Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-01-10

YEARS-PRIMARIL DUE TO A
FREIGHT WRECK THAT OCCUR
RED EARLY IN THE DAY AND
BLOCKED ALL BUT ONE TRACK.
New York, January BY a head-on
collision between two passenger trains
of the Lehigh Valley railroad at West
Dunellen, N. j., at 12:47 p. m. to-day,
thirteen persons were killed and over
twenty-five were injured. The dead
are:
Martin Keenan,. hotel keeper, Mt.
Carmel Pa; w. H. Hinkel, contractor,
Mt. Carmel, Pa; Jacob Heller, tailor,
Mt. Carmel, Pa; H. E. Weikell %
years old. Mt Carmele, Pa; Frank
Fischer, shoe edealer, Mt. Carmel, Pa. :;
VIM. II. Leader, "A years old, dry goods
dealer, Mt Carmel Pa. He is a son of
c. c. Leader, president of a bank in
Shamokin. He was only recently mar
ried. Frank Markell. "a years Of age,
Shamokin, Pa; Theodore S. Kohn,
Shamokin, Pa. Abner S. Keller, car
pet dealer, Pottsville, Pa; VIM. H.
Markell, Shamokin. Pa; James Jarvis,
II years old, Mt. Carmel, Pa; two wo-
men who are still to be identified
West Dunell4n is about thirty miles
from New Yofk City. At the spot
where the disaster occurred there is a
sharp curve. The eaccident was due in
the first place to some terrible mistake
in train orders, and in the second place
to another accident that occurred at
Bound Brook earlier in the day The
blood stained wreck of tangled and
twisted iron and wood that was still
on the railroad tracks tonight bore
witness to the truth of the general YER
diet of railroad men that this was one
of the worst railroad collisions in re-
cent years.
A HEAD-ON COLLISION
on a double track road was made pos
sible only by a freight wreck which oc-
Cured at Bound Brook at o'clock this
morning when the axle of a freight car
broke and nine cars were piled on top
of each other This completely block
ed the east-bound track and all through
the morning Lehigh Valley trains
bound for New York switched from
their own track to the west-bound
Tia SOlIS ONCl tuC0C ais II Olll
Bound Brook to New Market. distance
of six miles, and changing at the latter
place back to their right side of the
road.
Train No 20 left Shamokin, Pa, at
a. m. It's seven cars were crowded
with 400 eXcursionists for New York.
The train switched over at Bound
Brook and proceeded on
THE WEST-BOUND TRACK.
Meanwhile local had been waiting
at New Market. At last the train dis
patcher gave it permission to go. Just
before reaching West Dunellen the
local headed round the curve at %
miles an hour.
From the cab of the excursion train
James Prendergast saw the local as
it started on the curve. With Shrek
ing whistle and brakes grinding sparks
from the wheels. the excursion train
bore down to what seemed certain de-
struction. The passengers, alarmed
at the continued whistle, opened the
windows, mothers snatched their chill
dren in their arms, men started from
their seats, but before they had time
to find out what was the matter they
were hurled headlong, knocked sense
less and many killed outright The
two engines, from which both crews
had jumped, came together with an
awful crash. The local engine turned
a complete somersault and damned the
tender of the excursion train almost
from one end to the other of the first
car. The car, or what was left of il,
rolled over, carrying with it the i'm
bedded tender, the fragments Of dozen
BODIES and the imprisoned wounded
who had been carried with the jagge |
iron on it's relentless course through
the coach.
From Dunellen. Bound Brook and other
places doctors were quickly summoned.
Relief and wrecking trains were quickly
on hand. As the dead were taken from
the demolished car they were put in the
rear cars of the excursion train and taken
to Bound Brook, where a coroner's in
quest was held tonight
ENGINEER PRENDEJRGAST
who weighs almost $50 pounds jumped
too late. He was caught under his engine
and for three hours lay pin.oned in fright
full agony When at last huge crane
lifted the iron off his body he was found
so badly injured that he is expected to
die.
Engineer Rick, of the local, was found
on the tracks SO badly injured that little
hope was entertained or his recovery.
Despite the blood that flowed from his
mouth Rick gurgled out: Some one gave
wrong orders. I know how it happened,
but l can't speak now
In that connection. w. o. Sprigg, the
superintendent OF the Eastern and Amboy
division of the Lehigh Valley. said:
The accident is evidently due to a
blunder in orders"
General Passenger Agent Lee had no ex-
PLANTATION to make.
The train dispatcher at aston is said
TO have wired to the operator at South
Plainheld TO let No Il, the local, come
through, but later there came a message
from Easton to hold all west-bound traf-
fic. 1t is alleged that the latter message
was overlooked. Some say it was not
handed to the operator, but which it was.
the west-bound train was allowed on its
track. and from everything that could
be learned the collision was plainly due
to a mistake in orders and to no negli-
gence of the train crews.
The Weather.
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