Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-05-12
WENT TO SLEEP
At HIS POST.
Result Was a Fr.ghtful Accident on
the {, 90, R, R,
II CARS IN THE COLLISION.
Trainmen KILLED aud Bodies Burned
Pour OIL Cars Explode seven
Deaths Eiremen Injured.

Philadelphia, May l2-Frank Lantel.
a tower operator iu the employ OF the
B. & o. Railroad company. stationed
at the entrance OF the tunnel under
25th street, just ousiIe Of Paramount
Park, 1t IS claimed slept at his post
As q result "a disastrous resr-end
freight collision occurred early today In
the tunnel. causing the death OF I'm.
sineer George Loeb and Fireman Geo.
Hickman, aud &c is believed live tramps.
who We're stealing ride.
Fire followed yhe wreck and a dozen
or more dremen were injured, while
fighting the flames, and are now IN the
hospitals. All OF the dead were stlll
In the wreckage this forenoon. ,and the
fire department was unable to extin-
guish the flames. which slowly con-
sumed the demolished cars.
Operator Lautel disappeared and the
police are looking for him. The viclnI.
~ Of the tunnel after the accldet be-
came the scene Of wild excitement No
one could approach nearer than within
200 feet Of either opening. owing to the
volume OF flame and smoke which is.
sued thereirom.
The fast New York bound express
freight train of 3A cars reached the tuu-
nei on time and slowed down so that
some of the cars could De shifted. The
second section of the same train. COM
posed of 50 cars. was due about ten
minutes later 10 was TOwarman Ian
tets duty to signal the second section,
as the first had stopped in the tunnel
This Lantel failed 90 do. having. 10 Is
said, fallen asleep. The second section
approached the tunnel at "a rapid rate
OF speed. and crashed with run force
into the FIRST section Engineer Loeb
and Fireman Hinchman of the second
section Mere Immediately crushed 90
death, and the cars piled IN an indis-
crimiate mass, bega 90 burn -Four
oil cars exploded. feeding the flames
A Gre alarm was sent in and hrcmen
Immediately began an eudeayor 20 eX-
lnguiah the flames No attempt was
made 10 rescue the bodies Of the dead
as it was Impossible 20 get near the
point where they lay The Joss 10 the
company is estimated at $4,000.
-Four flremen. who were the most seri.
uusly Injured. arc.
John Jordan InhalIug gas may die.
John McKerman. burns and internal
injuries.
Jos. Davis. burned.
Charles Reu. burned.
Twenty additional firemcn have been
treated Tor minor Injuries.
Each Of the on cars cy0u,ained about
1000 gallons and the burning oil spread
with great rapiditiy 20 the other cars.
The point where the collision occurred
is about midway IN the tunnel. The
latter Is about $500 feet long and e1-
tends along TWenty-hfth street 10 the
edge Of Falrmount Park. close 90 the
famous Washington monument az the
Green street paTk entrance. Up 20 noon
the fire was not under control and the
fremen were experiencing No greatest
difficulty In lighting the flames Dense
volumes OF smoke issued from both
ends Of the tunnel and from holes which
had been cut from the street through
the roof ana the firemen could pence
trate but a short distance before they
were forced 20 return. Several attempts
were made 20 reach the spot where the
bodies are believed 10 be located. but
without success, and It Is the opinion
they have been burned beyond hope "
being Identified
Day Waterman Geo. J. Robertson Is
authority for the statement that Oper-
atOr Lantel was asleep at his post.