Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-05-13
NEARLY THIRTY DEAD.
Terrible Railway Disaster on the
Reading to a Train in
Two Sections.
CASE OF REAR-END TELEsOoPING,

| rwenry-Eight Dead Recovered from the
Wreck, and There May BE More
Wounded Number Fifty, All the Victims
Being Excursionists Who Had Attended
Monument Unveiling-Tornado in
Mexico Kills Twenty-Two-GrandS stand
Accident in Texas.
Reading, Pa, May ia collision of
| passenger trains occurred on the Phil
adelphia and Reading railroad at Exc
ter. about six miles south Of this city,
last night ana great number of people
was killed and injured. There is no
telegraph Office at Exeter, and details
are difficult to obtain at this writing.
The number killed is variously stated
to be from fifteen to twenty-five Fully
fifty others are injured. The regular
express train from Pottsville for Phila
delphia connected at the station in
Reading with train from Harrisburg.
which was crowded with excursionists
who had been to the state capitol to
witness the ceremonies in connection
with the unwilling of the Hartranft
monument. Mary of the Harrisburg
passengers at Reading went aboard the
Philadelphia express, but it being found
that all could not be accommodated it
was decided to send an extra train to
Philadelphia to run as the second sec
tion of the express.
How the Catastrophe Occurred.
The extra train left twenty minutes
later than the express. AT Exeter the
express stopped for orders, and while
standing still the extra train crashed
into it while moving at great speed.
Three of the rear cars of the express
were telescoped, and the first car of the
extra train was also wrecked. The pas
sengers in these cars were terribly man
gled, many being killed outright, while
others had limbs and bodies MANNED.
Word was at once sent to Reading and
a special train with physicians and
nurses was sent to The scene as quickly
as it could possibly be put in readi-
ness. Eight dead were brought here at
1 a. m. Nearly twenty were then under
the debris. A train load of wounded
was brought to the hospitals here. Great
excitement prevails throughout the city.
Twenty More Bodies Brought In.
The second relief train left Exeter at
$3.50 d. m. 1t brought to Reading TWEEN
ty additional bodies. The names not yet
known. Most of the seriously injured
were brought here on the first relief
train.
Names of Some Dead and Injured.
The identified killed at this writing
are John Leaf, Montgomery county;
William Staler. Colonel George Shaw
and Chief John Slingluff, Norristown;
John johnson. Mount Clair; William
Lewis. Harry Hunchbinger, George
Sewers, George H. Andis and Harry
Wentz. Norristown; Samuel Batty, Con-
shohocken; Harry Thompson, Norris
town; Hiram Shelly, Hatboro; Benton
Silvis, Reading.
The injured, as far as the names could
be obtained, are: Eddie Smith, Charles
White and Nathan O'Neil, Norristown;
Luther Custer, serious, Pottstown;
John Johnson, serious, Mount Clair;
Patrick Kern, Norristown; Pascal Wal
tiers. Swedeland; Harry Leister. seri-
ously. PhoeniXville: L. B. Vanderslice,
PhoeniXville; Theodore Addie and VIM.
Fredericton. Norristown; Charles Mad
dis and John Earl, Conshohocken; Har-
ry Kantz, David Carney and A. j. Ash
enfelder. Norristown, hurt in the chest.