The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-06-17
EIGHTEEN PERSONS ARE
KILLED IN train WRECK
CINCINNATI LIMITED
CRASHES INTO WASH
INGTON EXPRESS AT
MIDNIGHT

HI AoDORGn, June 1F.-At
least eighteen persons were killed
when the Cincinnati Limited. train
I No. 40. crashed into the Washing
ton Express near Blairsville inter
section shortly before last mid
night, Pennsylvania railroad of
ficials said this morning.
OF the eighteen known victims.
nine bodies were recovered from
sleeper on No. so, three were
trainmen.
Five bodies were found ON train
No. 40, which was Immediately be-
hind the double-header locomotive
pulling the Limited.
The smash occurred on a slight
curve two miles east of Blairsville
intersection, an important railroad
center. Here the ground is level
and the entire countryside is farm
land.
AS daylight dawned, those at the
scene were given their first real
view of the wreck. Four main line
tracks were ripped up and twisted
for about 100 feet. The two en-
gines on No. 40 were reduced to a
mass of twisted wreckage. while
one sleeper, in which most of the
victims were located, was found
to have been ielescoped its full
length, inside this sleeper another
Pullman car had been pushed by
the terrific impact. The two
aIeepers appeared as though they
had been constructed around the
her.
Another sleeper was standing on
its end, the near section being
high in the air.
Express Halts
G. M. Sixsmith, superintendent
of passenger transportation, said
today that the smash-up occurred
when the express halted so that
broken ar hose could be repaired.
The fiagman of No. so went To the
rear to set off flares, and the block
signals were set against eastbound
rains. I. w. Beeeher. the flag
man from the express, performed
his duties, for after No. 40 tore
into the Express, Beecher'a flares
were found burning on the right
of way
Dcsv In bringing in details Of
! he v-re * was due TO the fact that
the nearest telephone to the scene
was at BlairsvilIe intersection,
several siiie7 away.
ceewIs Gather
Great crowds gathered at the
scene Of he wreck during the
morning. nany of them coming
afoot hile otae ! rived in au-
tomobiles. They were kept at
distance 80 as to permit the
wreckers 10 work unhampered.
The Cleveland sleeper in which
nine bodies were found, bore the
greatest part of the impact. II
was driven through the sleeper
ahead. A heavy derrick was used
10 lift II from the other car.
Bright sunshine flooded the
scene as the wreekage was paeked
up by derrleks end placed on The
right Of way. The crowds shud-
dered At the sight, for disclosed
to view. pinned in the mass Of
twisted steel. could be seen the
nine bodies. FIVE men, woman
and three children These we're
removed quickly. The rear end
Of the other teieseoped sleeper
vas mashed in.
The club car of the second train
likewise vas . mass Of wreekage.
The first inspection yielded three
bodies. Some Te8eusrs repegted
four others pinned in the debris.
II was the belief 81 the scene
that the death Iiat would noun
% st least %.
A special train brought a num-
Der Of slightly injured into Pitts.
burgh
The passengers we're given msai-
cal attention here ard then con-
nued to their destinations. They
were bruised for the moss part.
and many were suffering from
shock.
One woman passenger escaped
from a sleeper IN her nighfgo@a.