Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-08-05
many of whom were in the agonics Of


Excursion Trains to the Wreck.
From early morning excursion parties
from this city were travelling to the
scene of the wreck and conveyances
were almost at a premium. The larger
number of these eXcursioniStS were wom-
en-, who seemed to revel in the horror of
the situation and were disappointed at
not being able to witness removal of
some of the mangled corpses.
The dead have all been removed from
the various hospitals and undertaking
shops to the old excursion house-Once
the scene of feStivity and frolic, now a
mOrgue. There the corpses were ranged
side by side upon the floor and the place
guarded by a corps of police. Coroner
Mclaughlin will empanel a jury this
afternoon and inquire into the cause of
the accident. The arrest of William
Thurston, the telegraph operator at the
signal tower, confirms the theory that a
mistake in the display of signals was
the first cause of the disaster. This is
purely ronjectural however, as the ar
rest may have been in the way of for
mality.
The first car on the Reading train and
the second on the West Jersey were up
set. but the third car on the latter
caught the full force of the impact and
was literally cut in half and each shiv-
cred to splinters. When it is remem-
was damned with human freight the
horror of the situation can be realized.
The sight of the searchers for the dead
working among the wreckage was most
terrible one in the Pickering light of the
huge bonfres which spouted sheets of
yellow flames into the night. The gang
of men went crawling over the debris,
hacking at the cars with axes, straining
to raise heavy timberS with crowbars
and peer by the light of their lanterns
into the heap of wreckage. A great
part of their work had to be carried on
in the midst of miry grounds and often
as they labored they slipped from a wet
board and fell into the foul mud of the
meadow land.
A woman whose husband had been
killed in the accident was standing dazed
and wild-eyed in the light of one Of the
big fires with her little child clinging
weeping to her hand.
Mother. mother" sobbed the little
one. where's father?"
He's dead. dead. dead answered the
woman slowly; ooh, God, he's dead"
she gasped and sank to the ground in a
Swoon.
For stretchers to carry the dead and
injured car doors were ripped off and
car seats arranged in twos and by some
means fastened together. After relief
trains were filled the patrol wagon was
pressed into service and wagons were re-
lieved of their freight and used as am
balances.
Robbing the Dead.
The crowd at the scene of the accident
by this time had grown in size from
hundreds to thousands, and, nothwith
standing this large number, it might be
said there was good order. The people
seemed to realize the rescuers needed
room. and once 4 man. woman or child
was seen being carried to the ambulance,
an instant right of way was given, and
the neutrality-suspicious. individual for
some reason was absent There were
quite number who fingered by the
wreckage all night rendering their serv
ices and anxious TO be of help. The
only regrettable thing about it all was
the fact that the officers had to keep
close watch for thieves who were at
tempting to rob the dead.
Dangerous Crossing.
Philadelphia. Pa. July 31.-The cross
ing where last nights accident occurred
has long been bugaboo to travellers be-
tween this city and Atlantic City. 1t is
located about two and One-half miles
from the Atlantic City terminal of the
two rival railroads and a block tower oc-
cupied by an operator IS placed as close
to the crossing as safety Will permit. This
tower is occupied by an operator, who is
charged with the duty of seeing that the
train having the right of way crosses
first and that the other train is tagged.
T.are is a difference of opinion as to
which of the Inflated trains had the
right of way last night. but Telegraph
Operator William Thurston and Switch
Tender Houser are in the Atlantic City
Jail now and will remain there until All
otncial investigation definitely places the
responsibility.
The competition between the West .Jer-
Sey and Reading railroads for Atlantic
City business is very keen and both roads
run flyers" which average nearly mile
a minute between Camden and Atlantic
City There are frequent races across
this stretch of open country few miles
outside of Atlantic City known as The
Meadows" and bassentgefS on the rival
trains who are not timid regard the race
on the home stretch as one of the eX-
hilaratiOns of the trip to the seashore,
The timid ones, however, are always ap-
prehensive that something will happen as
dangerous grade crossing is approached.
Last night the long looked for accident
occurred with awful results. railroad
man who came to this city from Atlantic
City today is reported to have said that
the Reading train which ran into the
Bridgeton excursion train was racing
across the Meadows with a train OH the
Camden 4 Atlantic road which had left
Philadelphia at about the same time
Railroad officials, however, deny that
there was race.