The San Francisco call., 1896-07-31
Special Excursion of the Red Men Cut Down
:.~ at a Crossing by an Express
r. Train.
Horrors of the Wreck Increased by the Burstn g
of Boiler, Scalding Several to Death
and Scattering Boiling Spray
Over the Injured

:: ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., July 3o.-A
terrible railroad cat rophe took place on
the Meadows, about two miles out of this
city, shortly after $50 P: NJ, resulting in
the death of forty-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 Rail-
+. road, bearing special excursion 'of Red
Men and their friends of Bridgeton, n. j.,
and Salem. and had reached the crossing
: of the Reading Railroad when it was
struck by the $40 down express from
Philadelphia. demolishing two cars and
telescoping the two following.
The engine OF the Reading train became
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 killed or in
iured.
=. The list of the identified dead is:
Mr.. AND MRS. TRENcHARD, Bridgeton.
EDWARD FARR, engineer of the Reading
train, Atlantic City.
SAMUEL THORN, baRgageman, Atlantic
CITY.
P. S. MuRPHY, MiIlviiie, N. J.
J. d. JoHEsroN.
D.. 8oNoNGHAs, Bridgeton.
6. 3. TAYLOR.
Il: Mr.. AND MRS. P. II. GOLDSMITH, Bridge
ton.
SAMUEL SMITH, Atlantic City.
=: D. E. WooD, Philadelphia.
JOHN GREINER, Bridgeton.
: CHARLES AoKLER Salem.
=. CHARLES McGAR, Bridgeton.
FRANKLIN DUBOIS, Woodruff, N. J.
=. Mrs, J. EARNEST, Bridgeton.
THE responsibility of the collision has
not yet been placed, but William Thurlow,
the operator at the block-tower situated
at the crossing, has been placed under
arrest by order OF the Coroner.
=. Leaving this city the tracks of the West
;. Jersey road run parallel to those of the
Camden and Atlantic until after they
cross the drawbridge, when they switch
off to- the south, crossing the Reading at
:. an obtuse angle.
; John Greniers the engineer Of the West
Jersey train, saw the Reading train ap-
preaching theocrossing at a swift speed,
:: but as the Signals were. open for him
. ito proceed on his way he cont inued. His
engine had barely cleared the track of the
Reading when thee locomotive OF the lat
:ter train, which left Pm Iladelphia at 40
p. NJ. struckothe first car full in the center.
throwing it far off the track into a ditch
near by, in which it was completely sub.
merged.
. The second car of the West Jersey train
, was also carried into theoditch, the third
and fourth being telescoped. The engine
I: of the Reading train was thrown to the
other side Of the track, carrying with il
the first coach.
e. A few minutes after the collision. to add
to the horror of the situation, the boiler
of the Reading locomotive exploded.
scalding several TO death and casting its
boiling spray over many of the injured
passengers. as soon as the news reached
this city it spread broadcast and thous-
ands of people aocked to the scene. IS
The road leading to the place of the col
lision was constant procession of hacks.
buses and bicycles and all kinds of vehi-
cles, while thousands of pedestrians hur-
ried along the path to render what assist
oance they could or to satisfy their Curl
osity.
. Darkness quickly fell. and the work of
rescuing the injured and recovering the
dead bodies was carried out under the
lurid glare OF huge bon6res.
1t was gruesome sight presented to on
lockers as the mangled and burnt forms of
the dead were carried from the wreckage
which bound them and laid side by side
on the gravel bank near the track with no
other pail than the few old newspapers
gathered from the passengers.
The wounded were quickly gathered to-
gether 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 Missis-
sippi avenue was converted into morgue,
and thither the dead were taken.
At late hour this evening there were
twenty-nine bodies laid out there, few
oil which had been identified.
This city was terribly excited over the
accident. The streets in the vicinity of