Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1896-08-07
INSTANT DEATH.
Fifty EycursiOniStS Killed Near
Atlantic City.
ABOUT A HUNDRED INJURED


Where the TWO Roads Cross at
Grade About Four Miles Out From
the Famous Seaside Resort
HeartrendIng Scenes.
The most awful disaster in the history OF
Atlantic City, N. j., occurred Thursday
evening just outside the city limits, when a
hundred persons we're mangled In railroad
collision, half OF whom are believed to Do
dead
The Reading Railroad express which left
Philadelphia at $40 o'clock for Atlantic City
crashed into Pennsylvania excursion train
at the second signal tower, about four miles
out from Atlantic City. The Pennsylvania
train was returning to Bridgeton with
party OF excursionsts from that place, Mill
vile and neighboring towns. 1t was loaded
with passengers
At the second signal tower the tracks OF
the two roads cross diagona'ly. The Reading
train was given the signal but it either failed
to work or the speed Of the express train
was TOO great to be checked in time. 1t
caught the excursion train broadside and
ploughed through, literally cleavlng it in
twain. The engine of the Reading train was
shattered to pieces. Every car was jammed
to its fullest capacity.
As soon as the news reached Atlantic City
the utmost CONSERVATION prevailed, but the
authorities were equal to the emergency.
Relief trains were dispatched to the scene
loaded with physici ms and cots. AS quick
as the bodies were recovered they were car
ried into the local hospitals and undertak-
ers' shops. A general fire-alarm was sound
ed and the department promptly responded
and aided In the work of digging for the
victims.
Telegraph Operator Arrested.
William Thurlow, telegraph operator in
tho towor-house, was arrested and held
pending an inquiry.
The responsibility for the accident cannot
now be fixed.
1t is said that the Reading signal was dis
PLAYED and that the whistle of the train was
4
at the crossing.
Train Loads of Victims.
The first Reading relief train bore into
Jersey City tweDty-seven mangled corpses--
men women and children. The next train,
an hour later. carried fifteen OF the manned
and wounded, and two of these died soon
| a., oit Az off N
arrived from tho scene OF the wreck, the
sanitarium, which does duty as the city hos
pital. was soon crowded. Meanwhile others
of the dead and injured were being carried
to the private hospital at Ocean and Pacific
avenues.
Edward Farr engineer OF the Reading
! train. was killed outright, as was another
road man who rode on the engine with him.
This man. whose name has not yet been
learned. saw that the collision was inevitable
and leaped from the cab an instant before
the crash. Almost at the same instant the
engine cut its way through and caught him
directly in the path. His body and that o
Farr were found under heap OF debris, but
the engineer lay in what remained OF thu
cab and his right hand still clasped th'
throttle. He had been faithful unto death
and met it at his post. The fireman on th'
train had leaped a few seconds before an(
escaped with trifing injuries.
Samue. Thorne, baggage master Oh The
| Reading train, is among the dead. Jane!
| Tril
known to be killed. He was In the third ca
and his hat was found lying among the mas
OF broken timbers. Richard Trenchard
Bridgeton machinist, and his wife are bot
dead.
Seventeen unidentified women, four mel
and female child, all dead, were taken t
the Excursion House. Fireman Kelley, o
the Reading train, was fatally injured.
The excursion train bore five tribes OF tn
Order of Red Men-the Bridgeton, the Mag
ara the Iowa, the Ahwanetah and the Co
hansick-with their wives and children.
The Work of Rescue.
The scene at the wreck was wildly pictur
esque. By the light Of the moon and fey
ntful lanterns the rescuers worked bravely
Axes and shovels were piled with the great
est vigor, and at almost every half-dozel
strokes mangled form was brought up an(
laid tenderly on waiting pallets. A heap o
bloodstained timbers turned aside by one
the rescuers brought to sight woman
arm. 1t had been wrenched oil and tn
hand was missing. 1t had been clad in
dainty white linen glove, the sleeve OF whic
still clung to 1t. Not five minutes later
, chance blow from pick revealed huma
heart that only few short hours before ha
been throbbing with life.
One woman whose body was recovere
= still held in her dead hand plate bearing
: picture of Atlantic City. 1t was unbro he
Scattered about the ground near the wrec
were many pieces of clothing, which ma
Il been torn from the bodies Of the victim
i hats, dainty parasols, fans and gloves.
Just as one OF the relief trains reached Il
: PENNSYLVANIA depot Gith its terrible lof
one man who lay in a corner horribly Il
jured, regained bis senses for a moment. an
, claspng his hand to his read, cried in hear
rending agony: "Who did mis- Where a
nv wife and children 2"
o., Mr.. Sweigard's Report.
A late report says that fourteen OF the
iured have since died at the sanitarium.
Superintendent 1. N. Sweigard, OF Il
PHILADELPHIA and Reading Railroad Col
II nanv nlaces the number OF dead at thirt