The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-08-18
IN SWITZERLAND
The Deadly Excursion Train Docs
Its Work This Time.
NEAR THE YILLEGEOF ZOLLIKOFFEN
Thirteen People Killed Outright and
Great Number Injured, Many of
Them Fatally--It Was a Special
Train Carrying Country People to
Berne to tho Centenary Fests---GrOss
Negligence Charged as Usual.

BERNIE, Aug. 1.-THE people Of this
republic had hardly recovered from the
shock caused by the terrible accident at
Moenchenstein, in June, by which over
one hundred aud thirty persons on an
excursion train lost their lives and about
three hundred were injured, when they
were startled again, yesterday, by an
other railroad accident.
This last disaster occurredon the Jura
simplon railroad lines, near the village
of Zollikofen, not far from this city.
The details of the accident as received
hereup to the present are as follows:
A special train, carrying a large num-
ber OF excursionists from the country
districts to this city, was on its way
here, the passengers intending to take
part in the centenary fetes which are
now in progress here and elsewhere
throughout Switzerland. This excur-
sion train was stopped at Zollikoten in
order to enable it TO be shunted into q
siding to let the Paris express pass.
: By some gross negligence, apparently,
upon the part OF the railroad officials,
the Paris train, loaded with foreign
travellers, was not warned to look out
for the excursion train while passing
Zollikofen, and the result was that the
express dashed into the special train.
The engineer OF the express caught
sight Of the excursion train in time to
put down the brakes, and so the dam
age done and the loss Of life was not SO
great rs it might have been. Asit was,
the engine Of the express cut into and
almost entirely demolished the guards
van at the rear OF the excursion train,
which was empty, and then crashed
into the rearmost Of the passenger cars,
completely wrecking it and causing
considerable loss OF life.
At this hour the exact number OF
dead and wounded is not known, but
twelve corpses have already been re-
covered from the ruins, and it is known
that several people have been seriously
injured by the collision. No loss OF
life has been reported in connection
with the passengers on the Paris eX-
press, and therefore it is believed here
that they have all escaped,
A special train, carrying wrecking ap-
pliances, doctors and nurses from the
hospitals, together with detachment
OF engineers, has been dispatched to the
scene Of the accident, and crowds OF peo-
pie have started in the same direction.
The majority Of the passengers on board
the excursion train belong to towns in
the vicinity OF this city. 1t is thoug hit
that no foreign visitors were among the
excursionists, and no deaths OF Ameri-
can travellers have been reported,
LATER-Further details from Zolliko-
fen show that thirteen persons were
killed, and that eighteen were seriously
injured and thirty others slightly. In
consequence OF the disaster the remain
ing fetes in this city have been aband-
oned. All the occupants OF the Paris
express escaped with only slight bruises.
The excursion train was partly COM
posed OF baggage vans, temporarily con-
verted into passenger carriages. The
line was blocked by other excursion
trains in advance, and another excursion
was coupled to the Paris express.
A curve in the line prevented the en-
gineer of the express from seeing the
danger ahead, but the passengers of the
excursion heard the express approach-
ing and many jumped out, all occupants
of the open goods-wagons escaping in
this way unhurt.
According to the latest adHces from
the scene Of the disaster eleven women
and three men we're killed and twenty
iour persons were seriously injured.
The victims were all Swiss peasants.
The historical procession was under way
when the news Of the disaster was re-
ceiyed here, but itwas speedily stopped.