Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-30
THREE PERSONS KILLED
AND FIFTY INJURED
Emit Are Missing and Believed to
Have Lost Their Lives.
CHARRED BONES ARE FOUND
Coaches Sideswipe Oil Tank and
Flames Spread Rapid1y-Physi-
clans Soon on Scene and He
roic Rescues Are Made.

EASTON, Pa, April 2o.-Three
persons lost their lives, eight are
missing and believed to be dead,
and half a hundred others were
injured this afternoon at Martins
Creek, n. J., in the wreck of an
excursion train carrying 40
school teachers and friends from
Utica and Syracuse, N. Y, and
vicinity to Washington for a
weeks outing.
The train was one furnished the
teachers by the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna and Western railroad, and
the accident occurred while it was
travelling at high rate of speed
over a stretch of track controlled
by the Pennsylvania railroad.
Hit Big OH Tank.
The locomotive jumped the
track, the cars toppled over and
were set On fire by exploding oil,
the wrecked coaches having side
swiped an oil tank along the track
when they left the rails.
The entire train was quickly
enveloped in flames and COM
pletely consumed by the fire.
The eight missing persons, seven
of whom were women and lived
in Utica, are believed to have been
burned to death in the wreckage.
The finding of charred bones led
the railroad wrecking crews to
the conclusion that they are dead.
The most seriously injured were re-
moved to the Easton Hospital. where
three Of them. Miss Eleanor E. Ruther-
ford. a Utica teacher. Charles NJ. Per-
railroad conductor, and Engineer. Vanoy
died tonight.
The physicians at the hospital said
late tonight that most of those in the
hospital will get WELL
Cause Not Determined.
The cause of the wreck has not yet
been determined. The place where the
accident occurred had been undergoing
repairs, and unfinished work may have
been responsible r the train leaving
the track.
The special train left Utica this morn
Western railroad. and when it
reched Stroudsburg, Pa, Pennsylvania
railroad crew took charge of it and
was TO have run it through to Phila-
ing the early spring scenery along the
Delaware river valley, when at 2:45
o'clock there was a sudden jar and the
excursionists in each car were thrown
together in q heap.
Hardly had the train come to stop
before IRE started and spread rapidly.
A. the train left the track It sideswiped
Ind .broke a tank Of oil. which ran
vsr the wrsekase and and add added S.o. to the the
"a both ends OF the train. hot Goals
from the nrebox Of the engine starting
the fre at that end and flames from the
destruction at the rear.
Physicians Come In Autos.
Physicians were called from this city
and every town within a radius of ten
miles and they went to the scene Of
the wreck in automobiles and special
trains run over the Pennsylvania rail-
road. Twenty minutes after the acci-
dent there were score OF physicians
possible to relieve the injured and made
them ready for the trip to the Easton
Hospital.
Every farmhouse in the vicinity was
quickly transformed into an improvised
hospital and farmers wagons were
pressed into service Is ambulances Many
OF the injured remain with the farmers
and at the Martins Cre,k Hotel. Tele-
graph and telephone wires were torn
away and for some time 1t was impos-
sible to reach the outside world. Com
munication was finally restored to Eas On
and from this city pass angers sent mes
sazes to their families.
Men and women who were on the train
say the scene that followed the accident
is beyond their power Of description
willing hands began the work of rescue
As soon as they were able. and had ii
not been for the heroic efforts Of the mer
and women. some OF whom were cut and
bleeding from their own wounds, the loss
Of life would have been appalling. Un
conscious forms were pinioned beneath
the wreckage with the flames leapins
toward them when the less seriously in
jured. at great risk to their own lives
plunged into the debris. worked the un
conscious victims loose and carried then
beyond reach Of the flames.
One young woman was found sineins
and dancing on the railroad track hal
q mile from the scene OF the wreck Sh,
Was cut, bruised and burned. but in he,
hystericai condition did not appear con
scious Of pain or Of what had happened.
Priests Arrive on Scene.
Priests from Easton and Phillipsburg
n T.. parishes were taken to Martini
ICoa4in.,nd I'M 9nconA Pa1n n