The Washington times., 1917-02-27
EIGHTEEN KILLED
In RAILWAY WRECK
Fast Freight PIungeS Into Rear
End of MotionIeSs PennsyI-
Vania Limited.
PULLMAN is TELESC0PED
Railway Officials Fear Death
Toll May Grow-cause of
Wreck Unexplained.
PULLMAN is TELESc0PED

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 27.-At least
eighteen persons were killed. among
Rennsylvania football star in 1913
his wife and baby. and other mem
bers OF his family, in a Pennsylvania
railroad wreck at Mt. Union Station,
Philadelphia, early today.
Mercantile express No. 6, from
Pittsburgh. 20 Philadelphia and New
York, on which those killed were
travelling, was struck by a fast
freight at Mt. Union Station, on the
Pennsylvanis's middle division, forty
six miles east OF Altoona.
Pennsylvania railroad officials say
there are eighteen known dead, sew
enteen OF them passengers, and ex-
press the fear that more names will
be added TO the fatality list.
There are no seriously injured per-
sons.
Identified Dead.
The identified dead are:
Chester A. Minds, twenty-five, coal
operator, Ramey, Pa.
Mrs. Doris Minds, his wife.
Chester A Minds, jr-, their infant
son.
Miss Maud Minds, Nd. Minds sister,
conifeE- N. Y.
NJ. A. Cahisch, Confer, Mr.. Minds
bfother-in-law.
Miss A. Segurdolling, Cleveland,
Ohio, Mrs. Minds maid.
They were all on their way to Utica,
". Y, to attend the funeral of Mrs.
Minds father.
Three other children, in the Minds
party, believed to be named Owens.
city.
Phillip z. POLAND, New York city
Milton Hymes. New York city.
H. Bright cOlored porter, address
unknown.
All In One Car.
All OF these persons were in the
steel Pullman Bellwood, the last car
on the express train. The car was
telescoped and crushed to pieces.
The Mercantile Express, which was
filled with passengers, stopped at Mt.
Union Station, as usual, and the crew
were inspecting the air brakes when
the freight train, PIG 20, made up
OF thirty-five cars and running at
forty or forty-five miles an hour.
came laundering along through the
heavy fog on the same track where
the express was at a standstill. Hard
ly had the through freight been
heard when the on-coming train shot
out of the mist, and was upon the
motionless express.
Railroad officials in their efforts
to explain the wreck, say the auto
matte signals were properly set. and
that the engineman OF the freight
may have run by them in the fog.
says signals Were Set.
The rear flagman of the express is
quoted as having said he was on the
platform of the last car when he
saw the freight appear. that he had
his signals out but that the freight
engineman disregarded the warning.
The flagman jumped in time to save
his life.
The BeIlwood and the BrucevilIe. the
last two sleepers OF the express, left the
rails, but the other cars of the express.
and the locomotive held to the tracks.
Six cars OF the freight. and the freight
engine were derailed and fire sprang up
here and there in the wreckage. but they
were put out with little difficulty
The rear OF the collision and the tre-
mendous Kissing of escaping steam
awakened the whole town OF Mt. Union
People streamed to the railroad tracks
TO offer what aid they could in extricat-
ing the dead or the dying from the tan
gle of debris.
Relief Hurried To Scene.
Now and then a moan or a childis fee
bic cry came from the wreckage. Physi-
clans from Mt Union and adjacent
towns hastened 10 the scene Of the
wreck.
Calls were sent to Altoona. Harris
burg. and Mifflin for relief. and wreck
ing crews and special trains with physi-
clans and nurses were hurried from each
of these points.
The Mercantile Express is the same
train wrecked last August at Mexico.
Pa. when an enginman. foreman and
stock driver were killed. The Mt I'm
ion wreck is the first in three years in
which the Pennsylvania has lost a pas
senEer.