The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-07-31
An Express Train Struck it
Broadsida and Ploughed
Through It.
BoT4 OF THEM WERE CROWDED
Rsscuers Now Taking Bodies
From the Wreckage.
FORTY DEAD BODIES RECOVERED
Responsibility For the Accident Cannot
Now be Fixed or the Exact
Number of Victims
RsCertainad.
Ascertainsd.

Atlantic City, n. j., July 30.-A rail
road accident horrible in its details and
siel<ening in its results occurred this
evening just outside of this city and
as a result about 100 persons are eth
er killed or injured.
The Reading railroad express, which
left Philadelphia at $40 o'clock this
evening for Atlantic City, crashed into
a Pennsylvania railroad excursion
train at the second signal tower, abou6
four miles out from here.
The Pennsylvania train was return
ing to Bridgeton with party of ex-
cursionists from that place, Millville,
and neighboring towns. 1t was loaded
with passengers and a rough estimate
of the killed and injured at late hour
places the number at one hundred.
1t is hoped that is an exaggera ton,
but the number is undoubtedly more
than so.
At the second signal tower. the
tracks of the two roads diagonally
cross. The Reading train was gwen
the signal, but it either failed to work
or the speed of the express was too
great to stop. 1t caught the excursion
train broadside and ploughed through,
literally cleaving it in twain. The en-
gine of the Reading train was shat
tered to pieces. Every car was jamm-
ed to it's fullest capacity.
AS soon as the news reached Allan
tic City, the utmost CONSERVATION pre-
vailed, but the authorities were equal
to the emergency. Relief trains were
despatched to the scene loaded with
cots and several surgeons. AS quick
as the bodies were recovered they were
carried into the local hospitals and un-
dertaker. shops. A general fire alarm
was sounded and the department
promptly responded and aided in the
heartrending work of digging for the
victims. Fear grew into despair and
horror as the vigorous work of the re-
lief gangs revealed the awful extent
of the disaster.
The first Reading relief train bore
into this city twenty-seven EIangled
corpses, men, women and children.
The next tran, not an hour later, car
ried fifty manned and wounded, and
two of these died soOn after reaching
the city.
Train after train piled to the scene
of the wreck and toiled back with
| its CHASTITY load. The sanitarium,
which does duty as the city hospital,
quickly found its capacity over-taxed
Meanwhile others of the dead and in
juTed were being carried 10 the private
hospital at Ocean and Pacific avenues.
Edward Farr, engineer of the Read
ing train, was killed outright, as was
another roadman who rode on the en-
gine with him. This man, whose name
has not yet been learned, saw the col
lision coming and leaped from the cab
an instant before the crash. Almost
at the same instant the engine cut
its way through and caught him di-
rectly in its path. His body and that
of Farr were found under a heap of
debris, but the engineer lay in what
remained of the cab and his right
hand still clasped the throttle. He
had been faithful unto death and met
it at his post
The fireman on the train had lAaped
a few seconds before and escaped with
trifiing injuries.
Samuel Thorn, baggage master On
the Reading train, is among the dead.
JAS. Nj. Bateman, a Bridgeton under
taker, is known to be killed. He was
in the third car and his hat was found
lying among the mass of broken tim
bers. Richard Trenchard, Bridgeton
machinist, and bis wife4are both dead.
As time progressed. N11eems almost a
certainty thats-sskE persons were
killed
Conductor Kelly, OF the Pennsylvania
train, had both legs and arms broken
and was internally injured. Albert J.
Mosebach, Of Philadelphia. was on the
Reading train and escaped unhurt.
The excursion train was made up OF
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 easily demolished
What remained of the third car was
tumbled into the ditch at the roadside.
The responsibility for the accident
cannot now be fixed. Charles n. Ry-
nick, of Bridgeton, who was in the ex-
cursion party was in one of the rear
ears. He escaped with severe bruises
and so far as his agitation would per-
NIT, told the story of his experience
"When we saw that a collision was un-
avoidable," he said, 'the scene in our
car was terrific. Women tainted and
men rushed in mad panic for the door.
But it came almost before we knew it.