Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-10-04

A runaway shifting engine, dashing
wildly through the West Philadelphia
yard of the Pennsylvania railroad, was
the cause of serious accident early
Sunday morning in which q large
number Of passengers were painfully
but none fatally injured. The New
York and Washington express, which
was heavily laden, and which left
Broad street station az three minutes
past midnight, met the flying shift ,
Just as it was descending from
elevated tracks at Thirtieth street, N
the collision caused lively shaking1
Most of those hurt in the crash W..
residents of stations south Of Philadols
phia, and all except p. Mcdonnell, the
postal clerk, were able to proceed to
their homes, so that complete list
could not be obtained. Some of those
injured were:
p. j. Mcdonnell. Jersey City, N. j.,
badly bruised about the head and body
with internal injuries. Taken to the
Presbyterian Hospital.
j. A. Cockley, Baltimore, engineer OF
the express, bruised about the abdomen.
Taken home.
Darius Harmon, Baltimore, fireman
of the express, badly cut about the
neck. Taken home.
Mrs. G. O. Governator, Baltimore,
nose broken, cheek cut and both eyes
blackened. Taken home.
II. j. Wickert, Railway, N. j., as
sistant postal clerk, head badly bruised.
DIR. Francis F. Forwood, Chester, Pa,
thumb cut.
An unknown colored woman, left
arm bruised.
William Miller, engineer of the run
away engine, who was forced to Jump
by previous collision with freight
train, was considerably bruised, but
went home. Mrs. Governator was
occupying berth in the second Pull.
man and was thrown violently against
the berth just forward.
PASSENGERS HURLED FROM THE SEATS.
The runaway engine, which came up
from the south, made It's way so silently
That when the operator in tho tower at
Ihirty-second street saw IL it was right
on the coming express and nothing
could avert the accident. In the shock
which followed the passengers were all
thrown violently from their seats and
panic was just averted by the coolness
OF Conductor Mitchell and the brake.
men, who kept the passengers in theii
places. A rush was made by excited
men and women for the doors and
windows, and if they had not been pre-
vented from jumping, great loss of life
must have resulted, as many would
have been crowded off tho elevated
platform into tho stockyards below.
Engineer Cockley put the brakes on
just before he and Fireman Harmon
were hurled against the boiler. Both
stuck TO their posts.
The train consisted of one barpnpe
car, two mail, three passenger and three
Pullman cars, in the order stated. Tho
second mail car was partly telescoped
and the platform of one Pullman was
broken, while the shifting engine was
badly smashed up.
Dr. Francis +, Forwood of Chester.
had been attending the Democratic re.
ceptlon at the Academy of Music with
Two friends, Hiram Hathaway, Jr., and
william i. Maxwell, He appeared to
be the only physician on board and did
yeoman service in caring for cuts and
bruises. In telling of the accident he
said
THE STORY OF A PASSENGER,
I'VE had just taken seats in tho smok-
ing car, which was fourth from tho
engine, when the crash came. | was
thrown headtirst in the corner, nv left
hand striking the Trademarks lantern.
and MIR. hathaway went over the back
OF the seat ahead of him. Conductor
Mitchell, who was taking tickets half.
down the aisle, was thrown backward TO
the door, and every passenger in the car
was thrown from his scat and nil were
bruised to some extent"
AS soon as the train STONED. DIR.
Forwood hurried to the forward mail
car and dressed the wounds of those
who were brought there. In the mean.
lime his friends BECAME alarmed nj Ills
disappearance and in searching for bir,
they were Mortified to learn from a
Baltimore man that lie had seen tho
doctor fall into the river Hathaway and
maxwell organized train crew and
searching party, and with lanterns
stafted to explore the river banks. The
sealch continued for some time before
Dr. forWood's whereabouts were dis
covered. After the wounded had been
placed IN the mail car the train was
backed into Broad street station, where
the damaged mail car was cut off. and
the others were able to proceed 10
washington, three hours and a half
behind time. '-
CAUSED BY PREVIOUS ACCIDENT.
Engine No. 6I, the shifter which
caused the accident, was in charge az
Engineer William Miller. He was RIM
ming the engine backward ON the main
track OF tho Philadelphia, Wilmington
" Baltimore railroad TO get a siding in
the yards below the South street BRIDGE
~ order to allow the express to mass
Before this could be accomplished how.
ever, north. bound freight train rushed.
down upon him from around curve,
The fireman and Engineer Miller iumned
10 save their lives, Miller being ininred
by the fall. When the freight engine
struck the shifter the throttle was
thrown open by the crash, and il storted
on It's run up the track II met with NO
obstacles until it passed the curve above
Market street, having passed tbroueb
the tunnel and under the elevated tracks
OF the main line. Then it crashed into
The slowly moving express.
Inc report of the uccident with ro
sponslolllties attached has been made
up and sent 10 the superintendent ~
the Maryland divisions Office NJ WI
mlngton. The wreck of the Shifting
engine delayed traffic for several bonrgs