The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-31

PHILADELPHIA, Pa, July 3l.-Dr.
Charles A. Smith of Harrisburg, who was
near by when the awful railroad accident
through Philadelphia on his way home
this morning. He tells graphic story
of scenes he witnessed.
''It was an awful sight," said DIR.
Smith. "Only four or five bodies bad
been taSen from the wreck when /
arrived there. The Reading express had
struck the excursion train on the Penn
sylvania, cutting IL clean in two. The
Reading engine struck the second pass
enger coach OF the excursion with
terrific force, impossible to imagine. The
coach was smashed into, but there was
nothing left of Ii except lot CT splinters
mixed with which were the torn and
mangled bodies OF men, women and
children, Death had come instantan-
eous as from lightning stroke TO most
of them.
"There was no semblance OF a rear car
in this heap of kindling wood. The third
coach had not received the full compact
of the blow, but II was ripped up so
badly and lay overt urned with one side
torn off. The engine and baggage car of
the excursion tram stood on the rails
unharmed, as aid the cars at the other
end OF the train. The train had been cut
which opposed the great Reading engine
rushing on ar nearly mile minute,
scarcely one passenger was not killed or
severely injured.
81 saw the remains of the Reading en-
gine in heap Of scrap iron and rubbish
piled up with the smashed car. he en-
CINE was crushed so completely that 1t
looked simply scrap heap. / could not
see whether the engineer and fireman
were killed, but they could not havs
escaped. Inc wreckage caught fire from
the ruins'of the engine, and fire engine
from Atlantic City was brought out.
The flames were soon sabdued, although
1 could not tell whether any of the vic
Tins had BEEN burned.to death. ] saw
one little boy laid out on the bank with
his clothes burned quite off him, tut he
might have been dead before the hames
reached MIN.
1.-THE Pullman car on the rear of the
Reading express did not leave the tack
with-the cars in front of il 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 aud dying brought sthem 10
their senses. The physicians who had
been summoned from Atlantic City and
brought by special train over the Penn
slyvania road, came in thick and fast. /
assisted them In temporarily dressing
wounds in the field, but it seemed as IL
almost every victim pulled from the
wreck had been killed at the instant of
the collision. saw the bodies of five
children lying side by side on the grass
as they had been lifted out.
"rhe sights all about me were heart
breaking and horrible. Mothers were
looking for children and husbands
for wives, and the air was filled with
groans and cries. was asked to go to a
hospital at Atlsntic City where the i'm
jured were brought AS soon as found
that there were enough physicians in at
tendance completed my interrupted trip
home"
John Peters Of this city. who was on
the West Jersey train, and who jumped
when he saw the Collision was inevi-
table, arrived here today. said he: "Ihe
tre1ns were crossing the meadows ut a
terrific rate, and II seemed to me as IL
the one wos racing TO catch the switch
before the other. SO far as could see,
the red light I'm the signal tower was up,
blocking the Reading train and giving
the right OF way TO the Pennsylyania.
"Neither train stopped, and [ nen the
Reading train plougbed It's way through
the center OF the other Tho escaping
steam covered the wr, cked trains for a
few minutes, and when it lifted | could
see the broken cars and the dead and in-
jurel5. saw the rescuers lift out
bodies from the trunk upward and
others with the heads crushed to pulp
hanging nj the side. Several men were
taken from the wreck, and before they
could be placed IN n comfortable position
they died. The demand for vehicles was
so great that In many instances wagons
were haulsd to the wreck by men and
the bodies taken away In this manner"
William Matthias Of HrfdQetou said ha