The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-08-01


Reseuers-Raiiway EDpioyes In jail.
Philadelphia, July 31.-The awful rail-
road accident near Atlanta City last
night recalls similar horror in almost
the same place sixteen years ago. On
August II, 1880. the second section OF an
excursion on the West Jersey railroad.
returning from Atlanta City, crashed
into the first section at Mays Landing,
injuring thirty-two persons. OF whom
twenty-five died. The excursionists
were members OF the congregation Of
st. Anne's Roman Catholic church OF
this city
The first section. consisting or SIX
teen coaches. left Atlantic City at 6
o'clock in the evening. At Mays Land
ing. a few miles aSove the scene OF last
nights accident. is was run on the sid
ing 70 allow the passage of the Allan
tic City express from Philadelphia.
With the exception Of the last two, all
the coaches had safely passed the
switch when the engine OF the second
section crashed into the rear car. At
the moment of the collision the cylinder
heads of the locomotive were blown out
and the escaping steam scaided nearly
every passenger in the car
ENGINE MEN FLED.
1t was raining at the time and the en-
gineer Of the second engine after ascrib-
ed the accident to the wet rails and the
fact that he was for the first time using
an automatic brake in place Of the
Westing house air brake that he had
been accustomed to. Before the coils
ion occurred the engineer and his fire
man leaped from the engine and fed,
and it was well for them that they did,
for searching parties were at once form
ed, even in the presence OF dire disaster
and suffering and several hundred men
armed with knives, revolvers and ropes
started IN pursuit.
Several years ago two freight trains
colEided at the scene of last nights ac-
cident. The wreck was something aw-
full. but fortunately there was no loss
of life
The Reading railroad train which col
ided with the Brighton excursion last
night was the regular $40 express. one
of the fastest trains on the Reading
system and classified among the flyers.
AS it drew out Of the station at
Kaighn's Point ferry, Camden, its
Goa cheS were comfortably filed
The tracks Were torn badly by the ac-
cdent and IL was nearly l O'Clock this
before an attempt was made to
run a. train over the Reading tracks in
to Atlantic City.
THE WRECK DESCRIBED.
DR.. Charles A. Smith of Harrisburg,
-
road accident occurred outside of At
lantic City, passed though Philadelphia
on his way home this morning. He tells
a graphic story of scenes he witnessed.
1T was an awful sight" said Dr.
Smith. only four or five bodies had
been taken from the wreck when I ar
struck the excursion train on the
cutting it clean in two
The Reading engine struck the second
passenger coach Of the excursion train
with a, terrific force impossible TO i'm
agine. The coach was smashed into
bits, there was nothing left OF il ex-
cept a tangle of splinters mixed I'D with
the mangled and torn bodies of men,
women and children. Death had come
as instantaneously as from a tightening
stroke to most OF them. There was no
semhlance of a railroad car in this heap
Of kindling wood. The third coach had
not received the full impetus Of the
blow. but il was ripped up badly and
lay overturned with one side torn off.
FIRE IN THE RUINS.
THE engine and baggage car OF the
excursion train stood on the rails IN
harmed, as did the cars at the other
end OF the train. The train had been
cut in two and in the luckless car
which opposed the great Reading en-
CINE. rushing on at nearly a mile a
minute. scarcely one passenger was not
killed or severely injured. saw the re-
mains Of The Reading engine in g. heap
OF scrap iron and rubbish piled UP with
the smashed car. The engine was crush
ed so completely that it was simply a
scrap heap. l could not see whether I'll
engineer and fireman were killed, but
they could not have escaped. The
wreckage ca ught fire from the ruins OF
the engine, and a fire engine from At
lantic City was brought out The
flames Were soon subdued, although 1
could not tell whether any OF the vic
tins had been burned TO death. 1 saw
one little boy laid out on the bank with
his clothes burned quite off him. but he
might have been dead before the flames
reached him.
NOT MANY NEEDED HELP
THE Pullman car on the rear OF the
express did not gave the track
with the cars in front OF il. and the in
mates suffered little harm beyond cuts.
bruises and sprains. Those who had
been spared on both trains stood about
dazed and helpless until the screams
Of the wounded and dying brought them
20 their senses. The physicians who
had been summoned from Atlantic City
and brought by a special train over the
Pennsylvania road. came in thick and
fast. I assisted them in temporarily
dressing thu wounds IN the fed. but -
seemed as II almost every victim pull
ed from the wreck had been killed at
the instant OF the collision 1 saw the
bodies OF FIVE children lying side by
SIDE on the grass as they had been Ett-
ed out.
The sights ail about me were heart
breaking and horrible Mothers were
looking for children. and husbands for
wives. and the air was filed with
gpoans and cries was asked 20 so 20
tire hospital at Atlantic City where the
injured were brought in and put n bed
As soon as found that there were
enough physicians in attendance COM
pIeted my interrupted rip home
LOOKED LIKE A RACE
John Peters OF this city, VINO was on
the West Jersey train. and who jump
ed when he saw the collision was in
eSi53b.s- arrived here this morning.
SAID he The trains were crossing the
meadows az a terrific rate and il seem
Ell - me as Il one was racing 20 catch
the switch before the other. 50 far as
could see The rcd light in the signal
tower was W. blocking the Reading
train and giving the right Of way 10 the