New Britain herald., 1925-06-16
Several of the g or More Persons Injured Will Die, According to Attending Sur geons.
Wreck Caused by Light. ming and Washout Twisting Rails - Five Cars and Engine Pile Up in Debris.
LOCOMOTIVE BLOWS
 UP, SCORES SCALDED

Hackettstown, N. J., June 1sLF)-- Twenty-Five persons are known to have lost their lives in the wreck of Lackawanna special train at Rock port Sag. two miles west of here early today. Fifty-two injured are in hospitals, 33 at Easton, Pa, 8 at the Warren General hospital, Phil lipshurg, three at Morristown Memorial hospital and six at Dover General hospital.
 Thirteen are dead at Easton.
 George Taule and Mrs. Augusta 1siman, both of Chicago, died at Dover General hospital.
 Eight dead here included Jacob scanlon, trainman of Easton; Fred Loomis. engineer, Scranton. Pa: Carl Haehn, fireman, Scranton, Pa; a young girl, and two unidentified women.
 The bodies of the engineer and fireman have not Yet been removed from the wreck.
 storm Causes Wreck
 Twisted by lightning and under mined by heavy rains the tracks of the Lackawanna railroad mile west of here gave way beneath special seven car train at $50 a. m., eastern standard time today, and in the crash five cars and engine piled up on one another.
 Lightning Hits Rail
 In this report it was said that lightning struck one of the rails, throwing 1t out of place, that q landslide due to the severe storm had covered the rails. and that the track also had been undermined.
 Public utility commission en- gineers have been sent to the wreck to investigate.
 Mrs. Duncan Dunn, who lives at the State Game farm, about 500 yards from the scene of the crash sounded the first alarm.
 Woman Gives Alarm
 The report of an explosion riding above the thunder and raging of a heavy storm sent her to the tele- phone in an effort to reach Hack ettstown physicians.
 Her calls were delayed because a fire was raging here in the Williams and Hibbler lumber yard, Physi- clans whom she aroused, in turn called hospitals at Dover, Phillips burg, Easton and Morristown.
 Hundreds Of rescue workers had arrived by daylight and two relief trains began receiving the injured. scalds and burns caused the most serious injuries. Steam was coming from the wreckage three hours after the crash.
 Bodies Laid Out
 Bundled in blankets, bodies of the victims were laid side by side on the grass. The faces Of two were scald- ed beyond recognition. At g o'clock six hours after the accident, the coroner had not yet arrived.
 Passengers in the last two cars, which did not leave the rails. es- caped injury.
 Many Wtl Die
 Doctors said that at least q dozen among the injured would die.
 The train was filled with emil grants who had become prosperous in the corn belt and were returning for a visit 10 their native land &C., companled by children and grand children.
 The cars were decorated with banners reading See the Old Coun- try Again"
 The train had been re-routed at Portland, Ps., over the old Lacka- wanna main line that was replaced hv a cut of twelve years ago. The tragedy occurred in what is known as the Rockport Sag. where the rails, although on 8 long straight away dip into 8 hollow and then rise. al a point beyond the State Game farm. Trains generally speed down the grade and take the rise on the momentum.
 Those who reached the wreck first could see the body of Fred Loomis, the engineer, his hand still on the throttle along with his fireman.
 On the ploughed-up railroad be- meath the locomotive lay the twist ed body of a little girl in night