The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-03-01
SIXTY-SEVEN INJURED
But Not 0ne Person Was Killed IN
Most Remarkable Wreck of Famous
Fast Flyer.


In one of the most remarkable and
miraculous wrecks that has ever oc-
Cured on the Pennsylvania railroad,
ffty-hve passengers and crew of
eleven trainmen were more or less
injured Friday night when the Penn,
sylyania Special, the eighteen-hour
train between New York and Chicago,
was wrecked while rounding a sharp
curve near South Fork, six miles from
Johnstown, Pa.
Of the injured passengers, seven
sutained serious hurts, necessltating
their removal to hospitals
The train was running about fifty
minutes late and was travelling over
SO miles an hour when it reached
the curve. The accident was caused
by a brake rigging dropping to the
track on the first Pullman coach, fol
lowing the engine and combination
smoking car.
Much disorder followed the acct
dent. and in the midst of the confu-
sion q number of foreigners were de-
tected plundering the Pullman cars.
One was arrested and the others driy-
en- away by display of firearms.
Considerable jewelry and valuable
wearing apparel was lost as result,
however.
The engine and combination smok-
ing car remained on the rails, but the
three Pullmans plunged over 90
foot embankment into the Conemaugh
river Fortunately the cars were not
submerged.
A scene Of wild confusion resulted.
All the passengers were2in their berths
and were thrown promiscuously
around the cars.
All the passengers of the train were
injured more or less, but with the
exception of John p Kline Of Joliet,
it is said none of the injuries are
dangerous. The train was running 90
minutes late and was trying to make
up lost time. Nobody seems to know
what really caused the accident, but
it is said it was caused by the spring
ing of bolt connecting one Of the
rails to the steel tie. The injured
were taken to hospitals at Altoona,
Grcensburg and Jamestown. A major
ity of them, however, proceeded west
on a special train.
The attire of some Of the passen-
gers who arrived in Jamestown on
the special train was comical, as they
were wearing somebody else's cloth
ing. unmindful OF the rightful owner
Following the wreck great disorder
prevailed. Until late Saturday there
was no official representative OF the
PENNSYLVANIA railroad at the scene OF
the accident, except man who is
said to be p. II. Robinson, detec-
tive.
All attempts to obtain information
from the railroad officials were met
with rebufs at every hand and at
an early hour Saturday morning, while
it was reported that fifty-four PasSen-
gers we're ON the train when it left
Altoona, only forty were said to have
been accounted for
From the scene it was learned by
telephone that the train was trying
to make up lost time.
The Pennsylvania Railroad compa'
ny issued a statement Sunday in ex'
PLANTATION of the accident. The
statement is the result of an inyestiga'
ton conducted by A. G .Shad, chief
engineer; l.. r. Zollinger engineer
maintenance of way, and H. M. Car
son. assistant to General Manager At
terbury. It is said that the cEly tan
gible evidence of the cause Of the ac-
cident found was the broken brake
hanger, as previously stated by the
manager.