The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-10-25
The READING WRECK.
An Express ColIides With a Coal
Train Near Philadelphia.
SEVEN KILLED, MANY INJURED,
An Engineer Disobeyed Orders, and the
Result was the Accident That was Par
TALLY Reported by the Confused and
Contradictory Dispatches or Yesterday


ing railroad collidel with train of
empty coal cars, short distance north of
West ManayunS tunnel, about eight
miles north Of this city at few minutes
past nine o'clock yesterday. AS related
In yesterdays dispatches, seven persons
were killer outright and these probably
comprise the full extent Of the fatalities.
The nineteen injured persons were taken
To st. Timothy's hospital at Roxborough
and several others were treated at other
places. The following is the list of the
dead and injured:
Dead.
Thomas Welsh, OF Auburn, fireman OF
the express train.
James Kilrain, aged 2s years, of Tams-
qua, forward brakeman on coal train.
Frank Stief, OF Reading, newsboy on
express train, killed in baggage car.
Mrs. Margaret Devine, aged GO, killed
under stove in express train.
David s. Herr, aged 30, member of the
Legislature from Harrisburg.
John Boynton, machinist, OF Reading.
Annie Atchison, % years old, OF Min
ersville, Pa.
Baggagemaster j. Clayton Eppler, of
Pottsville, Pa, is missing.
Injured.
At the hospitals. ID. Rhodes, of Phe-
nixville, Pa, express messenger, jaw
fractured and suffering from conclusion
OF the brain; condition very serious.
NJ. ID. Cowen, Harrisburg, city engi-
neer, injured leg.
Moritz q. Loppert, both legs broken.
Mrs. M. q. Lsppert, leg broken.
Ella Devine OF Philadelphia, lacerated
wound OF thigh.
In hur De frar
OF leg.
Miss Mary Tees, Valley Forge, fracture
o leg.
Annie f. Sides, Reading, leg broken.
Mary G. Pretzman, Pottstown, injury
TO ankle.
William H. Embre, Reading, not dan
gerously.
James Z. Burfeld, brakeman on coal
train, scalp lacerated.
II. c. Printz, conductor OF passenger
train, fractured thigh.
patrick, engineer OF express,
conclusion OF brain and head, very seri-
Gus.
Hiram Gsttshall, Reading, compoun nj
fracture both legs.
DR.. Joseph f. Wright, PEeaixville,
both legs broken.
w. ii. Becker, Pottstown, leg broken.
James ii. Chlllson, Reading, plumbe
employed bv company, nurt about body.
John L. Wyncoop, Port Kennedy, Pa,
hand and forearm crushed and after
wards Rmputated.
Charles Miller, "a years, Pottstown,
injured arm and leg.
Anthony Schwartz, Pottsville, chest
and head cut
The Shamokin express is made up az
Pottsville and left that city at z O'Clock.
The train arrived at Pbn nnixville on time.
At this placs orders dated Reading were
received to run on the north bound
track from West Conshocken to West
Falls, a stance of only a few miles, re-
gardless of all other trains. From West
Conshocken in pursuance OF these orders
the ill-fated train took the north boun1
trek. II was composed Of five cars-the
baggage car, a smoking car, two passen-
gsr cars and the Harrisburg Pullman par
or car Crestline.
The south bound track was blocked
with freight cars and to this fact is prim-
arily due the catastrophe. Train No.
533 OF empty coal cars, started north from
West Manayunk on the northern track
shortly before 9 o'clock. There is a con
hict OF opinion as to the orders given the
crew OF this train. The crew conten
hat they had received.no orders TO stop,
while the railroad officials tell what may
be regarded as the most likely story AMI
that Is that positive instructions had
been given that the coal train SHOULD lie
up at West Falls, south OF where the
train had pa ssed.
The two trains came together on a
curve with n terrible crash, and the
shrieks of the dying and wounded could
be heard above the crashing OF timber
and the noise OF escaping steam. Tas
xpress was comfortably filed with pas
scngers. Tho engines ploughed their
way through each other and rolled over
on their sides in one mass OF shattered
machinery. The front OF the baggage
car was crushed completely III AMI Bag
gsgemaster Epoler and John Stief, the
nswsboy, were buried in mass OF bros-
en- timbers, from which they were subse-
quently taken out dead. The rear OF the
baggage car and the forward end ot the
smoker crashed together. The greatest
force of the coll ision was displayed in
he smoking car aud the passenger coach
next to IL. The smoker telescopsd its
way into the other coach fully ne-half
Is length, and ho any one VINO was in
either car escaped death is mystery.
The baggage car was smashed to kind
ling wood and thrown over on he north
bound track in a heap with the engines.
1t caught fire and soon burned up. TIE
next two cars kept the track, but they
we're telescopsd together and were al
M )st completely demolished. The next
passenger coach and the Pullman car
we're badly damaged but were easily
Grawn away from the rest OF the train al
:er tho accident. Except for scratches
aud bru ses, the passengers in the last
two cars all escaped unhurt. The seven
dead bodies were battered and torn almost
beyond hope OF recognition. Word was
sent immed lately in every direction for
medical aid aud in a short time stah OF
physicians were on hand looking after
the injured. As soon as the wounded
had ali been attended to they were r.
moved in am mbularces, those who could
going 10 trains AID the others to hospi-
tails. The dead were taken to the police
station AZ Manayunk.
Rev. j. Madison Hare, pastor OF the
FIRST Baptist church Of Phmnixville, was
sitting in the rear end OF the second tel
oscoped car. His face, eye glasses and
clothes were spotted with blood OF the