The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-08-04
MANY ARE KILLED
fRIGHTFUL RAILROAD ACCIDENT
OCCURS In NEW JERSEY.
An Excursion Train on the Penn
syIvania Road Is Crashed Into by
Reading Express Train at
Crossing of the Roads-A Hun
dred People Killed or Injured
Many of the Dead Unidentified


Atlantic City, N. j., Aug. IA rail
road accident, horrible in its details
and sickehing i'll it's results. occurred
last night Just outside of this city, and
as Il result about 100 persons are
either Killed or injured. L he Reading
railroad express from Philadelphia for
Atlantic City crashed into Pennsyl
Vania railroad excursion train at the
second signal tower, about four miles
out from hcre. The Penns ylvania
train was returning to Bridgeton with
party of eXcursionistS trou that
place, Millyille, and neghborilg towns
1t was loaded with passengers, and a
rough estimate of the oiled and in
Juled places the number at 100. 1t is
hoped that this is an eXaggefati)n, but
the number is undoubtedly more than
fifty.
AT the second signal tower the tracks
OF the Two roads diagonally cross The
Reading train was given the signal,
but it either failed to work or the
speed of the express was too great to
be checked in time. 1t caught the OK
cursion train broadside and ploughed
through. literally cleaying it in twain.
The engine of the Reading train vas
shattered to pieces. Every ear was
damned to its fullest capacity.
AS soon as the news of
The Terrible Disaster
reached Atlantic City the utmost con-
sternation prevailed but the authori-
ties were equal to the emergency Re
lief trains were despatched to the aw-
full scene, loaded with cots and bearing
STATS of surgeons. AS quick as the
bodies were recovered they were car
ried into the local hospital and under
takers shops. A general fire alarm
was sounded, and the department cry
promptly responded, aiding in he
heartrending work of digging for the
victims. Fear grew into despair end
horror as the vigorous work Of the re-
lief gangs revealed the awful ,4Xte 1T of
the disaster
The first Reading relief train bore
into this city p mangled corpses, Enen,
women and children. The next tain,
not an hour later. carried Is of the
MANNED and wounded.and two of hese
died soon after reaching the city. AS
train after train piled to the scene of
the wreck and came back with its
CHASTITY load, the city hospital quickly
found it's capicity OvertaXed. Mean
while others of the dead and injured
were being carried to the private hos
pital at Ocean and Pacific avenues.
An Awful Scene.
Staggering in and out of bitches and
stumbling over masses of broken tim
Der, with only few fitful lanterns to
help their straining eyes, the rescuing
gang set brayely to work. Axes and
shovels were piled with the greatest
vigor, and almost at every half-dozen
strokes mangled form was brought
up and laid tenderly on the waiting
pallets. 1t was a gigantic and sicken-
ing task, and the strongest of men
turned aside, faint from the revolution
OF the work of the spades. A leaD Lf
bl0cd-staiEed tintbers, turned aside by
6ne or the reScucls. brought to sight a
woman's arm. 1t had l,een wranched
off almost by the roots, and nothing re-
manned but a dripping stump. Even
the hand was gone. 1t had been clad
in a dainty white sleeve. part of which
still chung to it. Not five minutes later
a chance blow from pick revealed a
still more CHASTITY remnant-a human
heart that only a few short hours be-
fore had been th4obbing with life and
love. One woman whose body was re-
covered still held in her hand plate
bearing a picture of Atlantic City. 1t
was unbroken. Scattered about the
ground near the wreck were many
pieces of clothing which had been
torn from the bodies of the Wet: MS
hats, dainty parasols. fans and ,.ioyes.
The ringing OF the fire bells gave the
Atlantic City public the first intim2-
ton they received of the disaster. The
utmost excitement prevailed. The
board walk was deserted and the
crowds that surged about tie two rail-
road stations rendered tie streets IN
those sections almost impossible. Mrs.
Edward Farr, wife of tue Reading en-
gineer who was killed. when Informed
of her husbands tragic fate. threw ND
ller hands with a frantic shriaq, md
fell dead at the feet Of her informant.