The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-08-08
AN AWFUL CALAMITY.
Two Crowded Trains CoIided at a
Railroad Crossing.
Eorty-Two Persons Killed Outright and
Eighty Injured, Most of Whom
Must Die-An Engineer
Dies at His Post.

terrible railroad catastrophe took
place on the Meadows, about two
miles out of this city, shortly after
6;3O o'clock last evening, resulting in
II death of AZ people, as far as now
a be learned, and the w%ounding of
80 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
railroad when it was struck by the
$40 down express from Philadelphia,
demoIishing two cars and ~telescoping
the two following. The engine of the
Reading train became a total wreck,
killing the engineer and fatally injur-
ing the fireman, and the car behind it
was also thrown from the track, and
many of its occupants killed or in
jured.
Che responsibility for the collision
has not been placed, but William Thur
low, the operator of the block tower
situated at the crossing, has been
placed under arrest by order of the
coroner
Leaving this city, the tracks of the
West Jersey road run parallel to those
of the Camden 81 Atlantic until after
they cross the draw bridge, when they
switch off to the south. crossing the
Reading road at an obtuse angle.
John Greiner, the engineer of the
West Jersey train saw the Reading
train approaching the crossing at a
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
struck the first car square in the
center and throwing it far off the
track, and completely demolished it.
The second car of the West Jersey
was also thrown off the track, the third
and fourth cars being te~lescoped. The
engine of the Reading train was
"a " IAC OIlICI SlOC VI JIC lIdC2
carrying with it the first coach. A
few minutes after the collision, to add
to the horror of the situation, the
boiler of the Reading locomotive ex-
.pIoded, scalding several to death.
As soon as the news reached this
city it spread with rapidity, and thous-
ands of people tiocked to the scene.
The road leading to the place of the
collision was a constant procession Of
hacks, busses and bicycles and all
kinds of vehicles, 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 rescuing the injured and the dead
bodies was carried out under the lurid
glare of huge bonfires. 1t was a grew
some sight presented to onlookers as
the mangled and burnt forms of the
dead were carried from the wreckape
which bound them, and laid side by
side on the gravel bank near the
track, with no other pail than the few
odd newspapers gathered from the
passengers. The wounded were
quickly gathered together and carried
by train and wagon to the Atlantic
City hospital, where six of them died
shortly after their arrival.
The old excursion house at the foot
oof Mississippi avenu was converted
into a morgue, and thither the dead
were taken.
At a late hour last night there were
90 bodies laid out there, none of them
as yet identified.
This 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 accident, are packed
with people anxious to learn the latest.
The Bridgeton and Salem excursion
lists who escaped injury were brought
back to this city and sent home on a
train several hours later in the even
ing.
James Hoyt, secretary of the depart
-ment of public safety. Immediately
upon learning the extent of the catas-
trophe, telegraphed for the Philadel-
phia emergency corps, $50 of whom
responded and hurried to this city on
a special train.
Many of the injured were taken to
hotels, as the city hospital soon be-
came o~vercrowded. About 30 of the
wounded had their injuries dressed
and were able to prcceed on their way.
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 accident and her husbands tragic
death, was unable to withstand the
shock and fell to the floor dead.