The San Francisco call., 1903-12-24

CONNELLSVILLE, Pa, Dec. 2S.-
limited, the fastest through passenger
train from Pittsburg to New York on
the Baltimore and Ohio, plowed into
pile of lumber at Laurel Run. two miles
west of Dawson, at 7:45 o'clock to-
night. Sixty-three persons were killed
and thirty injured.
Among those injured are the follow
ing: w II. Hancock, Pittsburg, slight
injuries; j. w Bromley. North Brad
dock, Pa, slight injuries; Annie Reese,
Greenwood, Pittsburg. slight bruises;
Thomas j. Dom, -HazelSood, Pa. slight
injuries; Conductor HeIgtb. the limited
conductor. Hazelwood. slight injuries;
w. Martin, Hancock, Md, slight cuts
and bruises; j. A. Allfurter. Bealton.
W. Va, seriously injured: Henry Da-
vies. Redwood. Pa, badly injured; W.
Z. Linford, East McKeesport, Pa. will
die; William Edwards, Cumberland.
Md: Thomas Tippler. Philadelphia;
Harry Devhn, Connellsville, Pa; w.
H. Stoddard. Connellsville, Pa; r. T.
Keifer. Somerset. Pa; John K. Powers.
South Cumberland; j. w. Altman, Con-
nersvire, Pa; Aaron Nerg, East Pitts
burg.
PIINGES TO RIVERS EDGE.
The train left Pfttsburg this evening,
running a few minutes late. in charge
of Engineer William Thornley, of Con-
neIsville When approaching Laurel
Run. over a particularly fine piece of
+I,o in running at high
speed. Suddenly the passengers were
thrown from their seats by the light
ning-like application of the air brakes
and moment later there was a terrific
crash.
The train was made up of two bag
gage cars. two day coaches, one sleeper
and one dining car and at the time
was carrying at the lowest estimate
$50 passengers. The train plowed along
for a considerable distance and the
cars were torn to pieces. passengers
jumping. screaming or falling from the
wreck as it tore along. :
Suddenly the engine swerved to the
left and the coaches plunged down
over the embankment TO the edge of
the Youghiogheny River.
PINNED UNDER WRECKAGE.
The moment the cars stopped rolling
there was a wild scene. Many persons
were pinned beneath the wreckage and
screams and cries rent the air. Many
of the injured, in their mad panic,
plunged into the river. Others. PIN
ioned beneath the heavy timbers,
pleaded in agonized tones for release
SO terrific was the force of the collision
that nearly every passenger suffered
a moments unconsciousness, and many
of the able bodied men were unable to
assist in helping the injured from the
wreck because of having tainted.
The killed were mostly foreigners
who were in the smoking car, Just back
of the baggage car. They were literally
roasted to death, the baggage and
smoker telescoping the engine and i'm
mediately catching fire. Many of their
bodies are lying burned to q crisp in
the baggage-room of the Baltimore and
Ohio depot, to be removed later to the
undertaking shops in the city.
A peculiar feature of the accident was
the fact that not a woman was seri-
ously injured.
CAUSE OF THE DISASTER.
The wreck was caused by the break
ing of castings on carload cf bridge
timbers on a westbound freight train.
which had passed Laurel Run not more
than fifteen minutes before the pas
senger train. The wreck occurred on
curve and it was impossible for En-
gineer Thornley, to see far enough
ahead to detect the obstruction on the
tracks The big Atlantic-typc engine
plunged into the timbers at q velocity
Of sixty miles an hour The engine
plowed into the embankment and. the
baggage car was thrown into the
Youghiogheny River. The smoker fol-
lowed the engine and landed suuarelv
on top of it. This allowed the escaping
steam from the engine to fiji the car.
The smoker was packed to its utmost