Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-25
AN AWFUL SCENE.
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necessary to explain this affair. 1t is
all too apparent" pointing to half a
dozen heavy timbers under the dining
coach, he said, there is the cause of
it. An extra freight west bound has
dropped these timbers on the track and
proceeded the crew unconscious of the
trouble it had left behind
AS fast as recovered from the wreck,
the dead and injured were placed on
trains and brought here. The dead
were taken to the morgues and the in
jured removed to the Connellsville Cot
tage State hospital. So severe were the
wounds of II victims that between 10
O'clock Wednesday and daylight
Thursday morning, they died.
As the bodies were received at the
morgue, they were tabulated and laid
in rows. Most of them We're foreigners.
Among the 60 We're two negroes. The
Duuuesne limited was largely used by
the employees of the Baltimore & Ohio
who work in Pittsburg, and it was
feared that most of them had become
victims of the wreck. A large number
of the engineering corps lived at Con-
nellsville, and used this train to return
home every night.
H. NJ. Mcdonald of Dawson, led the
rescue party at the wreck. Through
his efforts the dead and dying We're
collected and sent to Connellsville.
From the time of the news of the ac-
cident until daylight, there have been
crowds surrounding the morgue. Dur
ing the night the pressure became so
great that the doors had to be locked
and police were used to prevent the
overrunning of the place.
The scene at the wreck is awful.
Cars are piled one on top of another,
lying sideWise and at angles where on
ly the earth supports them while trucks
are piled high upon banks, among the
! bushes as though thrown there by a
giant hand. A full 90 yards from the
seat of the first trouble lies the engine
a wreck-with battered sides and dis
mantled trucks where her great speed
carried her after she struck the wreck.
Almost 10 yards beyond where the en-
CINE toppled over is the forward bag
gage coach lying on the slope of a bank
where it rests at an angle.
! This great train, plunging as it was
through the darkness at go miles an
| hour, dashed around a curve headlong,
into Il Pile of great timbers and was
wrecked. The speed Of the train sent
| it plunging ahead as wheels left the
rails and bumped over the ties until the
rails We're ripped up and out and the
great engine fell over. Two baggage
| cars dashed ahead, past the disman-
| tied engine. leaving the right of way
| and plunging down over a bank.
| The first passenger car, a smoker,
| pushed past the engine and tilted over
! toward it at the same time. This car
| was filed with passengers and all were
| killed.
| A story of courage and heroism sell
dom equalled is told of Benz. Nichols,
steward, on a dining car, the last car
+; on the train. When the train was
dragged sidewise along the road, Mich
OILS WAS in the dining car. Jolting,
| humping and swinging. his car finally
| stopped. Before it had made its last
lurch Nichols leaped and ran toward
the smoker, which was reduced to
| twisted iron and splinters. The crash
had torn the escape valve from the TOP
| of the engine and the steam was shoot
| ing in the car upon the passengers.
Taking off his coat Nichols ripped and
tore it and plugged up the pipe, shut
| ting off the steam. Temporary relief
had been given sufferers.
After this Nichols ran back to the
sleeping cars and rescued five people.
| Following the wreck thieves We're de-
tected robbing the dead and injured.
Two white men and two colored men
, are now in the Dawson police station
! charged with the crime.
At least 20 bodies We're shipped to
their homes. tonight. Collins and rough
boxes began arriving from Pittsburg,
this evening, and the hauling of cas-
kets through the streets on Christmas
eve cast gloom over all the town.