The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-06-28
NTH 4 CRASH
Two Sections Of a Passenger
Train Come Together.
A Dozen People Killed and Prob
ably Fifty Injured.
Harrisburg the Scene of the
Catastrophe.

A Telegraph Operator Alleged to Have
Been Responsible for the Accident in
Having Given the Wrong Signal-I;ail-
road Men Claim BIinding Storm Pre-
vented the Danger Signal Beins Seen.
Partial List of the Killed and Injured.
HARRISBURG, June 27.-The most
fearful wreck which has ever occurred
IN this city occurred Saturday morn
ing. The first section Of the western
express which is due hire soon after
midnight. was tagged below the city
because it was very late. The second
section came laundering along at the
rate Of forty-fve miles IN hour, and
dashed into the first section, killing
twelve and injuring some fifty.
The engine plowed half through the
Westinghouse private car, which, is
very heavy and strongly built. 1t in
turn telescCped two Of the other cars
which were filled with passengers. The
baggage and express car Of the second
section was completely demolished, hav-
ing been crushed through by the tender
of Engine No. - of the second section.
The cars were piled in confusion over
all the tracks and forty feet high. The
Westinghouse private car, which was
attached to the first section, was up
turned and totally demolished.
One of the cars took fire and those
in them still alive were panic-stricken.
An alarm of fire was sounded and IN
| few moments the whole department re-
sponded and the flames were quenched.
| A deluging rain was pouring down,
| causing those who were injured to suffer
intense pain. The engine of the second
section telescoped several of the cars of
! the first section.
Many passengers in the day coaches of
| the first section We're half asleep, and
were awakened by the horrible crashing
and grinding of timbers, the breaking of
| glass and the kissing of steam, while
others never knew the fate that over
| took them.
1t was stated at the city hospital Sat
urday morning that. with probably one
or two exceptions, the eighteen passen-
| gers who occupy cots at that institution
would survive.
For squares the cries of the wounded
could be heard, and the scene presented
was a heartrending one. One young
woman. elegantly attired, and probably
eighteen years of age, was pinned down
70 the track by the truck Of one Of the
cars resting on her body. Her head had
been severed from her body. 1t was
over an hour before the body could be
removed. She had on her person a gold
watch and considerable money.
The mangled bodies Were in several
instances uurecOgniZable.
One car had TO be jaclledup to recover
the body Of d woman whose head was
crushed to Z shaFeless mass.
\ crowd soon gathered and an ambu-
lance carried the wounded 70 the city
hospital They numbered tIJy-men,
women and children. Severed persons
who are injured left the wreck and went
to various houses in the vicinity and Il Is
: impossible to ascertain the NAMES OF al
who are missing.
Robert Pitcairn, Of the Pennsylvania
railroad, was on the train, bat escaped
uninjured.
The hospital was d mass OF MANNED
Saturday morning. The city physicians
We're called out to assist il caring for
the injured.
Several EungaTians who live III the
| vicinity of the accident We're busy rob
bing the dead, but Were arrested and
lOcked'up.
The only one hurt in the Westing-
house car was the colOroL waiter named
! George Woodyear, who Is now at the
! hospital suffering from d cut on his
! head.
Each section of the train was made up
of seven coaches.
The city is filed with wounded, ard
| twelve have already died and several
more are lying Eetweeu life and death.
Many persons who We're cut about the
hands. head, legs, and other parts Of
their body went to hotels ana various
houses. where they receive medical as
sistauce. 1t Is impossible to obtain a
complete list OF all those injured. 4
number left on the morning trains for
their homes.
What Caused 1t?
The operator at Steelton is alleged to
have been responsible for the accident
in having giving Engineer Kelly the
wrong signal. The sharp curve at Dock
street also made the disaster more SER
iOus.
1t is the impression among railroad
men that Engineer Kelly was prevented
from seeing the danger signal, which
the operator at the Dock street tower
claims was shown, in addition to him
swinging a red lantern from the veranda
of the tower, because of the binding
rainstOrm.
A remarkable feature of the wreck is
| that not trainhand was seriously hurt.
The brakeman of the first section, who
went back one hundred yards to signal
the looked-fOr second section, had just
returned to his train when the second
section came laundering around the
curve. Engineer Kelly and his fireman
remained at their posts and were I'M
hurt. They, with. Baggage Master