Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-08-13
ELECTRIC
RAILWAY
DISASTER
Seven Persons Killed and Fifty
Injured Sunday Night on
a Trolley Line Near
Lancaster.
A CAR BEYOND CONTROL
Descended Steep Grade at the Rate
Of a Mile a Minute.
THEN STRUCK A TREE AND UPSET
The Wounded Pleading for
Death.
A CAR BEYOND CONTROL
Descended a Steep Grade at the Rate
Of a Mile a Minute.
THEN STRUCK A TREE AND UPSET
The Wounded Pleading for
Death.

Lancaster, Pa Aug. 10. "A runaway
trolley car on the Columbia ~ Donegal
railway, last night, killed seven per-
SONS and injured 30 more.
The CTR was returning from Chickies
Park to Columbia and the brake ri1-
cling broke while tho car was descend.
ing q steep grade. There were about
90 passengers aboard and they became
panie-stricKen when they saw the car
was beyond control. The hill Is long
one and every minute the runaway car
gathered additional speed, until. it 10
estimated by those on board, it was
running fully mile minute. Then
it struck sharp curve and left the
track. IL ran across the turnpike
which runs parallel with the trolley
road and struck against a tree and then
toppled over into q deep ditch, being
turned upside down.
Those who escaped Injury or were
only slightly wounded crawled from the
wreckage covered with the blood OF
their more unfortunate fellow-p assen.
gers and at once began the work OF
rescue The sbrieks of the wounded
and the pleadings OF come Of the more
seriously injured to he killed, to put
them out OF their misery, were most
pitiable. To I'D TO the horror OF the
situation there was no light OF any kind
until some time after tue wreck.
The first body taken out was that OF
Henry Smith, an iron worker OF Co.
lumbia, who had been instantly killed
by piece Of wood piercing bis head
Adam Foehlinger, the motorman, was
found under the car, having been
crushed to death, and near by him was
William Pinkerton, a Columbia boy,
who had met similar fate.
Chief Burgess II. Fl. Heise OF 90.
lumbia, who had beeu riding on the
rear platform, jumped a few minutes
before the car left the track and his
lifeless body was found about quarter
of mile away, hia neck having been
broken.
William Metzger OF Columbia had
both legs crushed SO badly that they
had to he amputated. He died few
hours later.
W. J. Ludlow OF Sea Girt, N. j.,
manager OF the Atlantic Fish Co., was
80 badly injured that he died shortly
after being removed to the Columbia
hospital.
Miss Elsie N. Fitzgerald OF Ian.
caster had the left side Of her head
crushed. She died at 6 o'clock this
morning.
Those most seriously injured are as
follows: Mary and Alice Bradley,
Philadelphia, cut and bruised about
body; John Carlson, Columbia, log
broken; Samuel Wike, Columbia, ribs
broken and badly cut; John II. Trag,
resser, Lancaster, shoulder crushed
and cut about body; William Staulfer,
Lancaster, cut on head /; Maggie Conley,
Columbia, shoulder dislocated, cut on
head and arm broken; Mrs. Mary
'Stauffer, Lancaster, head and body
injured; Benjamin Wolfe, Columbia,
leg, wrist and ribs broken; Charlie:
Rinehart, Columbia, arm and hiI
injured; Mrs. George Rinehart, Col,
umbia, shoulders and back iammed
Susan Shall, cambridge. arm, head
and face cut; Jennie List, Columbia,
head and face cut and badly bruised
about the body ;rillie McKinzie, Ian
caster, arm broken; Orrick Richards,
Columbia, badly squeezed; Reese
Frank, Columbia, four ribs broken.
The injuries of the others consist
mainly of bruises and cuts and are
not Of serious nature. There were 9
number Of children on the car, sorns
on the front platform, but none o.
them were injured.