The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-31
Scores of People Slaughtered at
Atlantic City.
EXCURSION TRAIN CUT IN TWO.
A Reading Express Crashes Through
Crowded Pennsylvania Cars.
The Ruins Soaked With Blood Pieces
of Clothing and Herman Flesh Min
gied With the Debris-The Railroad
Estimates rhirty->even Killed and
as Many Wounded.

Just o1tsias aE thss city. and as a result
about loo persons are either killed or In
Jured. The Reading railroad express
whieh left Philadelphia az $40 o'clock
this evening for Atlantic city crashed into
a Pennsylvania railroad excursion train
at the second signal tower. about four
miles out from here. The Pennsylvania
train was returning 20 BTidgeton with A
party OF excarsgaaiSts fsom that place.
Millvilse and neigh0oring towns. 1t was
loaded with passengers. At the second
signal tower. the tracks Of the Two roads
dtagonally cross. The Reading train was
given the signal To stop, bat II either
failed to work or the speed Of the express
was too great 10 be checked in time. LII
caught the excursion train hroadslde and
plowed through. literally cleaving II In
twain. The engine of the Reading train
MAS shattered 10 pieces. Every car on
the excursion train was crowded 10 It's
fullest capacity.
As soon as the news reached Atlantic
CITY the utmost CONSERVATION prevailed.
but the authorities were equal 20 the
emergency. Relief trains were dispatched
to the scene. loaded with cots and bear
ing stafrs OF surgeons. As the bodies
were recovered they were carried into
the local hospitals and nndertakers'
Shope. A general FIRE alarm was sound
ed. and thu department promptly respond
ed and aided in the heartrendlng work
of diggIng for the victims Fear grew into
despair and horror as the vigorous work
OF the relief gangs revealed the awful ex-
tent of the disaster.
The first Reading relief train bore into
this city twenty-seyen mangied corpses,
men. women and children. The next
train rot 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 10 the scene OF
the wreck and came hack with It's CHASTITY
burden the sanitsrlum which does duty
as the city hospital quickly found its
capacity overtaxed. Meanwhile other OF
thu dead ana injured were bcIng carried
to the private hospitals a. Ocean and
Pacific avenues.
Edward F'arr. engineer on the Reading
train, was killed outright, as was an
other railroad man who rode on the en-
gine with him. This man. whose name
has not yet been learned. saw the coils
lon coming. and ieaped from the cab an
Instant before the crash came. Almost at
the same instant the engine cut its way
through and caught him directly In Its
pa1h. The body and that OF Farr we're
found under a heap Of debris, but tho
engineer lay in what remained or the cab,
and his right hand stin ciasped the throt-
tie. He had been faithful unto death, and
met Ii at his post. The fireman on that
train had ieaped a few seconds before.
and escaped with trtfing injuries. Sam
uel Thornton. baggage master on the
Reading train. Is among the dead. James
NJ Baseman. a Brtdgeion undertaken. Is
known to be killed. lie was in the third
car and his hat was found lying among
the mass OF broken timber. Richard
Trenchard, Bridgeton nlachinist. and his
wife are both dead. Conductor Kelly, OF
t.s.th arms
and legs broken and was Internally in-
jured. Albert ]. Mosebaeh. of No. II
North Eighth street, Philadelphia, was on
tho Reading train. He escaped unhurt
The excursion train was made up or
fifteen cars. the foremost OF which was
a baggage car. This and the next two
coaches caught The full force OF the crash
and were utterly demolished. what re-
tnaIned OF tho third car WAS tumbled into
a ditch at the roadside. The responsibility
for the accident cannot be fixed. William
Thuriow, telegraph operator In the tower
house. was arrested late tonight and held
pending an inquiry.
Charles q. RynIck. OF Bridgeton, Who
was on the excursion train. was In ono Of
the rear cars. lie escaped Win HcseF&
bruises. and, so far as his agitafton
would permit. told the story Of his expe-
rierlee: "when we saw that collision
was unavoidable" flc said 'ahe scene IN
our car was terrible. Women tainted ard
men rushed in mad panic for The door.
Tat Il came almost before We knew u.
The third car was cut right IN two, and
gfe lower portion Of II lifted bodily from
the track and tumblcd over. Every ear
was crowded. and II IL horrible 10 think
Of he number who must be lying under
tfioen ruins The roof Of one q the cars
fe1l in. and everybody IN that ear was
buried under K. Il simply dropped IN on
the peapsc I know many Of tsoge aboard,
f,slt I viii hope for the best ] know posi-
tfvely Of two in our car who we're kH'ed.
Tpey were M and Mrs. Frank Beli. of
Rr5dgeton. Their daughter was IN an
other car further back ard was not hurt.
[ do not know who is 70 blame. When
we we're about two miles from Atlantic
City We came 20 stop oat IN the mead
osvss and stayed there for several minutes.
but ! DO not know why. The only person
with me was my s-year-9id boy. ana ne
was not hurt. thank God.
An Associated Press reporter was on
ono of the FIRST relief trains sent out hy
the Pennsylvania railroad. and he ~as
the first newspaper reporter on the scene
The train WAS in charge af number 81
railroad officials and Prosecutor Perry.
~ Atlantts, county III drew 20 ln me
The scene was wildly picturesque. esino-
pied hy a stariit sky. and red moon
almost At the full shining IN the FAR
background and the brilliant maze ~ IRE
lights eiimmeriuE from the city beyond.
Staggering in and out ef dltches ard
stumbling oFer massss of bFoken time
her with only few Ntfui lanterns %
help their strainlng eyes the reseae f.8nF
set brc vety ai work. Axes AMI siiOYeis
were piled with tha greatest vsR9r. Gnd
almost at every ha}f-dozoD strokes
rsanEled form was brought up AMI leA
4erHefIy on The waiting pallets. it waE
a gigantic and aiekeninn task. auf 'fe
81 yag3cs.t men fHrnrd aside fasnt from
a revelation of the work ~ tho grades.
ha4p of bIuodsta3nef tirnhers f'srne1
aside ~ one Of the rvHcurTs brought
"a sight q wGsuAu's arm. 10 haa h@@r
vereuehaa oT almost rs tbr roofs ard
nothing remained hut dripping stump.
pxen the hand Was gone II had been
rYa9 IN q dainty white fnsn glove, the
slaeve ~ which atgu ciung 70 ~ %ot
ave minutes Iater chance bio~ frem
= rslek revealed sfll more waa8ssy refn-
rant 4 human heart t6at unly "a few
shfvt hours before BAD issn fha9bhing
with life ard iove one wernaa hse
eg.4y1 vam recovered FtilI nel1 fn Ter
aaaa hand q plate hearing g faskaTs II
Asiartfe Clty. II Vas un5T0k ~. se8t-
feref about together near tae wreck
vea~e many pieces % clothing whle7 ns1
tsss, tsYn from the bodies Of tas yietsfps.
hats. dainty psrasoIs fans As4 aiogts.
ysses a. ore OF svs relief trains reached
~ Pennsylvania Depot Win sas ferrtsie
foas oxss nan, wso lay - corner n
sslrest. regasnes ~ aenses FOR u8oaBsa'.
and. easpng his hand 70 haA seas. cried
n tezYt-reatshx agony, no aid thssE
ny eoa. where are my Sas aaa chai-
dren9'
a .Ass Ts2os, ssss shas foar.ssa OF TIA