The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-14


of the Seventh Pennsylvania Infantry, Ma
tional Guard, few of whom were injured
strange feature OF the disaster was the
fact that not one woman was killed and
only two injured. Norristown is in mourn
ing. as the greatest number of dead and in
jured were residents of that place.
In the afternoon Coroner Wilson II. Roth
ermel, impaneled a jury, and. visiting the
different morgues, they viewed the bodies.
The jury adjourned to assemble at the call
OF the coroner When asked when he would
hold the inquest Coroner Rothermel replied
that he thought II would be Tuesday after
noon but that he could not state definitely.
They left Reading on a special train at !
p m. and viewed the scene of the wreck.
Superintendent Wilson. of the main line
division, when asked If it was not mistake
for the train to back TO the station, replied
Il think the train should have been left
where it stopped. but cannot speak of the
cause until the matter is thoroughly investi-
gated"
The special train last night was running
as a second section of No. IL, allowing the
latter about a minutes headway, and the
engineer. it is presumed, did not see the red
light which was displayed at the Exeter
station while giving orders to No. u. At
any rate, the great engine came along under
full head of steam. and with the terrific
momentum which the weight Of heavily
laden train behind would naturally impart
crashed into the rear of the waiting train.
REDUCED TO SPLINTERS.
The rear day coach, the Pullman ahead
and the day coach forward of the Pullman
were reduced TO splinters. The day coach
behind the smoker and the smoker itself
escaped comparatively uninjured and were
later brought down the road and run into
Philadelphia. The engine and these two
cars, with several baggage cars, constituting
what was left of No. t., were brought 10 this
city. On them were number of people who
were slightly injured. Some of the dead and
wounded were taken to Norristown on
special train sent down from Reading for
that purpose. Excellent service was rem
dered by the members of Company F, Penn
sylvania National Guard, of Norristown, in
assisting the nurses sent from the Reading
Hospital.
The rear coach of the first section in
which many of the killed were riding, was
full of people, every seat being occupied.
Some of them heard the loud whisting of
the approaching engine of the second sec
ton, and there was an attempt on the part
of many to escape from the car, but in a
second all was confusion and death.
The railroad at the scene of the accident
runs over hollow, and the embankment on
which are the tracks is about fifty feet high
| Several passengers were hurled TO the bot
| tom of the embankment, but the cars all re-
manned on the roadbed. The dead and
wounded were strewn in heaps in the debris
| of the two cars. Little damage, however,
was done TO the rest of the trains
| SENATOR PENROSES EXPERIENCE
Gen. Z. Burd Grubb, of New Jersey ex-
| United States minister to Greece, and United
| States Senator Boies Penrose, of Phadel-
| phia, were among the passengers in the Pull
man car on the first train Both were badly
| shaken UP, but neither sustained any injury
| Senator Penrose when questioned by a re-
| porter regarding the accident said: Il was
on the ordinary train. but escaped with no
injuries except severe shaking up The
train is what is known as the Cannon BALI
| express and the special extra section of it
| crashed into the ordinary train There were
about $50 in our train and the second section
was also crowded. There we.e number of
soldiers on the train, and I am glad they
were. for they rendered invaluable assistance
| in getting the dead and injured from the cars
| When the crash came / thought we would
| have been all killed. II was a terrific crash
| people were thrown in all directions, and
those who were not injured by broken wood
were more or less injured by being bumped
| against the sides of the cars. The scene was
most distressing one and shall never for
get it,"
| Henry Schiveley, Of Jenkintown. passen.
| ger on the regular train. said: ''I was in a
| smoking car of the regular train. There was
terrible crash 1t sounded like big thun-
| der bolt or an earthquake. People were
thrown in all directions; several OF the cars
| were smashed like matchwood. After the
sounds of the crash had died away the
screams and cries Of women and children
| could be heard on every side"