Evening star., 1905-05-11
RAILROAD TRAIN
BLOWN TO ATOMS
Early Morning Wreck Near
Harrisburg, Pa.
MANY DEAD AND INJURED
Bodies Burned Beyond Probable Iden-
tifcatiOn.
PASSENGER TRAIN RUNS INTO FREIGHT WRECK
TWO CARLOADS OF DYNAMITE EXPLODE. CAUS-
ING A HORROR ALMOST INDESCRIBABLE-
HOSPITALS FILLED WITH SUF-
FERING HUMANITY.

J. J. Ryan, Philadelphia; left side and
chest injured.
R. L. ]. Rose, Pullman porter; internal
injuries.
J. Roman. New York; hand lacerated.
Samuel Stern, Cleyeland; back sprained
and head lacerated.
A. P. Shumaker, Pittsburg; general con-
tusionS and burns of body.
H. Silverman, Chicago; fractured arm
and leg.
Mrs. C. H. Stow, Brooklyn: eye injured
and cut.
H. ]. Schmidt, New York; bruises and
cuts.
Henry Spitzler Wineberg, Pa; bruises
of head and body.
NJ. b. Sterrett, Chicago; hands and feet
injured.
Mrs. ]. A. Stanley New York; cut on
head.
John Taylor, New York; legs burned and
scalp cut.
Thomas w. West Philadelphia; scalp
cut and lip lacerated
D. d. White, Philadelphia; scalp cut and
abrasions.
w. G. Whitley. Wilmington, Del; cuts
Oh head and arms.
Cause of the Wreck.
The wreck was caused by smaller wreck
to the freight train. which was east bound.
Passing the plant of the Paxtang Elec-
trio Company, near Cedar street, an air
hose burst, and several cars in the middle
of the train buckled UP and fell across the
passenger train at the side.
Almost at the same moment the express
train, with ten coaches. dashed along and
plunged into the wrecked freight cars. The
boiler of the passenger locomotive blew up
and the conclusion caused the immediate
explosion of the two cars of dynamite near
by in the freight train.
The force of the collision smashed all of
the passenger cars, which piled up in a
huge mass with those of the freight.
Raging Mass of Flames.
Instantly the two trains were raging
mass of flames. With the crash the pas
sengers, all of whom were asleep in their
berths. were hurled in all directions Many
of them were tossed free of the wreckage,
some down the railroad embankment some
into the Sus9uehanna river.
All who were not pinned in the debris or
totally incapactated ran away from the
volcano-like mass. Strong men with nerves
of steel, who would have given their lives
to save anyone in the perfect hell that
existed, governed by common sense, knew
that 1t was impossible to reach the i'm
prisoned passengers whose cries rent the
air for blocks.
AT 4:30 o'clock this morning the first two
bodies of those that were pinned in the
wreckage were recovered. They were so
badly charred that they could not be rec
ognized, but it is believed that they were
women.
While the fire was still raging fiercely the
burning bodies of the dead could be seen
still lying in their berths. In several cases
the flesh had been entirely burned away SO
that the red hot bones shined like will-o'-
the-wisps in the dark.
Nine freight cars were also DESTROYED and
three others derailed and wrecked The
passenger train, of which not a valuable
square inch was left, had consisted of one
locomotive, torn to pieces when the ex-
plosion occurred, six Pullman sleeping
coaches, two baggage cars one mail coach
and one engine tender.
AS soon as some of the dead and injured
were reached they were laid in long ghastly
rows along the tracks. Many We're carried
into the offices and even into the working
rooms of the Paxtang plant and other
manufacturing establishments There are
few private dwellings near the scene of the
disaster which is an industrial district The
Paxtang plant was transformed into an
emergency hospital. where everything was
done for the mangled and dying while they
waited for conveyances to the Harrisburg
Hospital
Removing the Unfortunates.
Cabs and all available conveyances were
commissioned into ambulances and Joined
In the work of removing the unfortunates.
Special trains were Immediately made by
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and
conveyed the injured to Union station.
Mrs. III. Picker and two sons of New York
city were in an upper berth in Pullman
car. A man IN the next berth took up one
child and the mother took the other and
jumped out of the window. They hurried
TO the river, when the biggest explosion oc-
CURED. and a flying piece of timber hit
Mrs. Picker on the forehead. knocking her
senselcss. The others escaped injury.
At the hospital every available bed was
soon flled. Every physician surgeon
available in the city was called and imme-
,liatey rendered his services in the hercu-
lean task of caring for and dressing the
wounds of tho mangled. Trained nurses
volunteered their services, and all who had
any knowledge OF first aid to the injured