The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-28
SCORE KILLED WHEN
PULLMAN TtlESC0PtO
STRUCK BY FAST FREIGHT
lAttl0 Mountain. Town of Mount
Union, Pennsylvania. Scene OF Crash
When Freight Engine Struck Rear
OF Passenger Train.


Mercantile Express on the Pennsylva-
mia railroad was hit shortly after
midnight by q fast preference freight
train at the station at the little noun
tain town OF Mount Union. forty
three miles east Of here. in heavy
fog. Several others were injured.
Those most seriously hurt were taken
Huntington.
The express train had stopped to
dfscharge passengers ut Mount Union
and members Of the crew were test
ing the air brakes when the heavy
freight crashed into the passcnser
train fr0m the rear.
Aionguide the express train at the
station was an accommodation train
carrying workmen from the Mount
Union powder plant, and this train
had barely moved away from tbs sta
ton when the crash occurred. There
were three sleepers attached TO the
Mercantile Express. all of steel con-
struction.
Az the freight engine backed by
heavy train pioushed into the pas
sensef train. the rear coach OF the
latter telescoped the second passen-
ser coach. which was split asunder
by the terrific impact
The freight engine was literally
NeiuSO 70 IH0 passenger CHI
None Of the passenger coaches left
the track. but six Of the freight cars.
coal laden. were hurled down forty
foot embankment. Relief trains from
Altoona and Huntington, bearing
physicians, were hurried to the scene.
Little heAdway could be made in
reaching the dead and injured owing
70 the three sleeping coaches being
almost inextricably massed together.
Tho Belfwood. the third sleeper had
split apart and the car aheAd- was
car from the rear OF the train had
plowed into the second car.
Telescoping OF the cars was OF
such force that all those within the
Beliwood were imprisoned.
The train crew and the untnJured
passengers were unable to reach them
to give aid to any-that might have
escaped death. The wreck blocked
tracks Nos 1 and 2 and stopped
trafic for several hours.
The Dead.
The Identified dead:
Chester A. Minds. twenty-five years
old. Ramey. Pa
Mrs Doris Minds twenty eight. hts
wife.
Chester L. Minds. Jr.. their infant
son. two weeks old.
Miss Maud Minds twenty eight
Confer. N. r.. sister OF Mr.. Minda
NJ. A. Caslisch, Confer. N Y, a
brother-in-law OF Mr.. Minds.
Miss A. r. Dellin. Cleveland. O..
Mrs. Minds maid.
Richard Owen. seven.
Dorothy Owen. six
Jean Owen. four, nephew and nieces
OF Ara. MindA
Charles Levine, New York.
P. r. Pollard. New York
Milton Hymes. New York.
n. Bright colored porter.
J. s. Kelley. Brooklyn
II. A. Roefier. Prattsville. Wis
L. w. Montgomery. salesman.
c, NJ. Msdskei. New York.
p. II. Tanning, Prattsville. Wis.
Body supposed to be that OF Mrs.
Fanning because OF a letter congrat-
ulAting her on her marriage. On this
body was 4 Bible bearing the name
OF Miss Ellen r. Hayt. Denver. Col.
All Of those killed were In the car
Bsliwood.
Freight Engineer Blamed.
An ofaciai Of the railroad here said
the list of dead may exceed twenty.
THIS ofacial places tho blame on the
engineer OF the freight. A. r. Cook.
OF harrisburg. who had leg crushed
il was his duty. he said. to get off
hts engine. walk ahead AID look at
. dgnAl in case OF fog. rather than
rush past It.
The express arrived At Mount Union
station twelve minutes late with brake
trouble. 1t was held there while the
brake was repaired. It il declared.
and the signal to start had been given
when tho freight crashed into the
rear sleeper.
Cook. the freight engineer. de-
ciared that the block signal at "Mu'
tower, . mile and a half from Mount
Uniqh. showed white, indicating a
clear track.
Wfocking crews and relief trains
with physicians, nurses and all first
All equipment were rushed to the
$1,000 NEAthin An hour