Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1905-05-18
THE RAILROAD HORROR.

No great railroad of this country is
better equipped or more carefully man
aged than is the Pennsylvania it has
four tracks between Pittsburg anG
New York, has the block-system to pre-
vent collisions, and has adopted all the
best safeguards and most approved
methods; and yet. it was the scene of
the most appalling disaster, last Wednes-
day night, that has startled this nation
for many a month-one that will
probably lead to legislation regarding
the transportation of explosives, new
regulations regarding the makeup OF
trains, and the adoption of safer method
of lighting passenger cars; and which
will cost the company hundreds of
thousands of dollars.
The accident and the calamity that
followed happened on the banks OF the
Susquehanna, just below Harrisburg
At about 80, o'clock that night, an
unusually long freight train, going
East, was tagged by a shifting engine
on the same track. and which was
pushing some freight cars into the YARD
there. The engineer of the freight ap-
piled the air-brakes, but an air hose
near the middle of the long tram ex-
ploded, which left the front end OF the
train locked, but unlocked the rear end,
and the impact of the rear cars upon
the front ones, derailed two of the
middle cars of the train and threw
them across the passenger tracks
InNn -
Cincinnati Express going west and COM
nosed of two or three baggage cars and
several Pullman sleepers, and running
at high speed, crashed into the wrecked
cars. and came TO a standstill within
the length of itself-the impact throw
ing the sleeping passengers from their
births, and rupturing or causing to leak
the numerous gas-tanks under the Pull
mans, which supply the Pintsch lights.
The collision was followed by ire
mendous explosion-one that shook the
city and surrounding country-that de-
molished the cars within its range, and
set fire to the wreckage-one OF the
wrecked cars contained twenty-thous-
and pounds of blasting powder. and 1T
had exploded. The fire followed the
| leaking gas under the Pullmans and
one after another the gas tanks or reser-
voirs exploded, wrecking the cars; kill
ing, wounding and imprisonirg the
passengers. setting fire TO the wreck
age, and burning the cars and pas
sengers Ten charred and unrecognlz-
able bodies were taken from under the
| twisted irons and the ashes of one
burned car.
The dazed and half Eaked passengers
who managed to escape from the broken
and burning cars, had to stand there
helpless and see their late companions.
caught in the wreck being burned to
death. Twenty-three people were either
killed outright, burned to death or
| died of their injuries. and many injured.
Four prominent men of Pittsburg were
among the killed The disaster will be
thoroughly investigated.
Many of the passengers escaped from
the cars before the explosion of the
powder, but these were all hurt by the
mighty conclusion that followed.
People in the cars that were not damag-
ed by the explosion began to dress
hurriedly Some of them were partially
| dressed, when there came a series OF
smaller explosions from the death-deal-
| ing gas tanks.
The gas tanks blew up one after
another as. the flames which enveloped
the wreck reached the leaking gas. The
floors of the cars rose, the roofs parted
and the cars settled to the tracks mass
of broken timbers and twisted and bent
iron.
Those who escaped saw fellow pas
sengers pinioned in the wreckage, but
fear of further explosions and the fierce
heat of the flames prevented them from
rescuing any of the victims. None OF
the fortunate ones had any protection
from the night air and became chilled.
Those who escaped after the first ex-
plosion were almost made naked by the
concussion Of the second.
Within few hundred feet of the scene
of the accident is the Paxtang Electric
works. The explosion wrecked every
window in the building. The clock in
the dynamo room stopped at l 30, which
sets definitely the hour of the wreck.
The frightened passengers ran about
like persons craZed. The river showed
dimly in the darkness and all rushed for
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