Evening star., 1896-07-31
GRAPHIC STORIES TOLD.
Experiences Related by Those Who
Aided the SUFFERING

Aided the Suffering.
PHILADELPHIA. July 31-Dr. Charles
A Smith of Harrisburg, who was near by
when the awful railroad accident occurred
outside of Atlantic City. passed through
Philadelphia on his way home this morn
ing He tells graphic story of scenes he
witnessed
1t was an awful sight, said DR.. Smith.
'Oniy four or five bodies had been taken
from the wreck when / arrived there. The
Reading express had struck the excur-
sion train on the PEI nsyivania, cutting it
clear IN two The Reading engine struck
the second passenger coach of the exc.Ir-
sion train with a terrific force impossible
70 imagine The coach was smashed into
bits There was nothing left of it except a
tanSIe OF spAnters, mixed Up with which
were the nlanSied and torn bodies of men
women and children Death had come in
Simultaneous, as from lightning stroke, to
most OF them There was Semblance of
a railroad car in this heap of kindling
wood. The third coach had not received
the full impact of the blow, but it was
ripped up badly and lay overturned with
one side torn off.
the engine and baggage car of the ex-
oursion train stood on the rails unharmed
as did the cars at the other end of the
train The train had been cut in two and
in the only luckless car which opposed the
great Reading engine rushing on at nearly
mile minute there was scarcely one pas
Senger who was not killed or severely in
jured- I the remains of the Reading
engine III heap of scrap iron and rub
bish piled up with the smashed car. The
engine was crushed so completely that it
looked simply scrap heap. l could not
see whether the engineer and fireman were
killed. but they could not have escaped.
The WreCka9e caught fire from the ruins
of the engine and d fire engine from At
ldnttc City was brought out. The flames
Were soon suhdued. and although / could
n rhl xy;nt inns bod
been burned to death. 1 saw one little boy
laid out on the bank. his clothes burned
quite off. but he might have been dead be-
fore the flames reached him.
The Pullman car on the rear of the
Reading express did not leave the track
with the cars in front of it, and the in
mates suffered little harm beyond bruises
cuts 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 to their
senses. The physicians who had been sum-
moned from Atlantic City, and brought by
special train over the Pennsylvania road
came in thick and fast. / assisted them in
temporarily dressing wounds in the field
but it seemed as if almost every victim
pulled from the wreck had been killed al
the instant of the collision. 1 saw the
bodies of five children lying side by side
on the grass. as they had been lifted out.
The sights all about me were heart
breaking and horrible. Mothers were look
ing for children and husbands for wives,
and the air was filled with groans and
cries. / was asked to go to the hospital
at Atlantic City. where the injured were
brought and put in bed. As soon as /
found that there were enough physicians
In attendance L completed my interrupted
trip home.
Red Light Was Up.
John Peters of this city. who was on the
West Jersey train. and who jumped when
he saw the collision was inevitable arrived
here this morning. Said he:
Ihe trains were crossing the meadows
al terrific rate, and 1t seemed to me as
If one was racing to catch the switch be-
fore the other. So far as / could see, the
red light in the signal tower was up block
ing the Reading train and giving the right
of way TO the Pennsylvania.
Neither tram stopped. and then the
Reading train ploughed it's way through
the center of the other The escaping
steam covered the wrecked trains for .
few minutes. and when 1t lifted 1 could
see the broken cars and the dead and in
jured.
II saw the rescuers lift out bodies scald
ed from the trunk upward and others with
the heads crushed to a pulp. hanging at the
side. Several men were taken from the
wreck. and before they could be placed I'm
a comfortable position they died. The de-
Tand for vehicles was great that in
many instances wagons were hauled to the
wreck by men and the bodies taken away
In this manner.
I'm the Hospital.
Philadelphia physician. who arrived
from Atlantic City today. told an Interest,"
ing story of the scenes at the hospital after
the injured were brought there He said
that he assisted in caring for thirty-five
people.
Soon after the accident, a. least fifty doc
tors who were sojournirg at Atlantic CITY.
hrrr tn1
caring for the injured. Many of those
taken to the Atlantic City hospital were in
a dying condition. and some of them sur
yived only few minutes.
Among the interesting stories told CT the
scenes Immediately after the accident by
The passengers who arrived In Philadelphia
was one descriptive OF the manner in which
the injured were taken to the hospital
Near the scene Of the horror were a number
Of wagons Of every description.
Willing hands wheeled fhns., I'M 70 fha