The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-05-13
Twenty-Five People Perish
in the Disaster.
FIFTY MORE ARE INJURED
A SCORE NOW LIE UNDER THE
DEBRIS.
DOCTORS AND NURSES LEAVE FOR SCENE
Three Cars Telescoped. Eight Of the Dead at
Reading. The Railroad officials CT.
fer no Explanation Of
the Accident.


the Accident.
Reading, Pa, May PA collision of
passenger trains occurred on the Phila
delphia and Reading railroad at Exeter,
about six miles south of this city. and
great number of persons were killed and
injured. There is no telegraph office at
Exeter and details, therefore, are diff
cult to obtain at this writing. The num-
Der of killed is variously stated to be
from 10 to 25. Fully so others are in
jured.
Ihe regular express train from Potts
vile for Philadelphia, connected at the
station in Reading with train from
Harrisburg, which was crowded with
excursionists who had been to the State
capital to witness the ceremonies i'll con-
nection with the unwilling of the
Hartranft monument. Many of the
Harrisburg passengers at Reading We're
aboard the Philadelphia express, but it
being found all could not be accommo-
dated it was decided to send an extra
train to Philadelphia, to run as the sec
ond section of the express. The extra
train left twenty minutes later than the
express. AT Exeter the expressed stop
ped for orders, and while standing still
the extra train crashed into it while
moving at great speed.
Three of the rear cars of the express
were telescoped, and the first car of the
extra train was also wrecked.
The passengers in these cars were ter
ribly mangled, many being killed out
right, while others had limbs and
bodies MANNED. Word was at once sent
to Reading and special train> with
physicians and nurses was sent to the
scene as quickly as it could possibly be
put In readiness.
The second relief train left Exeter at
ESQ a. m. 1t brought to Reading twenty
additional bodies. Most of the seriously
injured were brought mere ON the first
relief train. The rest of the injured
were taken to Pottstown and Norris
town. The northbound track has been
cleared and the first train through to
this city from Philadelphia Awas the
Buffalo ESp1tss W ich left Philadelphia
at 1876 p. m.
Among the de Il are:
CAPTAIN STRE IT, of Philadelphia.
JOHN LEAF, NdEistown' county.
WILLIAM SLATER. Norristown.
GEORGE SHAW, No1-istown.
JOHN SLINGLUFF, Norristown.
FRANK SHOWERS, Norristown.
SAMUEL BEATTY, Norristown.
MILTON LEWIS, Norristown.
HENRY WINTZ, Norristown.
SIX PROBABLY KILLED.
philadelphia. Pa. May 12.-The Potts
vile express which was run into at
Exeter arrived here after midnight with
four of the injured.
The passengers could give no connect
ed story of the wreck, and the number
of dead and injured was not known to
any Of them 1t was generally believed
that six passengers were killed.
HELP SENT TO THE INJURED.
! Reading. Pa, May 12.-At midnight
the railroad officials here had received
no information as to the number of kill
Id and injured, or any list of the names.
Shortly before midnight a train bear
ing nurses and doctors was sent to the
scene of the wreck. Exeter is a flag
station and has no telephone communi-
cation. It is stated that the passengers
on the second train were mostly from
Norristown and several from that bor
ough were killed and many injured.
TWENTY FIVE DEAD.
Reading. Pa, May 12.-The number of
dead is fully twenty-five, and the in
iured so. The first train ploughed
through three cars of the forward train
completely wrecking them. Eight dead
were brought here at 1 O'Clock a. m. A
score are under the debris. Atrain load
OF wounded were brought to the hospi-
falls here. The railroad officials offer no
explanationh of the accident Return
ing passengers att 1:30 O'clock a. M,
saw the scenes AROUND the wreck are of
the most fearful description
PENROSE a PASSENGER.
Philadelphia, May 12.--Unlted States
Senator Boies Pellrese, and General Il.
Rurd Grubb we're passengers in the
Pullman car OF the wrecked train The
rear end of the caS in which they were
riding was crushed AND the two gentle
men though badly shaA1S up are unin-
jured. Senator Penrose did not know
how many of the passengers in the rear
cars were killed or injured/
ANOTHER WRECK ON THE RAIL.
Utica, n. Y, May 13.-Vhe fast mail
ON the New York Central was in col
lision here this morning and seven
passengers cars filled with passengers
are burning.
The fire was quickly distinguished.
As far as known but one man, Barry
Neat, of Buffalo, was fatal ly injured.