The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-07-31
R KILLED; 30 INJURED
An Express and an Excursion Train Collide Near At
 Iantic City, N. J.

lanllC CllY, N. J.
 SCENE DEFIES DESCRIPTION DEATH LIST MAY REACH 6O-MANY
 VICTIMS M.iI1fED FOR LIFE. Quite Unparalleled in Railroad Horrors The Express Crashed Through Four Cars Killing and Wounding Men, Women and Childrcn-Lifeless Rody of Engineer Found in the Wreck One Hand on the Throttle, the Other on the Brake-Learn- ing of His Fate His Wife Drops Dead Many Bodies Unrecognizable-Appal Scenes at the Wreck-Impossible to Tell the Extent of the Awful Calamity-Upon Whom Blame Rests is Unknown, But a Telegraph Operator Under Arrest-To Add to the Horror a Boiler Explodes and Many Persons Scalded to Death--Excur- sionists Were Mainly from Bridgeton, N.
 Atlantic City. N. J., July BOA terri ble railroad catastrophe took place on the meadows, about two miles out of this city, shortly after 6:3O o'clock this evening, resulting in the deaths of for ty-two people, so far as can now be learned and the wounding of eighty others.
 A train left here consisting of seven cars over the West Jersey railroad bearing special excursion of Red Men and their friends to Bridgeton, N. J., and Salem, N J., and had reached the crossing of the Reading railroad when 1t was struck by the $40 down express from Philadelphia, demolishing two cars and telescoping the two following. The engine of the Reading train be- came total wreck, killing the engineer and fatally iniuring the fireman and the car behind it also was thrown from the track and many of its occupants were killed or injured The responsibility for the collision has not yet been placed but William Thurlaw, the operator at the block tower situated at the crossing has been placed under arrest by order of the cor oner.
 Leaving this city the tracks of the West Jersey road run parallel to those of the Camden and Atlantic road until after they cross the drawbrdge when they switch off to the south crossing the Reading road at an obtuse angle.
 John Greiner, the engineer of the West Jersey train, saw the Reading train approaching the crossing at great speed, but as the signals were open for him to proceed on his way, he continued. His engine had barely cleared the track of the Reading when the locomotive of the latter train which left Philadelphia at 5:40, struck the first car full in the center, throwing it far off the track into a nearby ditch and completely submerging it.
 The second car of the West Jersey train was also carried into the ditch, the third and fourth cars being tele- scoped. The engine of the Reading train was thrown to the other side of the track, carrying with 1t the first coach A few minutes after the col lision to add to the horror of the situa- tion the boiler of the Reading engine exploded, scalding several to death and casting its boiling spray over many of the injured passengers. As soon as the news reached the city it spread rapidly and thousands of people flock ed to the scene. On the road leading to the place of the collision was a con- stant procession of hacks, 'busses and bicycles and all kinds of vehicles, while thousands of pedestrians hurried along the path to render what assist ance they might or to satisfy their curiosity.
 Darkness fell quickly and the work of rescuing the injured and recovering the dead bodies was carried out under the glare of huge bonfires. A grue- some sight was presented to on-lookers as the mangled and burnt forms of the dead were carried from the wreck age which bound them and were laid side by side on the gravel bank near the track with no other pail than the few odd newspapers furnished by the passengers. The wounded were quick ly gathered together and carried by train and wagon to the Atlantic City hospital, where six of them died shortly after their arrival. The old excursion house at the foot of Mississippi avenue was converted into a morgue and thith- CT the dead were taken.
 At late hour this evening there were twenty-nine bodies laid out there, none of whom are as yet identified. This city is terribly excited over the &C., cident. The streets in the vicinity of the excursion house and the hospital, as we'll as the road leading to the scene of the accident, being packed with peo- pie anxious to learn the latest.
 The excursionists who escaped were brought back to this city and sent home on 8 special train several hours later in the evening.
 James w. Hoyt secretary of the de- partment of public safety, upon learn ing of the extent of the catastrophe. telegraphed for the Philadelphia Med ical Emergency corps fifteen of whom responded and hurried to this city on special train which left Philadelphia at 10:45. These surgeons materially aided tba volunteer eOrps of this city which