught sight
of the excursion train in time to put down
the brakes, so the damage done and the loss
Of life were not so great as they
might have been. As it was the
engine of the express almost entirely de-
molished the empty guards van 6 the rear
Of the excursion train, and then crashed into
the rear passenger car, wrecking it and
causing considerable loss Of life.
The recent holiday traffic has thrown un-
usually heavy burdens upon all the railroads
- SN,, kv-ot
was partly composed of baggage vans, tenn
porarily converted into passenger
carriages. The line was blocked by
other excursion trains in advance and an
other excursion was coupled to the Paris ex.
press A curve in the line prevented the
engineer of the express from seeing the
danger ahead, but the passengers of the ex-
cursion train heard the express approaching,
and many jumped out, all the occupants of
the open goods wagons escaping In this way
almost uphurt.
A special train carrying wrecking appli-
ances, doctors and nurses from the hospi-
tails, together with detachment Of engineers,
was sent to the scene Of the accident.
Surgical operations resulting in the loss
Of limbs were necessary to save
the lives of most of the twenty-four persons
seriously injured. Thirty other passengers
received more or less severe wounds or
bruises. ALI the passengers on the Paris e1-
press escaped with only slight bruises.
The bodies of the dead were carried to the
waiting-room Of the railroad station at Zol-
likofen, and were there laid in rows while
awaiting Identification. Many Of the dead
were so terribly mutilated as to be practi-
cally beyond recognition.
The injured were attended to by the relief
CORPS sent to the scene from Berne. Those
of the injured who were in condition to
be removed have been taken to the hospitals
In Berne; others are being nursed near the
scene Of the disaster.