Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1900-05-18
.AE SLEPT At MS POST.
Neglect of Tower Operator Results
in a Disastrous Wreck on
B. and O. Road.
SEVEN LIVES SAID TO HAVE BEEN LOST.
Failure to Signal Causes Two Sections
of Freight Train to Collide In Tun-
mel Nenr Philndelphia-Flrem
Have Desperate Fight with the
the burning WreckaEe.

Philadelphia, May 14.-Frank Lam
tel, a tower operator in the employ of
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad COM
pany. stationed at the entrance of the
tunnel under Twenty-fifth street, just
outside of Paramount Park, slept at his
post. AS result disastrous rear-cnd
freight collision occurred early Satur-
day morning in the tunnel, causing the
death of Engineer George Loeb and
Fireman George Hinchman, and, it is
believed, five tramps who were stealing
ride. Fire followed the wreck and a
dozen or more tiremen were injured
while fighting the flames and are now
in the hospitals.
Dead Buried in Wrecknge.
All of the dead are still buried in the
wreckage and the fire department has
been unable thus far to eXtinguish the
flames, which are slowly consuming
the smashed cars. Operator Lantelhas
disappeared and the police are looking
for him.
The accident occurred shortly after
midnight. The vicinity of the tunnel
early Saturday was 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 issued therefrom.
The fast New York bound express
freight train of SO cars reached the
tunnel on time and slowed down 80
that some of the cars could be shifted.
The second section of the same train,
composed of 80 cars, was due about ten
minutes later.
Neglected to Signal.
1t was Towerman Lantels duty to
signal the second section that the first
had stopped in the tunnel. This Lam
tel did not do, having, it is said, fallen
asleep. The second section approached
the tunnel at rapid rate of speed and
crashed with full force into the first
section. Engineer Loeb and Fireman
| Hinchman, of the second section, were
Immediately crushed to death, and the
cars piled in an indiscriminate heap
began to burn. Four oil cars exploded.
adding to the horror of the situation
and feeding the flames. At this hour
| firemen are still at work endeavoring
| to extinguish the blaze. No attempt
has yet been made to secure the bodies
of the dead. The loss to the company
is estimated at $4,000.
Cannot Reach Bodies.
Each of the oil cars contained about
| 1900 gallons of the fluid and the burn.
ing oil spread with great rapidity to
the other cars. The point where the
collision occurred is about midway in
the tunnel. The latter is about % feet
long and extends along Twenty-fifth
street, to the edge of Fairmount Park
close to the famous Washington mon.
ument at the Green street park en-.
trance. The firemen experienced the
greatest difficulty in fighting the fire.
| Dense volumes of smoke poured from
both ends of the tunnel and from holes
which had been cut from the street
through the roof and the firemen could
penetrate but a short distance before
they were forced to return. Several at.
tempts were made to reach the spot
where the bodies were believed to be
located. but without success, and it is
the opinion that they have been burned
beyond hope of being identified.
Day Waterman George j. Robertson
is authority for the statement that
Operator Lantel was asleep at his post
To Enlarge the Plant.
| Pittsburgh, Pa, May Il. The
Pressed Steel Car company has de-
cided to meet the demands for its
| steel underframe wooden box car. and
to this end the present works of the
company at McKee's Rocks will be en-
larged to provide for an output of so
cars of the type in question per day.
When the addition is completed the
total ear capacity of the company will
be $50 cars per day.