Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1900-09-03

pinned down by wreekage, aud had to
be freed by the liberal use OF axes.
With three or four exceptions the dead
were killed instantly the others dying
on their way to the hospitals. MI
the injured We're first taken to shed
al the Hatfield station. and the dead
we're removed TO Il barn. Messengers
were sent to the nearest villages FOR
physicians and relief train was telc-
praphed for from Bethlehem. With
j. doctors and half Il dozen nurses
special train was sent from Betlile-
hem. but before it reached the scene of
tlse wreck II was signalled 70 return to
Heshlehein as special carrying nearly
ali the injured had started for the
hospital at that place. On the run
from Hatfield to the hospital three OF
the injured died. Great trouble was
experienced in keeping the relatives
away from the injured ON the train. 50
that the doctors gathered from Hat
field could attend 70 the wounded.
An Excited popuIace.
The special train arrived at 3etllle-
hem ut 1880. and WAS met by fully
5000 people. all clamoring to get 4 bit
Of news of the wreck or trying to learn
whether loved ones were among the
Killed The news of the wreck had
reached Bethlehem at O'Clock and
spread like wildtire. All the police of
tne town Were gathered at the station,
and it was with great difficulty that
the injured We're removed to the wait
ing ambulanees and other vehicles
which conveyed them to the hospitals.
Al during the day people from NJ
lentoWn, Catasqua and other places
came pouring into Bethlehem and con
fusion reigned throughout the city.
The second section of the excursion
made ND Of persons from towns other
than Bethlehem and Alletown. left
soon after the first section. but was
tagged before it reached Hatfield. As
It could not get through on account of
the blocked tracks ii was returned to
bethlehem, and there was great rejoc-
ing at the narrow escape of its occu-
pants from the catastrophe.
The coroner of Montgomery county
visited the wreck early and spent the
entire day at the scene. He at once
directed tine removal of the dead to
Iansdale. short distance south of
Hatfield. He promised a rigorous in
vestigation into the horror.
There are conflicting stories as to re-
sponsihillty for the accident One YER
sion is that the engineer Of the exeur-
sion train had been warned ut Souder-
town. the station above Hatfield. that
milk train was a few minutes ahead of
him. Another story is that the train
dispatcher'S office in Philadelphia was
at fault. The trainmen refuse to talk
Of the accident.
Fifteen hundred tickets had been
sold for the excursion to the seashore,
and it was to have been the last OF the
season.
Post 81 Had Narrow Escape.
Post 81. G. \. r.. of this city. which
was returning from the Chicago Grand
Army encampment. had a narrow es-
cape When the special carrying the
post drew into South Bethlehem it was
held up to water the engine and to
save time the excursion train was run
out on the schedule of the G. A. K.
train. the latter leaving about 10 min
utes later than the excursion. About
two miles above the scene Of the wreck
the g. A. X. special was sidetracked
and held UP for nine hours. arriving
here about 3 O'Clock this afternoon.
As soon as the members of the post
heard of the wreck they walked down
to it and rendered what assistance they
could to the sufferers.
]. Il. Fluck. commander of the post,
speaking of the accident. said: "It
was certainly lucky thing for the
post that we were held up at South
Bethlehem. as had we run out on our
schedule the chances are our train
would have colliGed with the milk
train
The coroner does not think the train
crew are responsible in any way They
Were stopped at the station as regu
lar superintendent Tomlinson, of the
New York division of the Reading rail
way. spent all of yesterday at the
wreck scene. and he said. when asked
what the accident was due to: 1T
was doubtless due to negligence. If
the train dispatcher at Philadelphia
had done his duty this would not have
happened He had orders to send or
ders to Souderton to have the first see
ton of the excursion train held there
until the milk train had departed from
Hatfield"
When asked if he expected any ar
rests to he made The answered that
was n future consideration.
1--WE hire men who are supposed to
is evident that we have been mis-
taken in somebody. A thorough inves-
tigation will be started right away"
". s Groves, the dispatcher at the
Philadelphia office. who ran the spe-
Gals. was unable or unwilling last
night to explain the cause of the ac-
cident He said. however. when asked
whether he had failed to carry out
any orders that had been given him
that he had not.
"As matter of fact" said Mr..
Groves. Il do not care to express an
opinion on the matter nor make any
statement ut this time. | will want to
know more facts before say any
thing"
Train Runs Into an Open switch.
Washington. Sept 2. An accident
on the Chesapeake Beach railway at
Chesapeake Junction caused the death
of one man and the injury of two 9th