The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-24
No Lives Lost in Miraculous
Wreck on Pennsylvania Road
.PULLMANS ARE PLUNDEREO
18-Hour Flyer Between New York and
Chicago Was Late-Going Over
Fifty Miles an Hour-Brake
Rigging Drops.

Johnstown. Pa. February 23.-In one
OF the most remarkable and miraculous
wrecks that has ever occurred on the
Pennsylvania railroad. flfty-five passen.
| gers and Il crew Of eleven trainmen were
more or less injured last night when the
Pennsylvania's special the eighteen-hour
| train between New York and Chicago.
was wrecked while rounding sharp
| curve near South Fork. six miles from
this city.
| OF the injured passengers seven sus-
tanned serious hurts. necessitating their
removal to hospitals. They are Frederick
Busse, postmaster of Chicago; John f.
Kline, postmaster of Joliet, H.; Felix
Isman. real estate broker. Philadelphia,
and Samuel f. Nixon, Philadelphia taken
| to the Altoona hospital; Thomas Bauer,
Lafayette; ]. Wood Wilson, Marion, Ind,
and w. II. Baker, Chicago, are in the
Allegheny general hospital at Pittsburg.
All those able to leave the hospitals
within couple of days except Postmas-
| ter Kline of Joliet Ill.
The train was running about fifty min
utes late. and was travelling over fifty
| The accident was caused by a brake rig
| ging dropping to the track on the first
Pullman coach following the engine and
combination smoking car.
| Much disorder followed the accident
and in the midst of the confusion num-
Der of foreigners were detected plumber
| ing the Pullman cars. One was arrested
and the others driven away by a display
of firearms. Considerable tewelry and
valuable wearing apparel was lost as
| result, however
No one was killed and all the passen-
gers have been accounted for.
The engine and combination smoking
| car remained on the rails, but the three
Faaifnans plunged over sixty-foot en-
ba1fkrnent into the Conemaugh river
fortunately the cars were not submerged
A scene of wild confusion resulted All
of the passengers were in their berths
and were thrown promiscuously around
the cars
All the passengers on the train were
injured more or less but with the ex-
ception of John P. Kline of Joliet. it
Is said none of the injuries are danger
Gus.
The. train was running fifty minutes
late and was trying to make up lost time.
Nobody seems to know what realIv
caused the accident, but 1t is said it was
caused by the springing of a bolt con-
Meeting one of the rails to the steel tie.
The injured were taken to hospitals at
Altoona, Greensburg and this city.
majority of them. however proceeded
west on special train.
Statement Given Out.
Pittsburg. February PA statement
gwen out from the dispatchers' office of
the Pennsylvania railroad this citv. gives
the following account of the accident:
The train consisted of Atlantic tvne
engine and four cars. At II :42 o'clock last
night the train was about a mile west of
M. f. tower, six miles from Johnstown
when the accident happened. One of the
bolts holding up the brake rigging under
the engine snapped. with the result that
the brake shoes were let down on the
rails. One of the brake shoes got under
one of the main driving wheels and part
ly derailed the big engine. About 300 yards
of the track was torn up, after which
the engine left the tracks and dragged
with 1t three cars. These cars slipped
down the embankment and landed on
their side in the Conmaugh river sub
merging them to the depth of about two
feet There were ffty-four passeng gers on
board and all were more or less injured
The more seriously injured were taken
to Altoona and all the passengers have
been accounted for.
With some difficulty and amid con-
siderable excitement and confusion, the
passengers were taken from the cars in
the river by way of the windows. No
time was wasted in collecting clothing or
possessions, as it was apprehended that
the cars might take another slide and
land In deep water.
'"rhe injured and other passengers were
in
where clothing and refreshments were
supplied. Hotel accommodation for those
who did not care to go west Immediately
was also offered by the railroad officials
With the exception of four, however who
were taken for treatment to the Allie
gheny general hospital, the others de-
cided to continue their journey.
Comical Sights.
The attire of some of the passengers
who arrived here on the special train
was comical as they, wearing somebody
elses clothing unmindful of the rightful
owner. They told many stories of mirac-
ulous nature. The Rev. Dr. Cope. rector
of st. Simon's Episcopal church of Phila-
delphia, escaped without a scratch. al
though his car was completely demol-
ished. He attributes this to the will of
Providence. He even secured all OF his
clothing and when the passengers of the
wrecked train finally sought shelter in a
relief train sent to their assistance he
held a short service of prayer and thanks.
in which every man and woman able to
do so, participated When all had been
safely quartered on the train which came
to ther assistance, the minister addressed
the passengers in this way:
Let us give thanks to God that all of
our lives have been spared and then
there was a profound silence and for a
few minutes the minister poured out
words of blessing to God that He had
been so merciful to ALL
George 8. Wood of the Colonial theatre,
Chicago. was passenger in car B of the
train, and said: IT want to say to the
credit Of these women that they acted
nobly" said Mr.. Wood. there was no
crying OF Mysteries by the three women
on the train, and a girl, whose name /
did not learn. managed to get the
women fixed up. giving one of them my
overcoat. Il felt pretty sorry for them
because they were in their night clothing
and when the accident occurred their
wearing apparel was strewn in every d.
rectiou The exDerience of rolling down