Birmingham state herald., 1896-07-31
KILLING FORIY-TWO PEOPLE
And Manning Eighty More, Many of Whom
 Cannot Live.
THE BOILER OF THE ENGINE ExPLoDEs
Scattering the Blistering Steam Over the Wounded and Dying-Wife of the Engineer Drops Dead When She
 Learns Ills Fate The List.

Atlantic City, July BOA terrible rail- road catastrophe took place on the Mead ows, about two miles out of this city, shortly after 6:SO o'clock this afternoon, resulting in the deaths of forty-two peo- pie, so far as now can be learned and the wounding of eighty others. A train left here consisting of seven cars over the West Jersey railroad, bearing a special excursion of Red Men and their friends of Bridgeton, N. J., and Salem, and had reached the crossing of the Reading rail- road when it was struck by the $40 down express from Philadelphia, demoishing two cars and telsscoplng the two follow ing The engine of the Reading train be- came a total wreck, killing the engineer and fatally injuring the fireman, and the car behind 1t also was thrown from the track and many of its occupants killed or injured.
 The responsibility the collision has not yet been placed, but William Thur low, the operator at the block tower sit uated at the crossing, has been placed un- der arrest by order of the coroner
 Leaving this city the tracks of the West Jersey road run parallel to those of the Camden and Atlantic until after they cross the drawbridge, when they switch off to the south, crossing the Reading road at an obtuse angle.
 JOnn 6FelHeT, lHe eng lHGeT Ol lHc w tSl Jersey train, saw the Reading train ap- preaching the crossing at swift speed, but as the signals were open for him to proceed on his way he continued. His engine had barely cleared the track of the Reading when the locomotive of the latter train, which left Philadelphia at 6:40 D. m., struck the first car full ill the center, throwing it far off the track into a nearby ditch and completely submerg- ing 1t. The second car of the West Jer- fx. letf, rrta6 into ffnIa the third and fourth cars being telescop ed The engine of the Reading train was thrown to the other side of the track, carrying with it the first coach. A few minutes after the collision, to add to the horror of the situation the Reading loco- motive exploded, ,scalding several to death and casting its boiling spray over many of the injured passengers.
 As soon as the news reached the city is spread wide cast and thousands of people fiocked to the scene. The road leading to the place of the collision was a constant procession of all kinds of ve- hicles while thousands of pedestrians hurried along the path to render what assistance they could or to satisfy their curiosity.
 Darkness fell quickly and the work of rescung the injured and the dead bodies was carried on under the glare of huge bonfres. It was gruesome sight presented to onlookers as the man. gleQ ana Durnt lOrmS or lne uedu WeIS carried from the wreckage which bound them and laid side by side on the gravel bank near the track, with no other pail than the old newspapers gathered rom the passengers. The wounded were quickly gathered together and carried by train and wagon to the Atlantic City hospital. where six of them dled shortly after their arrival The old ex- cursion house at the foot of Mississippi avenue was converted into morgue taken At Q late hour this evening there were twen- fv-nfne bodies laid out there, none of whom are as yet identified The city IS terribly excited over the accident. The streets in the vicinity Of the excursion house and the city hospital, as well as the road leading to the scene of the acci- dent, are packed with people anxious to learn the latest. The Bridgeton and Salem excursionists who escaped injury were brought back 10 this city and sent home on a special train several hours later in the evening. James w Hoy the secretary of the department of public safety immediate ly upon hearing of the extent Of the catastrophe, teegraphed for the Phila- deIpha medical emergency corps fifteen of whom responded and hurried to the city on a special train. which left Phila- delphia at 10:45 D. m. These surgeons materially aided the volunteer corps or this city, which embraced almost every physician at present within it's confines. Many Of the injured were taken to hotels, as the city hospital soon became over crowded. About thirty of the wounded had their injuries dressed and were able to proceed on their way It is expected that fully dozen of those now lying in the hospitals will not survive their inJu- ries.
 Mrs. Edward Farr, the wife of the Reading engineer, who met death while performing his duty and was found with one hand on the throttle and the other on the brake, when informed of the acci- dent and her husbands tragic death was unable to withstand the shock and fell to the floor dead.
 The Inst of the Identified Dead.
 MT. and Mrs. Trenchard of Bridgeton, identified by their nephew, MT. T. w. Trenchard, city solicitor of Bridgetcn.
 Edward Farr, engineer of the Reading train. Atlantic City.
 Samuel Thorn, baggage master of the Pennsylvania railroad, Atlantic City.
 P. S. Murphy, Millville, N. J.
 J. D. Johnston and D. Cunningham, Bridgeton.
 G. B. Taylor, no address.
 P H. Goldsmith and wife, Bridgeton.
 Samuel Smith, Atlantic City.
 D. E. Wood, shipping clerk, Philadel- phia.
 John Grieneir Bridgeton.
 Charles Ackler, Salem.
 Charles McGhee, Bridgeton.
 Franklin Dubois. Woodruff, N. J.
 Mrs. J. Earnest, Bridgeton.
 Injured.
 Howard Woodland of Bridgeton, broken arm; Samuel Mutz of Bfidgeton, scalp and Internally injured; w. H. Spaulding. guest of Royal cottage, in- ternal injuries; Howard Smalley of Bridgeton, body bruised and head cut; w. c. Hamsley of Bridgeton, bodily in- juriss; L. c. Hamsley, wife of w. c. Hamsley, body and head bruised: Mrs. E. A. Abbott. Rhodestown, N. J., leg and arm broken; Lizzie Smalley of Bridgeton verply fnil1reI. (. n Fra znr and wife rtf