The Washington times., 1903-12-24
DuqueSne Limited, Going at
Rate OF Sixty Miles an
Hour, pIungeS Into Tim
Der Fallen Across Track.
Dying Conductor Flags Train
in Rear to Avert Second
DiSaSter--ScedeS of HOr-
ror Follow Catastrophe.

CONNELLSvILLE. Pa. Dec 24-The
death roll OF last nights terrible wreck.
when the Duquesae Limited. on the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. crashed
into an obstruction left on the tracks
and partly fell into the YoughiOgheny
River. IS still incomplete this morning.
but the latest estimate places the num-
ber OF victims at sixty.
Doctors ere working over the wound
ed in the Cottage State Hospital
here. The work of getting out the
bodies at the scene OF the wreck has
about been completed. and the remains
have been brought here. The three
morgueS- OF the town are filed. and
Burgess Charles Patterson has turned
over the new city hall to be used as a
mOrgue- Many OF the bodies have not
as yet been identified.
Sixty Miles an Hour
Tie wreck vas ons of the wors- in
railroad annals Tearing through the
night 81 the rate Of sixty miles Al hour.
the Duquesne Limited. the fastest train
Oh the road. Allied with Christmas shop
pers and others returning home for the
holidays. plunged into a rlle OF heavy
timbers which had fallen from a pass
ing freight train There was mighty
crash and the big engine toppled over.
hurling the water tank over on its
SIDE. while the smoking ear. crowded.
10 the doors with passengers. was
hurled on top of the engine.
The heavy platform of the smoker
tore off the steam dome of the engine.
The steam from the broken dome flied
the smoker from end 20 end. and though
the windows were all broken out. the
rush Of hot vapor was 50 sudden that
none were able TO get out before hope
iessly scalded. Many OF the stricken
people who managed TO Chamber through
the windows In mad delirium OF main
and suffering ran screaming into tic
woods There they We're later found
and their injuries cared for.
Steam Inhalation Fatal
one man. after rushing into the woods.
came back again. went into thu bag
gage car Of the relief train, and. sit
ting down. said:
My Cod
Then ne fell over dead without an
other word. There was not a seq upon
him. He had Inhaled the steam.
The rear OF the train. the dining car.
Pullman cars. and day coaches. were
jasamed together in the cOncussie>> AMI
topDled over on theh sides. A few Of
the cars slipped into the river The
Youghiogheny is not deep. and that
saved a further catastrophe. Those who
were uninjured left the cars and the
work of rescuing the imprisoned began
Ground to Pieces.
Engineer Thornley, was found grouEe
10 pieces under the engine. The fireman
has not yet been found As fast as pos
sible. the dead and wounded were taken
from the wreck and laid upon the
gressy bank. where they were covered
with the cIoaks and wraps OF the ur-
wounded passengers Many OF the
wounded were much disfigured. their
flesh being scaided and boiled 50 thss
it fell of in shreds- Every feature OF
horror was there TO be seen.
Word was sent TO this city from the
scene of the wreck at Laurel Run. ana
a RELIEF train was hurried to the spot.
General Manager Sims. OF the road. uDok
charge of the train and. with other Of
ficials and eight doctors. he gave orders
70 get 10 the scene at once. The wound
ed were placed aboard the relief train.
and as soon as IL was filed il was hur-
ried TO this city
Injured Die in Carriages
At the station was waiting every
Il
mounted the drivers boxes and others
gave aid in assisting the wounded from
the cars to the cabs. As fast as one
was placed in "A cab or carriage the
horses were lashed TO 4 gailop and
driven TO the Cottage State Hospital.
where every possible aid was given.
Several OF the injured died on their way
10 the hospital Three died on the
train coming from Laurel Run. and
four others died while in carriages on
their way TO the hospital
Meanwhile in the red glare OF Ian
terms. men worked feverishiy down at
the scene OF the wreck completing the
work of rescue. Through the heroiSm
of Baggagemaster Thomas J. Dem. ef
Hazlewood and Conductor Louis Hell
goth. second wreck vas prevented.
After the first binding crash came they
realized that not far behind train No
40 was coming all unmindful cs. the
wreck. Not a lantern could be found
and all lights were out.
Dying Conductors Heroism.
Staggering down the track. for Hell
goth was dying and only living by his
will. they took matches from their
rr~r.