The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-05-17
Awful Result of a Rear-End Coli.
sion On Philadelphia & Read
ing Road at Exeter.
WORST DISASTER m HISTORY OF ROAD.
second Section of n Heavy Excursion
Train Runs Into the First Section
at Full Speed. killing md Maim-
ing ScOres-Cars Are Broken to
SpIinters.

Reading Pa, May Is. = Daylight re-
vealed the nights accident on the Phil
adelphia & Reading railroad at Exeter
as one of the most disastrous in the MS
tory of the company. The number OF
killed is at least IS. The following dead
were taken to Pottsville:
List of Dead.
Frank D. Shaner, of Norristown; Ex-
Postmaster George w. Schall, Norris
town, aged 60 years: Capt. S. T. Street, los
North Twenty-second street, Philadelphia;
Miss Annie McCraw, of Ashland.
Other fatalities were: Harry Hunch-
berger, Gulf Mills; Frank Sewers, Norris
town; George H. Anders, deputy county
treasurer, Norristown: Samuel Batty, Con-
shohocken; Hiram Shelly, Thomas Lees,
Bridgeport; William Cramm, Norristown;
- Holmes a 13-year-old boy; two men
unidentified, badly mangled; - Tayior,
residence unknown; man not idenuneu' Az
wears old. both legs cut off; another sup
posed to be c. H. Hartman, probable resi-
dence Philadelphia: John Johnson, Mount
Carmel; another supposed TO De Lewis
Fisher residence unknown; Wllliam
Stahler, Norristown, body terribly mutt
lated; another supposed to be Danlel To-
der, of Pottstown: another body of man
wearing a ring with initials II. L. ID
c. L. Laverty, Harrisburg; Lucien }. Gus
ter, Pottstown; another body beheVeo 10
be William NJ. Keen. Norristown; CAPT.
George H. Coulston, Norristown, oleo at
five o'clock in the morning.
How Accident Occurred.
Fast express train No. II, which or
dinarily runs through from Reading to
Pottstown without stop, was held up
at Exeter by coal train which was
using the cross-over switch there.
While standing there awaiting or
ders, special through train running
from Harrisburg to Philadelphia, on
account of Hartranft day, and laden
with eXcursionists, came along anu
crashed into the rear cars OF No. IL,
wrecking two day coaches and Pull
man, and crushing the lives out of many
of their occupants. The special was
running as a second section of No. II,
allowing the latter about minutes
headway, and the engineer, it is pre-
sumed, did not see the red light which
was displayed at Exeter station while
giving orders to No. II.
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
it would naturally impart, crashed into
the rear of the waiting train.
The rear day coach, the Pullman
ahead and the day coach forward of
the Pullman were reduced to splin-
tiers. The day coach behind the smoker
and the smoker itself escaped compare
lively uniniured and were later brought
down the road and run into Phiiadel-
phia.
The engine and these two cars with
several baggage cars. constituting
what was left of No. -, were brought
TO 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 pur-
pose.
Excellent service was rendered by
the members of company F, PennsyS
vania national guard, of Norristown.
in assisting the nurses. sent from the
Reading hospital.
c. L. Laverty's body is badly mu-
tilated The remains were identified
through a number of articles found on
his person, among which were card
inscribed &C. l.. Laverty, Harrisburg,
Room -, College Block"
Lucien J. Custer, aged IS years, of
Pottstown, had both legs broken and
died at three o'clock in the morning at
his home at that place.