Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-24
SIXTY DIE IN A WRECK.
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surviving passengers today. When the ter
rible slide of the engine dragged the train
whirling sideways along the road Nichols
was in the dining car. He was battered
from one side to another of the car. JOLT
ing, humping and swinging, the car finally
stopped. 1t was on the end OF the tram,
and 1t Is for this reason that Nichols anu
others on that car were not injured.
Before the car had made its last lurch
Nichols had leaped and was running toward
the smoker, which was reduced to matter
of twisted iron and splinters. The crash
had torn the escape valve from the top OF
the engine and the steam was shooting IN
the car upon the struggling mass of smok-
ing humanity.
The escaping steam was the first thing
that attracted the plucky steward. Taking
off his coat, he ripped and tore the garment
until it was in shreds. With this he plug
Temporary relief had been given the suf-
ferers, but Nichols was not done.
Worked Until Overcome.
Long before the passengers in the Pull
man coaches had stepped to the ground
Nichols had taken the first step in the
work of rescue. Climbing through broken
window. he leaped into the dark car. The
hot, suffocating steam filled the car. The
what to do Picking UP the first human
form at hand, Nichols carried 1t out in the
open. Placing the injured victim on the
frozen ground, Nichols once more entered
the car. By this time other rescuers had
arrived. One after another was handed
out, until five were rescued. =,
At this point the steward was compelled
to leap to the ground. being exhausted ana
overcome by the heat and steam. Other
employees entered the car and continued the
work Of rescue. They were soon re1oined
by Nichols, who once more had recovered.
For hours the work continued 1t being d1f-
ficult even with the aid of the wreck crew.
Many of the victims were wedged between
heavy timbers, and it was O'Clock be1ore
all the injured had been removed. FOLLOW
ing the wreck thieves were detected rob-
hing the dead and injured. Two white men
and two colored men are now In the DaW-
son police station charged with this crime.
Wrecked in Desolate Region.
All western connections are made at
Pittsburg. and the train is usually filled
with western buyers tourists and travelling
people generally bound for New York.
Around Connellsville. where the wreck
took place. the road winds through the AL
legheny mountains in a tortuous circuit,
and although heavily ballasted the cars
rock and sway as the reverse curves are
made, and old engineers on the road declare
that they never feel easy on the "TRIP pc
Z
train Is speeding at the rate or htty mics
an hour until they pass this section Oh
road. :.
Some of the most disastrous wrecks in
the history of the road have taken place In
this neighborheod, when fast passengers
and heavily laden coke trains nave peen
ditched as they were rushlns east"dlu ~
make connection with their running seheu
ule. r., 800 80
The train is run under full head Oh
steam averaging fully fifty, and when be-
hind time sixty miles an hour.
Tn many places the tracks are almost on
river. and during freshets in the spring
season great care is taken by the company
to watch for landslides and cavelns causeo
by the overflow.
One of the greatest acts OF neroisni &c
corded of the horrible night was the 1eat
of William Marietta, owner of a prominent
hotel at Connellsville, a passenger on the
train. and himself gashed and WOUNDED,
hardly able to see Tor th ne p pioued and and
form scalp, who ran all the way along the
railroad tracks to Dawson, town Two
miles away from the scene of the wreck.
half unconscious hardly able to speak.
All he could do was to whisper, hoarsey'
"a wreck-a wreck-many dead"
Then. with a shaking hand ana qui ,s
ering finger, he pointed westward. lis
patches were sent to Conne1lsville and
wrecking train was made up there
The three physicians Of Dawson, one OF
them on horseback, the other TWO IN a
carriage, started for the scene OF the
wreck. Hundreds of citizens followed,
big, brawny coal miners most OF them;
and most heroic was the work they dld
when they got there; spdenaldiy n use tha
saving of many lives is due to the class
of men that Dawson turned out first to
the scene of the wreck.
Was So Overcome He Cried.
When General Manager Sims arrived at
the scene Of last nights accident. near
Dawson, he was so overcome that he cried
Men and women who crowded the scene
were compelled to turn away from the al
fecting sights. When the relief train
reached here thousands of people were at
the station. A large number of Connells-
vile people had gone to Pittsburg FOR
Christmas shopping and were expected
home on the limited.
Every available cab and carriage had
been held in waiting to convey the injured
to the hospitals. Citizens formed them
selves into a relief corps and gave assist
ance in the removal of the wounded from
the train.
In addition to the eleven who have died
since being taken from the wreck, many
others are certain to be added to the num-
Der OF victims All have inhaled the steam
and suffering intensely.
Louis H1lgot, the 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 until afterward.
d. w. Hills, porter on one of the sleepers,
said that as soon he could get off his
car he went forward and heard some one
shouting from the top of the bank, where
he by going forward, recognized Iilgot's
voice. He was in terrible agony, but shout
ed at the top of his voice. For God 8
sake, / am scalded to DEATH but some one
of you get red lamp and flag 40 or she
will be on us!''
Brave in the Face of Death.
Even IN the mental suffering of every one
about the scene the bravery and thought
fulness of the dying conductor was suff1ci-
emit to bring words Of praise and common
dation.
Porter Hills, telling of his experience,
said:
Il went to the smoking car and began
to get the injured out. The car was the
most awful seen. / ever witnessed. Men
were damned into all sorts Of shapes. They
were on top of each other and buried under
heaps of dirt and seat cushions. When