The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-13

u,
sisting the nurses sent from the Read
ing hospital
c. L. Laverty's body is badly multi
ated. The remains were identified
through a number OF articles found on
his person, among which was card in
scribed &C. L. Laverty, Harrisburg,
Room IL, College Block"
Lucien ]. Cusler, aged IS years, of
Pottstown, had both legs broken, and
died at O'Clock this morning at his
home in that place.
DEAD IN HEAPS.
The signal man should have displayed
the red and green danger signal for the
special, but it is said that he failed
to do this, whether on account of the
signal failing to work or not is not
known.
While the express was standing on
the tracks the crowded special came
laundering along.
On account of curve the engineer of
the special could not see the train stand
ing on the tracks ahead of him until too
late The special tore into the express
with a crash and ShrlekS of agony soon
filled the air.
The railroad at the scene of the acci-
dent runs over a hollow and the en-
bankment on which are the tracks IS
about fifty feet high.
Several passengers were hurled to
the bottom of the embankment but the
cars all remained on the roadbed. The
heaps in the debris of the two cars.
Little damage, however, was done to
| the rest of the trains.
General E. Burd Grubb of New Jer-
| sey, ex-United States minister to
| Greece and United States Senator
| Boies Penrose of Philadelphia, were
among the passengers in the Pullman
| car on the first train Both were badly
| shaken up but neither sustained any
| injury. Senator Penrose when ques-
! toned by a reporter regarding the ac-
| cident said:
SENATOR PENROsE's STORY.
| ''I was on the ordinary train but
| escaped with no injuries except a Sc
| we're shaking up. The train is what
| is known as the Cannon BALI express
and the special extra section of it crash
| ed into the ordinary train. The regular
| train passed the signal tower all right,
| but orders were given for it to back
| toward Exeter and this was DONE and
| we had only got back very short dis
I tance when the second section crashed
! into the rear portion of our train. 1t
| is said that the second section started
| within two minutes after our train
| started. [ don't know how many peo-
| pie were killed but think there must
! have been at least twenty, and about
| fifty injured. There were about 1S0
| in our train and the second section was
| also crowded
! There were a number of soldiers in
I
! they rendered invaluable assistance in
getting the dead and injured from the
| cars
when the crash came I thought we
| would have been all killed. 1t was a
| terrific crash; people were thrown in
| all directions. and those who were not
| injured by broken wood were more or
| less injured by being bumped against
| the sides of the cars. The scene was a
| most distressing one and L shall never
! forget it,
| TERRIFIC CRASH.
Henry Schnively of Jenkinton. pas
| senger on the regular train, said:
4 was in a smoking car of the regu-
| lar train. Our train ran past the signal
| tower; an order was given for it to
| stop, and another order was given for
| it to reverse and go back. This was
| Immediately done, and we had only got
| a short distance back along the track
| when the second section crashed into
us.
| There was a terrific crash; it sounded
like a big thunderbOlt or an earthquake.
| People were thrown in all directions;
! several of the cars were smashed like
| match wood.
After the sound of the crash had
| died away the screams and cries of
| women and men could be heard on every
| hand. 1 saw a number of bodies of
| the killed and wounded. 1 do not know
| the number, but there must have been
/ about twenty killed outright. Many
others were unconscious. There must
| parlor car our train was smashed,
| but not badly. Its strength saved it
| and the occupiers of it escaped with
| less injuries, 1 believe, than those in
| the accommodation car next to it,
An official of the railway company
| gives the number of dead as twenty
three and says forty are badly injured
| Several of the latter. it is thought, will
first train was occupied principally by
people residing at Norristown, and this
fact accounts for the great number
from that place included in the list OF
| killed and injured.
ARRIVAL AT PHILADELPHIA.
Philadelphia, May 13.-Three cars of
the ill-fatedx second section which
crashed into the first section of the
cannon BALI express train at Exeter
last night arrived here at Ais O'Clock
this morning. The second train was
| composed of six day coaches. but there
| of them were badly wrecked in the col
lision. When the three cars which ar
rived here left the scene of the wreck
they carried a large number of the in
jured and others who escaped injury.
Some of the injured were taken off at
| Pottstown and Is were removed to hos
| pitfalls at Norristown While the train
was standing a the latter place two OF
| the injured expired before they could be
removed. Their names were not learn
ed When the train arrived here there
were on board Harry Orren, the engi-
neer of the second train, and his fire
man, w L. Everett, both of whom were
hurt There were also on the train
half dozen of the uninjured passen-
gers all residents of this city.
Day was just breaking when the
train came to a standstill and many
railroad men and others were waiting
| its arrival The railroad employees
| warmly congratulate the engineer and
| fremen on their miraculous escape. As
the oil begrimed railroaders shook
hands tears came to the eyes of many
of themi Orrell had been reported dead
11,1t ba opIU injury he received was 2