The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1899-05-19
NEARLY THIRTY DEAD.
Terrible Railway Disaster On the
Reading to a Train in
Two Sections.
CASE OF REAR-END TELESOOPING,
Three Cars Being Driven into Each
Other, Killing and Manning.

Reading, Pa, May ia collision of
passenger trains occurred on the Phil
adeIphia and Reading railroad at Exc
ter, about six miles south of this city,
last night and a 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 a 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 Many 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
ton 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
/ 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.
The second relief train left Exeter at
$3.50 a. M 1t brought to Reading TWEEN
ty additional bodies The rames not yet
known. Most Of the seriously injured
were brought here on the first relief
train.
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 ONeil, Norristown;
Luther Custer, serious, Pottstown;
John Johnson, serious, Mount Clair;
Patrick Kern Norristown; Pascal Wal
tiers, Swedeland; Harry Lester seri-
ously, Phoenixville; L. B. Vanderslice,
Phoenixville; Theodore Adde 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.
A Later Report.
Reading, Pa, May 15.-The total num-
Der of dead as a result of Friday
nights rear-end collision on the Phila-
delphia and Reading railway at Exeter
six miles below here, reached twenty
nine yesterday. William D. Jenkins, OF
Norristown, dying at the hospital al
that place. Of the large number of in
jured persons still in the hospitals here
three are in serious condition, and
small hope is entertained for their re-
covery. They are William Friedenhorn
Thaddeus S. Adle and George w
Holmes, all of Norristown. Holmes g.
year-old son was instantly killed in the
accident, but the hospital physicians
have not yet informed the father of the
boys death. The responsibility for the
accident has not yet been fixed.
The correct list of dead, emitting thu
one noted above, is as follows: Joh1
SIingluff and H. Thompson, Norris
town; Elmer Shelley, Hatboro; Franz
Sower Henry G.. Wentz, William Stab
Ter. Joseph Taylor and John K. Kuntz
Norristown; Charles G. Leaf, For
Washington; Samuel r. Beatty, Con
shohocken; Charles H. White, Norris
town; Captain G. c. Eicholtz, Downing
town; George Schan and William Lew
is Norristown; H. Hunchburger, Gui
Mills: J. E Filman, and G. H. Howell
Reading; John Johnston, Hatboro
John H. Coulston, Norristown; c. L
Laverty, Harrisburg; Daniel H. Yode
and Lucien ]. Custer, aged 10, Potts
town; William G. Camm. H. j. Hartfor
and Norman Holmes (aged 49,, Norris
town; Michael Lawn, Germantown
two unidentified men.
There were fifty wounded, many o
them severely and a dozen or NOR
seriously, besides some who will not re
cover.
FATALIAKE DISASTER.