The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-13

Harry KantZ, Norristown
David Carney, Norristown.
A. Jashenfelder, Norristown, hurt in
the chest.
READING, Pa, May 12-Shortly before
10 o'clock tonight collision of passenger
trains occurred on the Philadelphia and
Reading, at Exter station, six miles below
Reading
The express train, which should have
left here at $50 pm. for Philadelphia, was
behind schedule time in leaving and stop
ped at Exter for orders. A special train
from Harrisburg, bearing excursionists,
who had attended the Hartranft monu-
ment unveiling at the capital, left here
twenty minutes later than the express
train and at Exter, while proceeding at
a rapid speed. crushed into the express.
Several cars of the express train were
wrecked and number of persons are re-
ported killed
The number of dead is fully twenty-five
and the injured fifty. The first train
ploughed through the rear cars of the for
ward train. completely wrecking them
Eight dead were brought here at a. M
A score are under the debris A train
load of wounded were brought to the
hospital here. Great excitement pre-
walls throughout the city
The railroad officials offer no explana-
tion of the accident. The coroner will in
stitute investigation at once.
TRAINS COME TOGETHER.
The regular express train from Potts
Vile for Philadelphia connected at the
station in Reading with a train from
Harrisburg which was crowded with ex-
cuIsionists who had been to the state cap
itol to witness the ceremonies in eonnec-
ton of the unveiling of the Hartranft
monument. Many of the Harrisburg pas
sengers at Reading went aboard the Phil
adelphia express, but, 1t being found that
all could not be accommodated, it was de-
cided to send an extra train to Fhiladel-
phia, 10 run as the second section of the
express The extra train left twenty
minutes later than the express.
At Exeter the express stopped for or
ders and while standing still the extra
train crashed into it while moving at
great speed. 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
special train with physicians and nurses
was sent to the scene quickly as it
could be possibly put in readiness
Returning passengers at 1870 a. m. say
the scenes. around the wreck are of the
most fearful description.
The Pottsville express. which was run
into at Exter, arrived here shortly after
midnight with some of the injured.
CONFUSION AT THE WRECK.
When the train left the scene of the
wreck a man named Street, living in this
city, was lying unconscious in the wreck.
The passengers could give no connected
story of the wreck. and the names of the
dead and injured were not known to any
of them.
According to the account of the passen-
gers the engine of the second train plow-
ed 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 tele-
scoped
The railroad company made up a spe-
cial train at Reading and sent it to the
scene of the wreck, with a number of
physicians All of the dead and most of
the injured were taken to Reading. The
railroad officials in this city can give no
details of the accident. They say they
are ignorant of the casualties.
United States Senator Boise Penrose