Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-25
Tragedy Of the ConneIIsviIe,
Pa, Railroad Wreck
Can Never Fully Be Explained BY
People Who Participated
But Horror of Affair Will Stay For.
ever with Survivors.

nights wreck of the Duquesne Limited
on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad near
Dawson. These bodies filled the tenn
porary morgues in this city and it is
believed nearly score more will be
added to the death list before the day
| is over.
OF the bodies recovered 40 have been
| identified and II are designated as
unknown" Most of the latter were
foreigners, principally Italians. There
was also one Chinaman.
| In the hospitals, three of the injured
were expected to die at any moment
and five others We're in a critical con-
dition.
| When General NJ anager Sims of the
| Baltimore & Ohio .ailroad arrived at
| the scene of Wednesday nights catas-
| trophe near Dawson, he was so over
come that he cried. Men and women
who crowded to the scene We're COM
PEELED to turn away from the affecting
sights.
| When the relief train reached here
thousands of people We're at the station.
| A large number of Connellsville people
had gone to Pittsburg for Christmas
| shopping and We're expected home on
the limited.
Every available cab and carriage
had been held in waiting to convey the
injured to the hospitals. Citizens
formed themselves into relief corps
and gave assistance in the removal of
the wounded from the train.S
In addition to the II who have died
since being taken from the wreck,
bar rtnip ~ no cd
to the number of victims. All have
inhaled the steam and are suffering
intensely.
Louis Hilgot conductor of the train,
was in the second day coach when the
crash came and no one knows just how
or what happened to him. D. w. Hills,
porter on one of the sleepers, said that
as soon as he could get off his car he
went forward and heard someone
shouting from the top of the bank
where he recognized Hilgot's voice.
He was in terrible agony but shouted
at the top OF his voice:
For Gods sake, I am scalded to
death, but some one of you get red
lamp and flag 40 or she will be on u.s."
Even in the mental suffering of ev-
eryone about the scene, the bravery
and thoughtfulness of the dying con-
ductor was sufficient to bring words
of praise and commentator.
Porter Hills, telling of his expert
ence, said:
4 went to the smoking car and be-
gan to get the injured out. The car
was the most awful scene l ever wit
messed. Men We're damned into all
sc oh, =
each other and buried under heaps of
dirt and seat cushions. When 1 tried
to lift one man out l found others so
tightly wedged into the same place
that several had to be aided at time.
got several out. Many We're badly
bruised and some of the scalded were
in such fearful condition that they
would better be dead. Some of them
had lost their eyes entirely. The bag
gage and clothing of the passengers
was scattered all over the ground.
Some of it was soaked with blood,
while in the mass could be seen piles
of toys telling the pathetic tale of
Christmas shopping that came to such
a pitfful end
At 5 o'clock, Thursday morning, there
remained a small crowd clustered
around bonfires at the scene of the
wreck watching the railroad men at
work clearing UP. AS the light from
the fires flicllered up it's rays were cast
on q human form, pinioned in between
two cars. 1t was that of man, one
III known to anyone about. The body
is so fastened that nothing but the
bushy head of the victim protrudes and
the remainder OF this human form is
pinned under tons of wreckage.
1t may be some hours before the body
can be taken out Whether or not
there are any others beneath the
wrcckage will not be known until later
in the day when the full extent Of the
disaster is made apparent.
IN describing the wreck one of the
trainmen said:
"Half way round the curve the loco
motive struck the big timbers in it's
path, and began with lightning-li<e
rapidity to careen and roll, and with
he ponderous train crowding it fell
! over on it's side. The instant it did so
the momentum of the train behind sent
the tender clear over the PROSTATE To-
connective like q football and before it
could stop it was lying on the water
| level some 90 feet below. Next came
the baggage car which went over the
end near the water. The smoker of the
| train was smashed like kindling. The
sleepers still crowding but not break
! ing, swept along, literally tearing up
the steel rails as though they were
made Of paper.
| The first sleeper when it finally stop
ped rested directly over the locomotive.
| The dining car remained on the track
and the steward and crew were not
| harmed. When the grinding and crush
| ing OF steel and wood ceased there was
for the moment a dead silence. Then
! came the means and cries of anguish
from the poor wretches who were be-
ing scalded or burned to DEATH"
! When asked if there would be any
investigation on the part of the rail-
road officials the superintendent said:
Il don't think an investigation is
| Continued from page ~