The evening times., 1900-05-12

I
of life and property has resulted from the
railway wreck in the Twenty fifth Street
! Tunnel of the Baltimore and Ohio Road.
which occurred at an early hour this morn-
| ing and was followed by FIRE. A fast
freight train dashed into fifteen cars
standing in the tunnel. because a switch
tower operator stationed al the CallowhiH
entrance to the tunnel, under Twenty fifth
Street. fell asleep at his post.
The terrific rear-end collision has re-
suited in the death Of an engineer and
! fireman, the probable death Of five tramPs,
injury to score Of Philadelphia freight
ers. a loss of $500 .0O0 to railway rolling
! stock and its contents, and one of the herc-
/ est fires ever witnessed in this city, ard
which premises TO burn for the balance Of
the day
The operator. Lantel, who is accused Of
delinquency in duty. was seen 5y the po-
lice Immediately following the accident
but when the order came for his arrest he
had disappeared.
Those reported dead from the collision
are
! George Loeb, engineer, Philadelphia and
Reading Railway; body in the ruins and
may never be recovered.
George Hiuchman, fireman, Philadelphia
and Reading Railway; body also in wreck.
Five tramps, on the wrecked train. whose
bodies. it is believed. have been cremated.
The injured include:
John Aekerman, OF engine No. 81, badly
burned about hands and face, taken 10 Ger
man Hspital about O'Clock in an uncon-
| scious condition due TO suhocation by
! smoke. believed TO be suffering internal in
/ iuries.
Joseph Davis. Of Engine No. L, seriously
burned by blazing oil, taken to Jefferson
Hospital
Charles Rau, Of Engine No. IS. badly
/ burned about the face and body, taken to
Jefferson Hospital
William Murphy assistant foreman;
James Van Sewer. driver; Daniel Bunting.
hcseman. and many others Of engine COM
pany No. IS, who were injured by inhaling
gases.
The fremen have been on duty for
twelve hours continuously and are now
entirely played out. The STATS Of The JEFF
ferson and German Hospitals have been
on the scene since s O'Clock this morning.
and have worked hard during all the time.
The tunnel OF the subway has been turned
TO an improyised hospital, and beds. blan-
kets and sheets are spread everywhere,
/ while hurrying physicians and nurses are
caring for the injured. About fifteen O.her
hremen. who were partly sunocated by The
| dense smoke and burned. were treated BY
! surgeons from the hospitals who had their
ambulances ready for any emergency.
/ The vicinity OF the tunnel this morning
was the scene of the widest excitement
witnessed in this city for many years, and
many thousands Of people were attracted
( by the volcano OF fame issuing from both
( funnel openings with a great roaring
noise. No one could approach nearer than
| two hundred feet Of either opening. and
( the fremen we're pOwerless TO do anything,
notwithstanding their brave efforts 10 sub
I due the flames
/ AT 1880 O'Clock this morning the fast
/ New York express freight train Of thirty
! eight cars reached the tunnel on time and
| slowed down sc that seventeen Of the cars
/ could be shifted The second section of
/ the same train, composed OF thirty nine
cars, was due about ten minutes later.
II was Towerman Frank Lantel's duty TO
signal the second section that the first
section had stopped in the tunnel. In
stead Lantel failed to perform his respOn-
sible duty.
The second section approached the tun-
mel at the speed OF twenty-three miles an
hour and Engineer Loeb and Fireman
Hinchman. finding the signal set for them
that ali was clear, entered the half mile
tunnel from which they were never to
emerge alive. A few minutes later ter
rife crash occurred. The cars came TO
an instant stop. Some were derailed,
while those nearest the entrance of the
tunnel were telescoped.
The alarm was instantly given, and in
few minutes LanteI, the operator. was
found. Dense smoke began to pour from
the mouth of the tunnel near the park
muffied reports OF explosions OF four loaded
oil cars which made up the train we're
heard and almost simultaneously, the in
terror Of the tunnel was lighted up with
fame Each Of the oil cars contained
1900 gallons, which made fine food for
the flames, and it was only the work OF a
few minutes for the other cars including
those loaded with coal, 20 catch on FIRE
An alarm Of fire was quickly sent in. and
a number of companies responded. but on
account Of the fire being located near the
centre of the tunnel, it was next to impos-
sible fo- the men to accomplish much.
Chief Baxter was early on the scene and
and took charge of the daring frefghters
who were eager in their endeavors to save
the lives of any injured railroad men who
were caught in the wreck. Their efforts
were without avail and it is not thought
that even the bodies Of the unfortunate
men will be recognizable, even if they are
found.
Inside the tunnel. which extends about
{, 500 feet along Twenty-ifth Street from
Callowhill Street TO Fa4rmount Park. are
nearly forty cars and one locomotive. all
OF which viii be totally destroyed The
fighting of the underground ere is being
done from both ends Of the tunnel and
from holes which have been cut from the
street through the roof
d. & o. Week-End Country Ex-
curssons
Tickets sold Saturdays and sundays for return
until Monday following, a: reduced rates from
II Oh