The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1904-01-01
DEATH HARVEST
Over Three Score People
Killed in a Frightful
Railway Wreck.
VICTIMS TERRIBLY SCALDED
Duquesne Flyer Going at High
Speed, Crashes into Tim
! bers Lost by Freight.

Connellsville. Pa. Dee. 25.-The
most appalling railroad accident that
ever occurred on the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad left its harvest of death
and ruin at Laurel Run, a mile west
OF Dawson, last evening, when over
three score people were killed and
many injured.
The fatal train was the fast pride of
the Baltimore and Ohio. the Duquesne
Flyer, scheduled as No. H. running
east. 1t was hauled by engine No
1,465, Engineer William Thornley, of
Lakewood. AS the train, which car
ried one baggage car, one smoker, one
day coach, two Pullman sleepers and
a Pullman diner. reached Laurel Run
it was making terrific speed, by many
judged at not less than sixty miles an
hour
A few minutes before a freight
train passed along, having several cars
loaded with heavy timber. The stays
on one Of the cars had broken and
allowed some of the timbers TO drop
on the track
Terrific Crash Follows.
Engineer Thornley, did not see the
obstruction. The emergency brakes
were not thrown on. There was sim
ply crash. sharp, terrific, binding To
everybody upon the train, rending of
timbers. deafening roar of steam
and then the silence of death.
The engine plunged straight along
the track. then into the side of the
hill and stopped as lightning stops.
The tender. with the tcrriblemOmentum
OF the weight and speed behind it,
leaped high into the air aud was driv-
on like thundcrbolt "a hundred feet
ahead of the boiler of the engine. The
baggage car turned croSSwiSe and went
over the bank TO the right The Smol-
er coming on i'm the frightful rush
mounted The boiler Of the engine.
knocking off the top of the steam
dome
Steam Roa~t- Victims.
From this spout OF hell roar of
seeting steam rushed up into the smok-
or, and it is scarcely possible that
single person in that car escaped
death
The day coach was damaged CON
siderahly. too. and many persons with.
in were injured The two Pullman
coaches escaped injury, nobody aboard
being hurt TO any extent They re
manned intact but left the track, their
trucks being knocked ont from under
them The diner stopped 50 suddenly
that the few people i'm il. with all the
tables and chairs, were hurled to the
front end and i'm orc heap Of debris.
Oar moss had settled over ii all. but
10 odd 10 the horror through the fumes
OF - urous steam and yapor the rcd
flames began 10 kindlc up.
Rush into the Woods.
The windows i'm the cars were shat
tered. but the rush Of steam was so
sudden that the helpless inmates had
not time to get out before they were
cooked. Many. scrambling out of the
windows rushed into the woods above
the clay bank. and with loud screams
got into the bushes before they could
ne captured
belrium was i'm every mind One
man. walking out calmly returned into
the wreck Of the baggage car and
sitting down upon chest. said: MY
Cod and dropped over dead. He did
not have n scar upon him. but had in
hailed the hot steam.
Engineer Thornley, was crushed to IA
pulp beneath a portion of his engine
The fireman could not lac found.
YnNC list nE VI.T,uS