Evening star., 1926-06-17
FIFTEEN ARE KILLED in CRASH
OF PENNSY FLYERS; SCORE HURT
:. Continued from First Page.)

-. CONTINUED from First Page.)
| disaster. Veteran railroaders express
ed amazement when they looked upon
the wreckage.. The crash was Of such
great force that one sleeper was
driven it's entire length into another.
! 1t appeared as though the one car
had been constructed about the other.
Survivor Describes Scene.
The first account Of the wreck from
a survivor came today from I. F. Far
rell of Grafton. Pa, who was on nne
OF the express sleepers.
II was asleep when the crash came,
he said. 1T WAS minute before
realized. what happened. My ankles
were injured and / couldn't walk. All
was confusion. Men and women
CROPPED about in the darkness. The
car was filed with debris and pieces
of luggage. Those who were not bad
ly hurt struggled out. assisting those
more seriously injured. Two men
picked me up and carried me out into
the night. The rear of the car was
showed high in the air and the rescuers
carried me up the sharp incline and
finally placed me on the ground |
remained on my back until the relief
trains arrived.
'Too much credit cannot be given
the train crews and the passengers on
both trains who were not seriously
hurt for their heroic work in helping
their less fortunate fellow passengers.
Men and women went to work with a
will In rendering aid. and during the
seemingly long wait for the relief
trains and doctors they doulNless
saved many lives by.their timely aid"
Couple Loses Clothing.
Mr.. and Mrs. Raymond Haelcher
of Buffalo. y. Y. newly weds on their
honeymoon. survived the wreck, but
lost all their clothing. They reached
Latrobe hotel with two Pullman
blankets and their night clothes their
only covering.
l.. r. Bryant of Pamplin. Va. a
passenger on the express. told 4 vivid
story of the crash at Blairsville.
Curtains hanging over the sleeping
compartments were bespattered with
blood he said "The aisle of onr
car was strewn with dead. The
shrieks and scream of women and
children chilled the hearts OF the
bravest men. All lights were out and
when the surviving passengers came
to realize what had happened bedlam
broke loose. 1t was like a panic.
II was asleep in lower berth when
the impact came. My head crashed
against the side Of the berth and the
next moment | tumbled out into the
aisle. For a few seconds ] couldn't
realize what had happened. but when
I heard the screams Of terrified pas.
sengers and the means Of the injured
I came to my senses.
Women Lying in Aisle.
Several women we're lying in the
aisle, while others staggered about in
the darkness. l attempted to open
door, but it was tammed l met IL. X
Eckel Of Richmond. Va. and we
smashed several windows and began
pulling women and children out of the
wreckage."
Bryant and Eckel continued their
rescue work until finally they col
,apsed from exhaustion. They were
attended by doctors at Blairsville and
continued their journey to New York
They escaped with minor decorations
and bruises.
Great crowds gathered at the scene
of the wreck during the morning.
many Of them coming afoot While
others arrived in automobiles. They
were kept at a distance. so as to per-
NIT the wreckers to work unhamp
cred.
A heavy derrick was used to lift
the Cleveland sleeper from the other
car. Bright sunshine flooded the
scene as the wreckage was picked up
by the derrick and placed on the right
of way. The crowds shuddered at the
sight, for disclosed to view. pinned
in the mass Of twisted steel. could be
seen the bodies. These were removed
quickly. The rear end Of the other
telescoped sleeper was smashed in.
The club car of the second train
likewise was A mass Of wreckage. A