The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-05-13
OVER TWENTY-FIVE KILLED
And Fifty Injlircd...Thrcc Cars
Ploughcd Through, Complete.
ly Wrcckirg Them
SCENES AROUND THE WRECK
Arc Reported to be Beyond the
Power OF Dcscription...A Ter
rihlc Calamity.

READING, Pa. May 13.-Shortly be-
ore 10 o'clock last night q collision of
passenger trains occurred on the Phila-
dephia & Reading at Exeter Station,
six miles below Reading. The express
train which should have left here at
$50 p. m. for Philadelphia, was behind
schedule time IN leaving and stopped at
Exeter for orders. A special train from
Harrisburg. bearing cXcursionists who
had attended the Hartranft monument
unve!ling at the capital, left here
tTcny minutes later than the express
train and at Exeter while proceeding at
q rapid speed crashed into the express.
Several cars OF the express train were
wrecked and 4 number OF persons are
reported killed.
The number Of dead is fully twenty
five, and the injured fifty. The first
train ploughed through three cars Of
the forward train, completely wrecking
,hem. Eight dead were brought here at
Ia. m. A score are under the debris. A
train load of wounded were brought to
the hospitals here. Great excitement
prevails throughout the city. The rail-
read officials offer no explanation OF the
accident. The coroner will institute in
yestigation at once. Returning passen-
gers Al 1880 n. m, say the scenes
around the wreck are Of the most fear
!ul description.
Shortly before midnight n train bear
Ing nurses and doctors was sent to the
scene Of the wreck. Exeter Is flag
station and has no telephone communi-
cation. 1t Is stated that the passen.
gers on the second train were mostly
from .Norristowr. and that several
from that borough were killed and
many injured.
Among the dead are: Captain Street,
OF Philadelphia; John Leaf. Montgom-
cry county: William Slater. George
Shaw. John sHnsluft. Frank Showers.
'u"'H's bCdtts' Niiltoll LEW 10 anu I3cl-
~ Wentz, all Of Norristown.
Details Difficult to Obtain.
There Is no telegraph Office. at Exeter
and details therefore are difficult to
obta!o AZ this writing. The number
Killed Is variousiy stated to be from iif-
teen TO twenty five. Fully fifty others
are injured.
The regular express train from Potts
VILE for Philadelphia connected at the
station In Rendins with 4 train from
Harrisburg. which was crowded with
eNcus!onists who had been to the state
capital to witness the ceremonies in
connection with the unwilling of the
hartranft monument. Many OF the
harrisburg passengers at Reading went
aboard the Philadelphia express. but 1t
being found that all could not be accom-
Mocated, It was decided to send an cx-
Ira train to Philadelphia to run as the
second section OF the express. The cx-
Ira train left twenty minutes later than
Inc express. At Exeter the express
stopped for orders and while standing
suIi the extra train crashed into It
"hl!e moving at great speed. Three of
'!e rear cars of the express were telc-
scoped and the first car OF the extra
Valn was also wrecked. The passen-
gers In these cars were terribly man
s'eG' many being killed outright, while
o'heFs had limbs and bodies MANNED.
"oFd was at once sent to Reading and
special train with physicians and
nurses was sent to the scene as soon as
II could possibly be put In readiness.
Inc identified killed are: P. Leaf,
montgomery county: William Stalcr
Ho'FistowR: Colonel George Shaw,
HOTiisiown; John slingluff. Norrlstown;
1o"h Johnson, Mt. Clair.W!lllam Lewis,
'o'F's'own. George Sewers. NorrIg-
""h' George II. Andis. Norristown;
GARY Wen;z. Norrlstown. Samuel
"-"y' conshohocltcn: Harry Thomp-
''"' NoTristown: Hiram Shelly, IIalbo-
" Benton sllvIs, Reading.