The record-union., 1899-05-13
Probably Forty Others Badly Injured,
Many of Whom Will Die.
The Second Section Of Passenger Train
Crashes Into the Front Section, the
Locomotive Flowing Clear Through
the Two Rear Coaches.

rear end collision of passenger trains
occurred about 10 o'clock last night on
the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad
at Exeter small station six miles be-
low Reading, resulting in the loss of
about twenty-five lives. Probably forty
others are badly injured, and of these
many will die
The express train for Philadelphia,
scheduled to leave Reading at $50 p.
M, was about half an hour late in
leaving. Meantime many passengers
on the train from Harrisburg went
aboard the Philadelphia express train
while it stood in the station at Read
ing, but the number of Harrisburg pas
semgers being too great to be accommo-
dated on the express train, it was de.
cided to send an extra train to Phild.
deiphia to run as second section to
the express.
The extraordinary travel from Har-
risburg was due to the number of peo-
pie who went to the State Capital to
witness the exercises connected with
the unwilling of the Hartranft monu-
ment there yesterday.
The second section left here about
twenty minutes after the express rain
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 locomotive plowed clear through
the two rear cars, reducing them to
splnters. 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 Were
crushed to death instantly, while Others
We're mangled and manned in a horri-
bic manner. Norristown was the home
of the late Governor Hartranft, and
many from that town had gone to Har-
risburg to do honor to his memory by
participating or witnessing the cere-
monies attending the unwilling of the
monument
The first train consisted of two OK
press cars, a mail and baggage car, a
combination car. two day coaches, a
parlor car and day coach in the order
mentioned The second train consist
ed of six day coaches, ore of which had
aboard a company Of the Sixth Reei-
ment, National Guard, whose headqua~-
tiers are at Norristown, and another car
contained members of the Montgomery
Hose Company of Norristown The
other four cars had regular passengers
Fifty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers
Hartranfts old command
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 I'M
fortunate fellow passengers. kilograms
were hastily sent to Reading for assist
ance, and two relief trains with sur
geons and nurses We're dispatched to the
scene. Medical aid was promptly rem
OeTSu TO Tile III GU uPVi Tie dlilN al VI
those trains at the scene, and those who
could be removed were placed on trains
and brought to the hospital here.
The bodies of twenty dead were also
brought here Meny of the dead have
not yet been identified, and they now lie
in the Morgue awaiting the arrival OF
relatives or friends to make the ldenu-
fication
The names of the identified dead are:
Captain Street, Philadelphia; George
w. Leaf, Fort Washington, Pa; John
Slinghuff, William Staler, George S.
Shaw, George Sewers, Samuel Beatty,
William Leuers, Henry Wentz, John
Johnson. Harry Hunchbinger. George
III. Andis. Harry Thompson. Hiram
Shelly, Benton Silvis, George S. Hall, al
of Norristown; Miss Annie McGraw
Ashland.
The list of injured. so far as obtain
ed, is as follows: Eddie Smith, Nor
ristown; Charles White Norristowni
Nathan O'Neil, Norristown; Luther
Cister serious. Pottstown; John John
son, serious, Mt Clair: Patrick Kerr
Norristown; Pascal Walters. Swede
land: Harry D. Lester serious, Phoe
melville; L. B. Vanderslice, Phoenix
vile: Thaddeus Addle. Norristown