The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-05-11
FIFTY PERSONS KILLED;
ONE HUNDRED INJURED
Express Train on Pennsylvania Runs Into Train OF
Dynamite,
Both Trains Wrecked and Consumed by FireMany OF the
Unfortunate Passengers We're Caught in the Debris
and Roasted to Death.

Many were tossed free Of the wTeCkage,
some down the railroad embankment.
some into the SUsquehanna river. which
parallels the railroad in that locality
All who were not pinned in the debris
or totally iHcapaCitated ran away from
the perfect volcano.
Piteous Cries for Help.
Intermingled with small explosions it
was impossible at the time for those
who escaped uninjured to reach the i'm
priSOned passengers whose cries rent
the air. As soon as some of the dead
and injured were reached they were
laid in long CHASTITY rows along the
tracks Many were carried into the Of
flee and even into the working rooms
Of the PaXtang plant and other man
ufactuUinE esta bliShmeutS. There are
few private dwellings near the scene
of the disaster, which is i'm the indus
trial district.
Work of Rescue.
The Paxtang plant was transformed
into an emergency hospital where ev-
eTything was done for the mangled and
dying while waiting for cOnVeyaHces
TO take them to the Harrisburg hos
pitaL \ police patrol wagon was
among the first couveydnces To arrive
OF the scene Into il were piled as
many wounded dS possible. Until long
after daylight its horses were driven {
bTeakneCk speed to and from the hos
pital. Special trains were Immediately
made up by the Pennsylvania Railroad
company and conveyed the injured to
Union station. whence they were taken
to the hospital and other places.
Hospital Filled.
Al the hospital every available bed
was soon filled. Shortly afterward the
throuE of injured was 80 great that
all who were able TO walk were COM
PEELED 10 give their cots to the more
seriously injured. and the corridors
were flied with injured, waiting their
turn for treatment. Every physician
or surgeon available in the city was
called up by telephone and Immediately
rendered his services in the task OF car
ing for and dressing the wounds of the
maHgled- Trained nurses volunteered
their services and all who lad any
knowledge Of first aid to the injured
proved of incalcUlabIe service.
Taken to Private Houses.
As fast as the injured who were able
10 be removed from the hospital had
received attention they we're sent away.
They were taken to hotels and private
many cases threw open their doors to
the distressed
PathOs iBdescribable characterized
the scenes about the wreck Husbands
separated from wives and little chill
dren bereft Of their parents sought
their friends among the dead and dy-
ing
Sometimes they succeeded in finding
their loved ones among the slightly in
JuTed or even among those UuScathed.
but many were found among the bodies
IN the temporary mOrgUe at the Pax
tang plant In many instances they
failed To find them at all, either be
cause the bodies were still buried in
the smoking debris or were so badly
burned aS TO be UnTeCOgniZable.
Prominent Victims.
Among the passengers were many of
prominence. Mr.. and Mrs TindeIl. the
latter daughter of Senator Knox. were
among those reported injured at an
early hour this morning. Mrs. Albert J.
Barr and two daughters, of the family
Of the editor Of the Pittsburg Post. were
among those slightly injured and were
taken TO the Harrisburg hospital Their
condition Is not critical Mrs. Barr
personally asked the newspaper men
TO make this statement.
Early this morning persons who cs-
20 hCu from the wreck began l.DCkillS 10
the newspaper offices TO ask that it be
published that they escaped injured. 50
that their friends might b. relieved Of
anxiety. Among these was Charles W.
StTanglou of Baltimore. supreme chief
Of the Brotherhood Of Car Inspectors,
Car Builders and Railroad Mechanics
of America.
Had Narrow Escape.
Samuel Shubert of New York. man
ager of the Lyric theatre. jumped out
of his berth and ran out of the train
Just in time to escape being burned to
death He was taken to the Common
wealth hotel
At 4:3O O'Clock this morning the first
two bodies of those that were pinned
i'm the wreckage were recovered.
They were so badly charred that
they could not be recognized, but it is
believed that they were women
While the fire was still raging fierce
ly the burning bodies of the dead could
be seen still lying in the berths.
Entire Train Destroyed.
AT AS o'clock this morning il was
authoritativeIy ascertained that the en-
tire passenger train of nine cars and
the engine were destroyed. Nine freight
cars were also destroyed and three
others derailed and wrecked
The passenger train, Of which not a
Valua bic square foot was left. consisted
of one iOCOmOtive-tOrn 10 pieces when
the explosion OccuTred-six Pullman
sleeping coaches. two baggage cars. one
mail coach and one engine tender.
The first explosion heard was that of
the boiler Of the passenger locomotive.
This was followed by a most terrific
noise when the dynamite car went up.
The car had "A cargo of 5000 pounds Of
dynamite
Despite the narrowing occurrence
there were early on the scene. uude-
tected- many negroes and foreigners
searching for loot. The heat was So
intense and the crowd of reputable PEG
pie so great that il is believed that the
pillagers secured but little of value.