Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-05-11
Telegraphic News
Railroad Horror.


Harrisburg, Pa, May 1.-THE burst
ing of an air hose on a freight train
caused the loss of about twenty lives, the
injury of hundred people on a passen
ger train, the destruction by fire Of the
passenger train, and the burning of part
of the freight train early this morning
on the Pennsylvania railroad in South
Harrisburg.
The second section ct Cleveland aud
Cincinnati express, westbound, plunged
into the wrecked freight train exploding
two cars of dynamite and strewing the
ground with the dead and mangled
b. ,diss OF nearly all of the 1863 passen-
gers and the members Ofthe crews OF the
two trains. The explosion destroyed
windows all over the city, and set fire
to both trains.
As the freight train, bound east, was
passing the Cedar street crossing an air
hose burst, and several cars in the mid
die of the train bnckled and fell across
the passenger track. At the same mo-
ment the passenger train of the ten
coaches dashe, into the derailed freight
cars. This exploded car Of dynamite
in the freight train and the passenger
cars were mixed up in the resulting wreck
of the freight. Almost instantly the two
trains were on fire.
The inmates of the passenger train
we're either killed outright as they slept,
or were thrown through the windows.
The scenes following the crash and
the explosions were Of the most horrible
nature. Women were screaming, children
were crying, and strong men we're wan
dering about dazed and helpless. The
tracks we're strewn in all directions with
half naked men and women some OF
whom were dead and others seriously in
jured.
Several of the passengers who escaped
serious injury give thrilling descriptions
of their ex oerience and the horrible sights
they witnessed. Some OF the unfortunates
were pinned in by the seats or wreckage
and burned to death before the eyes of
those who we're powerless to render ab-
sistance. In some cases heroic but I'M
successful attempts were made to pull in
jured persons through windows.
Eighteen bodies have been rescued,
only five of which could be Identified.
1t is believed the list of dead will reach
twenty-five.
Six bodies, the arms:and legs burned
of, are beyond recognition. One body,
that of man, with arms and one leg
burned off, and face burned to crisp,
and beyond recognition, bore evidence oil
being that of a man well to do, as the
trouser leg that still remained was Of the
finest material. A man, who evidently
was in sleeper, as he wore pajsmas,
and whose clothes were placed with the
charred body, was found to be a Mason,
as he wore the Masonic emblem, the
number of his lodge being PA.
Henry Silverman, who is q New York
ewelry salesman, hid in his berth a
satchel which contained jewelry worth
SI7, 900. He could not find the satchel
when the wreck occurred, and was forced
to leave it and the costly jewelry to be
destroyed by the flames.
Harrisburg, Pa, May 1.-THE force
of the explosion which wrecked the two
trains and cost a score OLIVES this morn
ing, was so great that it upset lamp in
the residence Oft. H. Martin, No. 10
South Sixteenth street two miles away
from the wreck. The house caught fire
and it and two adjoining houses were de-
ofroyo1