Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-07-31

ATLANTIC Cry, y. J., July 3l.-A rail-
road accident horrible in its details and
sicLcning In its rcsilts occurred last even
ing just outside of this city. and rs re-
suit about loo persons are either killed or
Injured. Tho Reading railroad express
train, whish left Philadelphia ut $40
o'clock last evening for Atlantic City,
crashed into Pennsylvania railroad cx-
cursion train mt the second signal tower,
about four miles out from here. The
Pennsylvania train was returning To
1Bridg,Ctpn with party of cxcursionists
from that place, Iillyillc and ncighbor-
ing towns. II was loaded with passengers
and u rough estimate oi the killed and
injured Mt u late hour places the number
at iUn. IL is hopcd that this is an cynggc-
ration. but the number IL undoubtedly
moro than fifty.
prove Right Through the Excursion.
At the second signal tower the tracks os
the two roads diagonally cross. Tho IL ati-
inc train was given the signal, but IL either
failed 60 work or the speed Of the express
was too great to bc checked in time 1t
caught the excursion train bruadsidr and
ploughcd through. literally clcnving II in
twain. The engine Of the Reading train
was shattered to pieces. Every EAR was
iammcd to its fullest capacity. As soon
as the news reached Atlantic city the ut
nost CONSERVATION prevailed. Relief
trains were dispatched to the scene loaded
with cots and bcurinr stats of surgeons
~ quick ~ the bodies were recovered they
were carried into ths local hospitals and
undcrtakcrs' shops. a general fire alarm
was souudcl and the department prompt
ly responded and aided in the hcart-rcnd-
inp work uf digging for tho victims.
Twcnty-scysn Dead on One Train.
fcnr grew into despair and horroras the
vigorous work of the relief gangs revealed
the awful extent Of the disaster. The first
Reading relief train bore into this city
twcnty seven manglcd corpscs men,
women and children. The next train, no,
an hour later carried fifteen of the manned
and wounded. and two Of these died soon
after reaching the city. As train after
train piled to tho scene Of the wreck and
came back each with its ghastly load. the
sanitsrium which docs duty as the city
hospital quickly found its capacity over.
taxed. Meanwhile others Of the dead and
hospital ut Ocean and Pacific avenues
Edward tarr. engineer on the Reading
trlln. was killci outright, as was another
rnad ran who rode on the engine will
him.
Caught and Killed - lie Jumped.
This man whose namo has not vet beer
lcu.nrd sa- the collision coming an,
loapcd from the cab an instant before tn
crash. Almost ut the same instant tn
engine cut its way through and caugh
him directly in It's path. His body aud tn,
oi Farr were found under heap Of dcbri.
but the engineer lay in what remained q
the cab aud his right hand still clapsc
the throttle. He had been faithful unit
death. and met IL at his post. The urcma
ON the train had lelrCl a few seconds h
fore aud escaped with irilling injuries il
iurics. samuel Thornc. hargoScmastc
un the Reading train, Is among ! dca,
danes VI. Batcmar. n BTidgctoa undc
takcr Is known to b. killed.
Probably N Many ne Finy Dead.
lie WIS in the third car. and his \:
was found lying among the mass of br
ken timbcrs. Eicharu Ircnchard.
E-id-ct machiuist. and his wife arr bot
dead hs time progresses it sccms almo
a Bccrtainty that fully fifty persons we
killed. Conductor Kelly. OF the Pernsy
Vana train. had both legs and arms br
l.p aud ,-,. ipto-pa1Iv inftr.sI