The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-05-13

The Accident Happened At Exeter, ! Signal
Station Six Miles Below Reading, on
the Philadelphia and Reading Railway.
Carrying the Wounded To the Reading
Hospitals-Passengsrs Who Escaped the
Disaster Report Terrible Sights At the
Scene Of the Horror.
Reading, Pa, May ls-shortly be-
fore 10 o'clock last night collision
OF passenger trains occurred on the
Philadelphia and Reading railway at
Exeter Station, six miles below Read
ing. The express train which should
have left here at $3.50 p. m. for Phila-
delphia was behind schedule time In
leaving. and stopped at Exeter for or
ders. A special train from Harris
burg. bearing excursionists who had
attended the Hartranft monument un-
yelling at the capital, left here 20
minutes later than the express train.
and at Exeter, while proceeding at a
rapid speed, crashed into the express
Several cars of the express train were
wrecked and number Of persons
killed.
The number Of dead is fully rs and
the injured SO. The first train plowed
through three cars Of the forward
train, wrecking them. Eight dead were
brought here this morning. A score
are under the debris, A trainload of.
wounded were brought to the hospitals
here. Great excitement prevails in the
city The railroad officials offer no ex-
PLANTATION of the accident. The coroner
Will institute an investigation at once.
Returning passengers say the scenes
around the wreck are of the most fear
full description.
The express train passed through
here at 10 o'clock last night en- route
for Philadelphia with few of the in
jured. They were: George W. Tucker,
common councilman of the Twentieth
ward, Philadelphia, injured about the
legs; Francis 7. Steinbeck, Camden,
N. j., injured about the head and body;
G. A. Beaver, Philadelphia, arm bruised
and head cut; B. Barney, Philadelphia,
arm and hip badly bruised.
Among the reported dead are John
Slinghuff, of Norristown, and an I'M
known man, said to be a real estate
dealer, also of Norristown.
When the train left the scene of the
wreck man named Street, living on
North Twenty-second street, Philadel-
phia, was lying unconscious in the
wreck.
The passengers could give no con-
nected story of the wreck and the
number of dead and injured was not
known to any Of them, but it is sup
posed to be large. According to the
accounts Of the passengers the engine
of the second train plowed through the
rear car of the first train, then through |
the parlor car and half way through
the third car. The first car on the
second train was also telescoped. The
railroad company made up special
train at Reading and sent 1t to the
scene of the wreck with number of |!
All of the dead and most
Of the injured were brought to Read
Ing.
Exeter is flag station, and has no
telephone communication. 1t is stated
hat the passengers on the second train
were mostly from Norristown, and that
several from that borough were killed
Ind many injured.
Following is a partial list of the
lead: Harry Wentz and Harry Thomp-
ION, Norristown; Benton Silvis Read
ng; John Slinghuff, chief of Norris
own fire department; John Johnson,
Mt. Claire: William Lewis, Norris
own; Harry Hunchberger, Gulf Mills;
frank Lowers, Norristown; George H.
Anders, Norristown; Samuel Batty,
Hiram Shelby, Hat,
,oro.
Injured: A. ]. Ashenfelt, ISL sast
lane, Germantown; Thad.
J. Edel, jeweler, Norristown; George
'arney, 11S Chain street, Norristown;
William Fredeborn, Norristown; Cap
ain John Colston, Norristown; George
v Holmes, sos Cohn street, Norris
own; George Lewis, 1923 Willow
treet, Norristown.