The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-31

be living under those ruins. The roof
of one ear fell in a mass, hurying the
occupants. / knew many of those
aboard, but | Will hope tor hhe best.
| know positively of two in cur car who
were killed. They were Mr. and Mrs.
Frank Bell, of BridgetOn. Their daugh-
ter was in another car further back
and was not hurt. | don't know who IS
to blame. When we were about two
miles out of Atlantic City we came to
stop out In the meadows and stayed
there for several minutes, but l don't
know why. | think there must have
been eighty or a hundred killed. The
only person with me was my siN-year-
old son, and he was not hurt, 'dhank
God"
The scene was wildly picturesque;
canopied by a star-lit sky with blood
red moon at the full, shining in the far
background and the brilliant mass OF
lights olimmering from the city be-
yond, the gayety OF which has been
suddenly ecIipsed by the most awful
catastrophe in its history. Stagger-
ino in and out of bitches and STUN
bling over masses of broken timber
with only a few fitful lanterns TO help
their Straining eyes, the rescue gang
set bravely to work Axes and shoyels
were placed with the greatest Vlgor,
and almost at every half dozen strokes
mans form was dug up and laid ten
derly on the waiting pallets. 1T was a
gigantic and sickening task and the
strongest of men turned faint from a
revelation of the work of the spades.
A heap Of blood stained timbers
turned aside by one of the rescuers
brought to sight a woman's arm. 1t
rNfF al, Exy ha
rooots, and nothing remained but
dripping stump, even the hand being
gone. 1t had been clad in a dainty
white linen glove, the sleeve of which
still clung to it. Not five minutes
later. a chance blow from a pick re-
vealed still more CHASTITY remnant,
human heart that only few hours
before had been throbbing with life
and love.
One woman whose body was recov-
cred still held in her dead hand plate
bearing a picture of Atlantic City. 1t
was unbroken. Scattered about the
ground near the wreck were many
| pieces of clothing which had been torn
| from the bodies of the victims. Hats,
| dainty parasols, fans, and gloves.
Just as one of the relief trains
reached the Pennsylvania depot, with
| it's terrible load, one man who lay in
| a corner horribly injured regained his
| senses for moment and clasping his
| hand to his head cried in heartrending
| agony: "Who did this? My God: +
| where are my wife and children?"
A late report says that fourteen of
the injured have since died at the san
| itiarium.
Superintendent I. n. Sweigard. of the
Philadelphia and Reading company,
| places the number of dead at thirty
seven and the injured about the same
number. He sent telegram to Phil
| adelphia this evening which said:
There were 81 persons killed as fol-
| lows; Twelve women; twenty-one
men; two boys and two girls. About
| the same number injured"
| Just where Mr.. Sweigard got his IN
| formation cannot be learned as it will
| be impossible to give the correct num-
| Der or even an approximate estimate
| of the dead until the debris is removed.
This will consume several hours. Work
is still progressing and the rescuers
will remain at work until the last body
| is taken from the wreckage.
Seventeen unidentified women, four
| men and female child, all dead, were
brought to the excursion house after
| midnight. Fireman Keller, of the Read
ing train, was fatally injured.
Tt is said that the red signal was
| displayed and that the whistle of the
train was sounded. The excursion
train bore five tribes of the Order of
| Red Men, the Bridgeton, the Niagara
| the Iowa, the Ahwanetah and the
Gohansick, with their wives and chill
dren
The ringing Of the fire bells gave
| the Atlantic City public the first init
nation they received Of the disaster
The utmost excitement prevailed. The
broad walk was deserted and the
crowds that surged about the two
railroad stations rendered the streets
in those sections almost impossible.
Mrs. Edward Farr, wife of the Reading
engineer who was killed, when in
formed of her husbands death threw
up her hands with a frantic Shrek and
fell dead at the feet of her informant.
GREAT EXCITEMENT PREVAILS.
Bridgeton, N. J., July 30.-The wild
est excitement prevailed here when
the news of the accident to the Bridge
ton excursion train was received. It
is estimated there were five hundred
persons on the train from this city
and the surrounding country, and the
uncertainty as to who escaped death
or injury made the excitement general.
PHILADELPHIA SENDS AID.
Philadelphia, Pa, July 3O.-The fer
ries of both the Pennsylvania and Read
ing railroads were thronged ak night
long 10y crowds Of anxious friends and
relatives of those on board of both the
wrecked trains. The only intelligence
obtainable was the dispatch from Gen
eral Manager Sweigard. The city au-
thorities, as soon as the news reached
them, rendered their emergency corps
of physicians to the railroads. Their
services were not required, however.
nearly all Of the hospitals sending
large supplies of bandages, linaments,
splints, etc, which left on a late re-
lief train.
TWO MEN FATALLY BURNED.