The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1899-01-25

Tno Trains HkeL In heAu-on Coiiision ut
Full Speed Near Plainfield, n. J.-six-
teen Persons Are Killed and Over
Thirty Injured-The Disaster Was the
Result of B1under.
PIA1NFrLED, N. J. Special. Two Lehigh
Valley trains rushing in opposite directions
at high rate OF speed crashed into each
other Monday afternoon just before 1
o'clock, about mile east Of Lincoln, with
such tremendous force that thirteen human
beings were killed outright aud three died
after being removed to Muhlenberg Hos
pital. The number OF seriously injured
was about thirty.
The dead are: Jacob Heller, tailor, thir-
ty-ave years old, OF Mount Carmell, Penn;
John Jarvis, fifteen years old, of Mount
Carmel, Penn; Abner 8. Kaiser, carpet
cleaner, OF Pottsvllle, Penn; Martin Keen
an, OF Mount Carmel, Penn, about fifty
five years old; Theodore D. Kohan. thirty
W. G. Leader, thirty years old, Of Mount
Carmel, Penn; Warren q. Msrkie, OF sha-
mokin, Penn, aged twenty three; Frank
Rybecki, about forty years old, OF Mount
Carmel, Pe1n.; r. WeIkel, about forty
years old, OF Sham okin, Penn; three un-
known women and one unknown man;
W. b. Hinkle, Of Mount Carmel, Penn,
contractor. aged forty-hve; George Jo-
sephs, OF Shamokin, Penn, aged twenty;
Henry E. Weikel, photographer, aged
twenty-sight. OF Shamokin. Penn.
The accident was the result Of an at
tempt upon the part OF somebody to
accomplish the impossible by sending two
trains over the same track In opposite
directions at the same time. The east
bound track, where the collision occurred.
was not In use on account OF freight
wreck nearby, and trains were sent In both
directions over the westbound track. The
train that carried most of the killed aud
injured was the third section Of the Halle
ton express, which was carrying to New
York large number Of people, from
other towns In the coal district. The
westbo1nd train was what Is known as
train No. II. It WAS local accommoda-
tion and left New York at 1880 q. m.
The point where the wreck occurred Is a
quiet country spot on long curve that
runs through a heavily wooded district.
The two trains approached each other at
full speed, and each engineer was entirely
ignorant OF the proximity to another
train until tue two engines flashed around
the curve almost upon each other. The
crash followed almost Immediately. In an
instant the air was full OF shouts and the
means OF the Injured, and the two trains
were masses OF tangled wreckage.. There
was almost no help at hand, and Cor
time all was confusion. The two en-
glnes were smashed almost out OF all
semblance to what they had been.
and the fact that no more lives
were lost Is attributable to the mercy
that the wreckage did not take fire.
Those who escaped uniDjured at once
turned their attention toward helping to
extricate the less fortunate. The news OF
the accident was carried to Lincoln, to
West Dunellen and to Plainheld, and soon
the wrecking train was on its way to the
scene. The wrecking crews frst turned
their attention to the injured. Physicians
were brought to the wreck as soon rs
possible, and under their supervision the
injured were taken on special train to
Plainfeld, where they were placed in the
Muhlenberg Hospital.
The Hazleton express was drawn by En-
gine No. 486, Of which James Pandergast,
of Easton, was the engineer. Pendergast
was caught beneath the wreck OF his en-
gine and was pinned there by some Of the
heavy ironwork that rested on his legs.
When the rescuers reached him he was
conscious, and calmly directed them how
to 80 to work to release him. He was taken
out with his feet and legs mashed to pulp.
The greatest disaster was wrought In the
first car of the express train through which
the tender OF the engine had plowed.
Those who had occupied the front seats
OF that car must have been instantly
killed, for their bodies were found mashed
and bleeding beneath the wreckage OF
the tender. The bodies were mutilated al
most beyond Identification, the heads being
nearly torn from the bodies In several IN.
stances, limbs torn of and bodies cut and
twisted. Several OF the injured were
pinned in their places by the wreckage in
the fore part Of the car, and had to be dug
and cut out Of their precarious positions.
Harry Butland, the operator at the South
mitted the local train bound from Jersey
City to Bound Brook to enter a division
where 1t net the third section OF an ex-
cursion train running on the same track,
because of q freight wreck which OBJ
structed the eastbound track. Whether he
did this under orders or whether he misin-
terpreted orders or whether he had no or
ders at all Is yet to be determined.
The Lehigh Valley Railroad Is not pro-
tected by the block signal system east Of
Easton. West of that point an automatic
system is used. One OF the crew OF the Le-
high wrscking train at the wreck said that
this accident was the twenty-1rst that tho
road had had since January l, and was the
sixth that had taken. place near the sapo
place in the same time. The others were
not serious. hcTever, and did not involve
loss oi life.