The San Francisco call., 1905-05-12


who were trapped in their sleeping
berths or pinioned under wreckage
were taken out. The advancing fire
drove the rescuers back as they were
about to take others from the wreck
and the unfortunates, men and wom-
en-, were soon enveloped in the flames.
The cries of the dying were heartrend-
ing, but nothing could be done for
them.
HOSPITAL CROWDED.
An alarm of fire was sent In, but
when the firemen reached the scene
the flames had done their work. The
entire train was consumed. With the
f1remen came a corps of physicians
from the city. AS quickly as the in
jured were temporarily relieved of
pain they were placed on special
trains and trolley cars and hurried to
the hospitals here.
Very few Of the passengers that es-
capped had any clothing to speak Of
Most of them had been in their berths
at the time of the explosion, and es-
capped only in pajamas or other light
apparel
THE first intimation 1 had of the
wreck said John B. Reynolds of
Pittsburg, a newspaper man, who was
going home from New York and es-
capped with slight injuries, was when
L n0dIQ An AWFUL Crash anu WdS
thrown. out into the aisle of the car
1 was dazed for a little time, and only
realized my position and what had
happened when l felt a woman grab
bing me and screaming, For God's s
sake, help me- 1 pushed her out of
the window, and a fellow passenger
handed out a child which belonged to
her. He then left the train and called
TO me to jump through the window.
So,
sion. AS I dropped to the ground a
missile struck and knocked me down.
1 don't know how long / lay there, but
when 1 recovered my senses 1 crawled
across the tracks under a freight train
and rolled down the embankment on
the other side. / was in my night
clothes, and all my other clothing and
belongings were lost.
I never want to witness such a
sight as that which followed the col
lision- Women were screaming, chill
dren were crying and strong men were
wandering about dazed and helpless.
The tracks were strewn in all direc-
tions with half-naked men and women
some of whom were dead and others
seriously injured.
The millhands working near the
scene Of the accident were quick to
respond 70 the cries Of the injured,
and carried some of them to their
homes in that locality and fitted some
Of them out with shoes and clothing.
PROMINENT WOMEN HURT.
The women in the wreck suffered
greatly and many of those who escaped
were found almost naked. Among
those who escaped with slight injuries
were Mrs. Albert j. Barr, wife of the
proprietor of the Pittsburg Post, and
her two daughters, who were on their
way to Pittsburg. They were taken
to the hospital where one of the at
tending physicians gave them atten-
ton and sent them to his home.
Mr.. and Mrs. Tindell Of Pittsburg, the
latter the daughter of United States
Senator p. c. Knox, were slightly in
jured by falling glass. They walked
from the scene of the wreck to Steel
ton, where they called up Governor
Pennypacker by telephone and ex-
planned their condition. They were
brought to the executive mansion,
ing and medical attention.
The lifeless body of Engineer Thomas
with the head almost severed was
found lying over an embankment.
Albert ]. Barr of the Pittsburg Post
arrived this afternoon from Philadel-
phia- Mrs. Barr and her daughter will
remain in Harrisburg until tomorrow
night. Mr.. and Mrs. Tindell will stay
at the executive mansion until this
evening. when they will resume their
journey to Pittsburg. Aside from cuts
on her feet, caused by walking on the
railIoa tracks and injuries from flying
glass, Mrs. Tindell was uninjured.
SHOCK DESTROYS HOUSES.
Several small houses near the Lochiel
furnace were badly shattered. The
force Of the explosion upset a lamp in
the residence OF T. p. Martin of this
city, starting a fire that destroyed
three houses.
Flying glass and articles which
were knocked from the walls struck
the inmates as they lay in their beds
and a number of minor injuries were
reported. The shock and effects of
the explosion were heard and felt for
many miles and panes of glass of
large windows were broken for miles
around.
Henry Silverman, New York jew
elry salesman, had a satchel in his
berth which contained $4,000 worth
of jewelry. In order to escape being
burned to death he was compelled to
leave the satchel in the coach, which
was destroyed by fire.
Among those who received slight
injuries was Miss Brown, daughter of
Congressman Brown of Pittsburg, and
ner companion, MISS WoodWorth or
Philadelphia. They escaped through
car window. The Rev. T. H. Ache
son of Denver escaped unhurt.
A GREWSOAfE SCENE.
The scene of the wreck when day
light broke was a grewsome one.
Splintered and smoldering cars and
twisted iron were piled high on the
four tracks and an enormous amount
of wreckage was lying on the marsh
land between the railroad embank-
ment and the river. One thousand Ia
borers were soon put to work and be-
fore noon two freight tracks were
opened.
The passenger tracks for several
hundred feet were blown away by the
explosion. 1t yill be some time be-
fore they can be repaired. Passenger
trains are being sent over the new
low grade freight line along the west
side of the Susquehanna River About
eight miles of freight trains are stalled
east Of the scene of the accident.
About dozen boatmen are dragging
the river for bodies. Several thou
sand persons visited the scene, but
they were Kept at a safe distance by
large force of policemen