Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-13

1lOdull6, May 1O-iA ltEIlUlc rear
end collision of passenger trains occurred
about 10 o'clock last night on the Phila-
delphia & Reading railroad at Exeter, a
small station six miles below Rea ding. re-
sulting in the loss of about twenty five
lives. Probably 40 others are badly in
jured and Of these many will die. The ex-
press train from Philadelphia, scheduled
to leave Reading at $3.50 p. M, was about
half an hour late in leaving. Meantime,
many passengers on the train from Har-
risburg went aboard the Philadelphia ex-
press train while it stood in the station in
Reading but the number of Harrisburg
passengers being too great to be accom-
modated on the express train, it was de-
cided to send an extra train to Philadel-
phia to run as a second section to the ex-
press.
The extraordinary travel from Harris
burg was due to the number Of people
who went to the state capital to witness
the exercises connected with the unveil-
: ing of the Hartranft monument there
yesterday. These left here about 20 min
utes after the express train had departed.
at Exeter station the first train stopped
for orders and while standing still was
crashed into by the second section
with terrific force, the latter train at
the time running at great speed. The To-
comotive p.owed clear through the two
rear cars reducing them to splinters and
then mounted the end of the third car
from the rear. The first car of the second
train was also wrecked.
The havoc wrought to the occupants Of
the car was appalling Many We're crush
ed to death instantly. While others We're
mangied and MANNED in a horrible man.
ner. Norristown was the home of the late
governor Hartranft and many from that
town had gone to Harrisburg to do honor
to his memory by participating or wit
Messing the ceremonies attending the un-
Yelling of the monument
The first train consisted Of two ex-
press cars, a mail and baggage car, a
mbination car, two day coaches, par
lor car and day coach in the order men,
toned. The second train consisted of six
! day coaches, one Of which had aboard a
company of the Sixth regiment, national
guards, whose headquarters are at Nor
ristown and another car contained men,
bers Of the Montgomery hose company, Of
Norristown. The other four coaches had
regular passengers, including about %
survivors of the Fifty-flrst Pennsylvania
volunteers, Hartranfts old company.
Upon recovering from the effects of the
shock those who escaped injury, or who
had been injured but slightly, set to work
| to rescue their more unfortunate fellow
passengers. Telegrams We're hastily sent
to Reading for assistance and two relief
! trains with surgeons and nurses were dis
patched to the scene. Medical aid was
promptly rendered to the injured upon the
arrival of those trains at the scene and
those who could be removed We're placed
on trains and brought to the hospitals
here. The bodies Of 20 dead We're also
brought here.
MANY of the dead have not been denti-
fed and they now lie in the morgue await
ing the arrival of relatives or friends tc
make the Identification. The names OF
| the identified dead are:
JOHN SLINGHUFF, Norristown.
CAPTAIN STREET, Philadelphia.
GEORGE w. LEAF, Fort Washing
ton. Pa.
| WILLIAM STALER, Norristown.
/ GEORGE S. SHAW, Norristown.
i GEORGE SOWERS, Norristown.
/ SAMUEL BEATTY, Norristown.
WILLIAM LEUERS, Norristown.
HENRY WENTz, Norristown..
! JOHN JOHNSON, Norristown.
| HARRY HUNCHBINGER, Norris
town.
GEORGE II. ANDIS. Norristown.
| HARRY THOMPSON, Norristown.
| HIRAM SHELLY, Norristown.
BENTON SILVIS; NorristOwn.
GEORGE S. HALL. Norristown.
| MISS ANNIE McGRAW, Ashland.
The list of injured, SO far as obtained,
is as follows:
Eddie Smith NorristowR