The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-06
Double Header Train Flows Through Coach Filled
 With Holiday Crowd
THAT ANY ESCAPED
 IS MIRACULOUS
Occupants Hurled to Roadbed and Many Fall Under Wheels of the Freight-Medical Aid Is
 Quickly at Hand
Latrobe. Pa. July 5.-rwenty-oneso 2

All oNefiDdQ-u ptSSchSci 1'o FNNN by an engine was struck by double header freight train of coal cars, crush ing the coach like paper and spreading death and injury to all but one aboard the train
 According to a statement of Passenger Agent Adams of the Ligonier Valley rail road the death list in the wrick near Wilpen is 2. Twenty-one have been ac- counted for by newspaper men, but all road the death list in the wreck neal have failed. Just where the others bodies are is not known, nor does MT. Adams himself know. It Is said that several per sons were taken home, where they died; Il is also claimed others are still under the wreckage.
 The passenger train consisted of but one coach being pushed by an engine and while. generally speaking, the freight struck the rear of the train, the collision was head-on. The freight train was be- ing pulled by two heavy locomotives and the impact, when they crashed into the crowded coach was terrific.
 That any escaped death seems miracu. lous. The bodies of the dead and injured were hurled through the air, or crushed in the debris when the locomotives split the coach almost in two. This Is said to be the first fatal accident on the Ligonier road in 70 years.
 The Dead
 Mrs. Harry Dillon and baby, of Wilpen, crushed to death.
 William Campbell of Wipen.
 Frank McConnaughey of Ligonier. engi- reer. scalded to death.
 George Byers of Ligonier, fireman, crushed and scaded.
 Louise Rhoddick, aged 3, of McCance, crushed.
 Elizabeth. Rhoddick, aged 1s, sister.
 John NJ Ankney of Ligonier, fireman, died on way to hospital.
 Mrs. M Essee of Wilpen.
 Thomas Murr of Latrobe head crushed
 George Tosh of Wilpen, body smashed
 Mike Hudock of Wilpen, side crushed
 Frank Overton, aged 10. of Wilpen.
 Mrs. John Overton, mother of Frank died on train bound for Pittsburgs $.
 George W Hubley of Pittsburg. civil en- gineer, body crushed.
 Matthew Niepont of Pittsburg. crushed
 Mary Rhoddyck of Ligonier.
 Frank E. Betty. engineer. head crushed
 Unidentified boy. aged 12.
 Two unidentified foreigners, badly crushed.
 the Wilpen branch Those least hure were brought-se hospital here and the others sent to hospitals at Pittsburg. Among the latter are Dr. J. B. Johnson of Ligonier, hurt internally; will probably die. Dr. S. A. Hamnil of Ligonier. crushed, way die; Miss Esther M. Mat thews, a nurse employed at the home of George senft of Ligonier.
 The injuries of the others were all se- were, consisting of broken legs and arms and confusion.
 Coach Was Crowded
 The train was well crowded. every seat in the lone coach being occupied with persons returning from Fourth of July holiday
 The freight engine ploughed through the wooden coach crushing if as 1t would raper.
 All the occupants were hurled into the roadbed. Some fell under the wheels of the onrushing engines The first en- zine of the freight train stopped soon after tearing through the passenger train. turned half way around and rolled over on its side Engineer McConnaughey was scalded to death while the fireman, George Byers. jumped only to fall on the track and met death under the wheels. Engineer Smith F. Beatty of the second engine jumped and sustained a broken leg His fireman. John Ankney, fell be- peath a car His legs were severed and he died en route to hospital. Engineer Dunlap of the passenger train and his foreman remained at their posts and escaped with slight injuries.
 A pathetic feature of the wreck was the injury of Miss Esther NJ Matthews, a nurse. and the death of two and the in jury of four children she was taking to the woods near Wipen for an after noon's outing.
 Farmers Hurry to Scene
 Farmers near the scene of the accident and workn1en employed at race track in the vicinity were at the wreck within a few minutes. Messengers were started at once to Ligonier while the others as- sisted by Engineer Dunlap and his fire man, were busy getting the dead and injured clear of the wreckage. An hour and a half after the accident physicians had reached the scene. From that time on the work of rescue and attending to the suffering was effective. The Penn sylvania railroad of which the Ligonier road is a branch sent a special train from Pittsburg to Latrobe to take some of the to Pittsburg hospitals The action was timely as the facilities here were ex- hausted
 The first rescue train reached here from the accident at o'clock tonight
 Every conveyance was ready to haul the injured to the hospitals To obtain a connected story from any of the vic tins was next to impossible at a late hour. But one person on the train es- caped without injury. He was a railroad employe and was too busy to talk.
 Cause Unknown
 The Iigonier road is only 19 miles in length and is an outlet for the mines of the Wilpen Coal company. It is owned by Pittsburg men. The wrecked train was the only one in operation on the line and t made two trips a day. What caused the accident has not been ascertained.
 Almost every home in the little town of Ligtuier was effected by the wreck.
 George Hubley. who was killed, was only IS years old. He was on his way 10 accept his first position as civil en- gineer with the Pennsylvania State Highway association. He was recently graduated from an engineering school.
 When the rescue train reached here T. c. Ankey. the oldest rural mail car rier in Westmoreland county. father of John -Ankney, fireman. who died. was at the station.
 Where's my boy?'' he cried When told that his son had died the aged man collapsed and was taken to his home in serious condition.