Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-03
AN AWFUL SMASH-UP.
An Express Telescoped by a Fast
Freight Train
TWENTY PERSONS REPORTED KILLED.
Some Of the Injured Caught and
Burned Alive.
SEEKING THE RESPONSIBILITY
TWENTY PERSONS KILLED.

TWENTY PERSONS KILLED.
An Express Train Loaded with Sleeping Pas
sengers Kun Into by u Freight.
RAvESSA, OHIo, July S-The worst railroad
accident ever occurring in this vicinity hap
pened at 3 o'clock this morning The horrible
calamity has fairly appalled, the town and
neighborhood. Twenty persons were killed
and their bodies burned to q crisp More than
that number were injured. The charred re-
mains 81 the dead were taken from the ruins
OF the demolished passenger train as fast the
names could be subdued by the townspeople,
who rallied to the rescue.
Such terrible sights as were witnessed in the
early morning hours made the people almost
sick. An express loaded with sleeping psssen-
gers was run into by freight train while the
express was at a standstill in this city. The
wreck OF the passenger train was terrible and
complete.
10 add to the condition of the unfortunate
passengers who were imprisoned in the debris
the train caught fire and consumed. In
this way death fairly swept through the
wrecked train. By daylight twenty bodies
nearly all of them charred in a horrible man
ner, were taken out. Twenty-three injured had
also been rescued. A large number Of the
killed were glass blowers. who we're on their
way east from Findlay.
lelescODe0 oXDrele
is the dressed meat express from Chicago and
was running about thirty miles an hour when
1t struck the passenger train.
HOW IT OCCURRED.
The eastbound Erie vestibule No 8, was very
late and was running on orders. When the
stop was made at Ravenna the engineer and
fireman on the passenger train went to work
TO repair the engine and the train was de-
tained several minutes. A fagman was sent
back. but went only few feet almost two car
lengths. Suddenly. around the curve west Of
the city, came train No. 80, composed of Swift's
meat cars The train was running rapidly and
coming down a steep grade. The engineer
supposed he had clear track and it being
through train he not expecting to stop
at Ravenna. He called for brakes and reversed
his engine. but all to no purpose. On came
the freight train with but slightly decreased
speed and no Word of warning could be given
the people in the doomed train. The engineer
and fireman jumped, alighting safely. mo-
ment more and the heavy freight crashed into
the passenger train. The noise was heard for
miles.
then commenced the most frightful cries ever
heard. The moans of the dying the l,iteous
cries for help from the imprisoned and
helpless passengers and the mutilated and
bloody remains Of the dead seen through
the fragments of the debris formed
freight engine had gone clear through day
coach in the rear through the sleeper and
buried itself in the second sleeper, the third
car of the train.
mass of debris, and the sides OF the third stood
about the monster engine ii to hold it pris-
oner and prevent further damage. This scene
lasted just moment when tongues of flame
sprang up here and there and soon the
whole wreck was wrapped in fire. 1t vas
SICK 1rrer SIGHT a ~
sengers in the debris. the flames lighting up
the place with a lurid glare only served to in
tenslfy the horror without aiding the rescuers
As soon as the daZed passengers in the other
cars recovered themselves they rushed to
the rescue OF their unfortunate compan-
ions. The fire department was Immediately
telephoned and every one in that end of the
little city rushed to the scene of the disaster
Hundreds soon surrounded the wreck, but TO
little purpose. The awful ruin had been
wrought and little was left to do but to secure
and care for the remains Of the dead.
MANY FROM CINCINNATI.
CINCINNATI, July 3.-The Ravenna wreck eyi-
IDENTIFY caught Findlay and Cincinnati passen-
gers exclusively. The Chicago vestibuled train
is met at Marion Junction by the through New
York sleeper from Cincinnati where the latter
is attached TO the rear of the train. Last night
there was such an unusual number of passen-
gers from here that two sleepers instead Of one
were attached. They evidently are the two
that are reported destroyed in the wreck
The day coach, which WAS in the
rear and which was going from Find
lay to youngstown, would naturally be
placed in the rear of the Cincinnati sleepers,
and as q special car would not be sent out with
less than fifty passengers the probability is
that the causalties may all be limited to that
car. kilograms have been received here from
Mrs. Martin Of Cincinnati. who was in one of
fha (rna tlSla and R.l.
Mitchell, who was in the other, that they had
escaped. There has not been SO heavy q train
load sent from here this summer as the one
sent last night. The Erie Office is filled with
inquiring friends.
No full record Of departing passengers on the
ll-fated Erie train No. 8. was kept. by mere
accident copy of the sleeping car diagrams is
in the Erie Office, from which it appears that
in the rear of the extra next the Findlay coach
was Mr.. s. ]. Broadwell and party and Q
well-known lawyer of tins city. In the same
car were Mr.. Matthew Addy, wife, daughter
and nurse, Mrs. Aler, and other names,
Caldwell and Livinggood, with nothing to iden-
tify them further. Mrs. Allen and Mr. Addy
and party have sent dispatches saying they
escaped In the regular car we're Mr.. Powell
Of Louisville Mr.. Bishop and party of Hamil-
ton, Ohio; - Robinson, Mr.. Robt. Mitchell
and party Of six, Mr.. Mosler and Mrs. Kirsch-
berger. OF these news has been received that
LIZ. Robt. Mitchell and family escaped, but lost
their sleeping car baggage.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE WRECK.
PIrrsBURa, July Especial from Alliance,
Ohio, gives the following account Of the Ra-
VIENNA wreck:
At clock this morning frightful railroad
wreck occurred at Ravenns, on the New York
Lake Erie and Western railroad Train No. =,
fast express, bound for New York, while stand
ing at the depot waiting for orders, was crashed
into from the rear by freight train.
A day coach on the rear of the train was COM
pletey teleseoped and nine teen passenger killed
and thirty eight badlyinjured. The day coach and
two sleepers forward took fre and we're burned
up, burning many Of the bodies 80 that they were
almost unrecoguiZable. The wreck is the most
disastrous that ever occurred ON the Erie road.
A special train was sent from youngstown con-
veying surgeons and nurses to care for the in
tured. As yet the names Of the killed and in
jured are not obtainable.
Many OF the passengers ON the train ware
asleep when the awful crash came and a numhar
were crushed to death in their berths. A ter
rible scene followed. There were cries Tor
help from all parts Of the train, mingled with
dying moans Of others whose lives were beins
crushed out.
The steam was escaping from the me ensser
freight engine and soon the wreck caught Ars
and the flames crowded upon those who we're
fast in the debris. The few persons Who e.
capped without injury worked with almost super
human power In their efforts TO rescue the more
unfortunates ones. In several instances per-
sons slowly burned to death while pleading With
their last breath Tor help, which could not b
4 COMPLETE WRECK.