NO. 20 VOL. 34 BLOOMSBURG, PA., THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1S99. ANOTHER RAILWAY H03R0R A DI8ASTR0U3 WRECK ON THE P. & R- RAILEOAD AT EXETER, FA. Thirty Killed and Many Mora Seriously In lured One of (he Mott Shocking Ac cldenta of Recent Yean. One of the most appalling catas trophes of recent years occurred at Exeter, Pa., a little town on the Phil adelphia & Reading Railroad, Friday night, by reason of a collision of pas sengcr trains. Exeter is not much of a town, but it has made a name for itself, for it will be told in years to come that it was right around the curve at the lit tie station that two trains collided, thirty-one persons were killed and fif ty-five injured, Crowds of people swooped down upon the little hamlet Saturday. From Reading, only six miles away, came hundreds of people. Many also came from Pottstown. Near-by towns and villages like Gibraltar, Birdsboro, Stonetown, Springville and Baumtown were almost deserted, as the residents had come to Exeter bright and early to view the wreck. They came in carriages, afoot, horseback and bicy cle, and roamed up and down the tracks on which stood the shattered cars and dismantled locomotive. The souvenir hunter seeking some relic of the disaster was there. Racks, plate glass mirrors, strips of plush, hinges, blood-stained splinters and even whole cushions were carried off as memen toes of the catastrophe. A weird spectacle met the gaze of those who arrived before the wrecking crews completed their work. Down along the banks of the railroad where the collision occurred huge bonfires sent up columns of smoke and flame from great piles of timber, remnants of the cars that hao been dismantled in the crash. Three cars, or what was let, ot them, were burned, tne trucks and other portions of the iron work being loaded on flat cars and taken to Reading. Two cars, one the Pullman Orpheus, which Senator Boies Penrose had just left before the fatal crash, and the other a day coach, both shattered beyond repair, were pushed down on a siding below the station to fall a prey to relic hunters. Almost in front ot the station was the engine with smokestack, pilot and cab gone, wedged into the rear of the Pullman, where it stopped after plow ing its way through a day coach, in which most of the victims were riding Then piled high upon the tender of this death-dealing engine was another coach, the awful impact shooiing it almost on top of the locomotive With signs of death and destruction on every side, clouds of smoke curl ing up from the wreckage and hun dreds of people digging about in the debris, and lowering clouds now and then letting fall a gentle rain, as if shedding tears over the scene, the pic ture presented was one not soon to be forgotten. In big disasters of this character all sorts of stories generally gain cur rency, but after interviews with rail road men who had to do with the movements of the ill fated train this appears to be about the situation : On Friday night the regular express train left the outer station at Read ing at 8:36 o'clock, ten minutes after scheduled time, followed five minutes later by the Harrisburg special. The first train was made up of eight cars. The conductor was W. M. Brommel, and Daniel F. Wildermuth was engi neer. Both are residents of Reading. The second, or Harrisburg special, was in charge of Conductor Magee and Harry Orrell, engineer. When the first train left Reading it had or ders to look out ahead for a coal train, which was supposed then to be at Monacacy. After the second train left it was learned that the coal train had not yet cleared the main track, and a precautionary message was sent to the signal tower, one-half mile be low the Exeter station. The precau tionary signal, it is said, was given the second train, as instructed. When Engineer Wildermuth rounded the curve, about 150 yards below the Ex eter station, he observed the arm sig nal with the red light, a signal which Night Operator Calvin Lesher had re ceived from Reading, which told him to stop the train for orders. The train was going at a speed of about forty-five miles an hour, and dashed four car' length beyond the signal board before it could be stopped. The express train was back ed to the depot and conductor Brom- mell and his brakeman stepped into the little station to receive the orders. The clearance card was handed to the brakeman by operator Lesher, and as the trainmen walked out of the station Conductor Brommell observed the second train rounding the curve and bearing down upon the express. He saw at once that a collision was inevitable. Brommell sprang upon his train and gave the signal to go ahead, thinking he might thus lessen the force of the collision, but it was of no use. Engineer Orrell, whose train was going at the rate of about .. fifty miles an honr, saw the red lights of the ex press train ahead. He quickly shut off steam and applied brakes: The mo mentum of his train, however, was so great that he found it would be impos sible to avert a crash, and after check ing the speed as much as the space would permit, hardly a quarter of a mile, he and his fireman leaped for their lives, a few seconds later the engine struck the rear car of the ex press with such force as to plow clear through the coach and forcing the wreck partly into the Pullman car ahead. The engines of the second train telescoped the coach in its rear the entire length, reducing it to splinters, and badly smashed the next car. It was in the former that most of the passengers were killed. Several in the other, including the Pullman, were also killed. The heartrending scenes that at tended the smash-up the 4 shouts of men and women, the wild screaming ot passengers from the debris, the bruised and mangled bodies taken from the pile of splinters, the piteous cry of the injured for assistance can scarcely be described. The crash of the two trains was heard at Stonetown, two miles away, and the whole popu lation made a dash for the Exeter station to inquire into the cause. Dr. Kittenhouse, who resides at Exeter, but practices in Reading, was the first physician on the scene and worked as best he could until help arrived from Heading. His wlie also rendered val uable service to the injured. Farmers in the neighborhood turned out and gave what assistance was in their pow er in bringing out the dead, who were carried into the barroom of William Lutz's tavern and laid upon the floor. Mr. Lutz gave up all his bedding and bed clothing with which to give reliet to the injured or cover the dead. Some of the dead and iuiured were also carried into H. B. Le van's store adjoining the hotel. His stock of mus lin was also depleted in furnishing bandages for the injured. Some of the bodies were found down the steep enbankment under a bridge crossing a railroad. It was im possible to carry them up, so they were placed upon a wagon and pulled by willing hands around to a road that led to the improvised morgue. following is a complete list of the dead: John Slingluff, Norristown: chief of fire department, and president Mont gomery National Bank. Colonel George Schall, Norustown; ex-postmaster; and cousin of General George W. Schall, who was also on the train, but escaped uninjured. Charles C. Leaf, Fort Washington, Pa.j warrant cierk in Auditor-General's Department, Harrisburg. William Stahler, a wealthy resident of Norristown. Lots of checks and notes found in his pocketbook, pay able to William Stahler. Henry C. Wentz, a wealthy real estate man of Norristown. Captain John H. Coulston, of Nor ristown; a veteran of the fifty-first Regiment Pennsylvania volunteers. John Johnson, Mont Clare. H. A. Thompson, Norristown; car cleaner of the Philadelphia and Read ing Railway Company. bamuel McCarty, Norristown. II. L. Hartford, Norristown; iden tified by ring with initials II. L. H. William Cramm, Norristown. Joseph C. Taylor, colored, porter in a hotel at Norristown. Elmer E. Shelley, Hatboro, aged 30, sampler in Appraisers' stores Philadelphia Custom House. Frank D. Sower, a wealthy resident of Norristown. J. E. Fillman, Norristown. George Holmes, Norristown. William M. Keen, Norristqwn. Daniel H. Yoder, Pottstown. C. L. Laverty, Harrisburg. Edward Norman Holmes, aged 13, Norristown. Lucian J. Custer, aged 19 years, student, Pottstown. Harry Hunsberger, Gulf Mills. Tnomas Lees, Philadelphia. William Lewis, Norristown. Captain Jacobs, Norristown. Miss Annie McGraw, Ashland, P. and R. stenographer at Harrisburg. Captain G. C. Eicholtz, Norristown; dieel in the Norristown Hospital. Charles II. White, real estate agent, Norristown; died in the Norristown Hospital. Captain C. T. Street, 59 years, No. 133 North Twenty-second street, Philadelphia. Samuel Beatty, hotel proprietor, Conshohocken; died below Pottstown, while on the way to the Norristown Hospital. Michael Lawn, 55 years, German-town. Ah 1 who can say, however fair his view Through what sad scenes his path may lie ? Let careless youth its seeming joys pursue, Soon will they learn to scan with thoughtful eye The illusive past and dark futurity. AT REST. Many Have Answered the Death Summons. Gone to Their Long Home. How wonderful Is death. Death and Ills brother Bleep I One pulo as yonder waning moon. With lips ol lurid blue; The uUi'-r rotty as the morn. When, throned on ocean's wave, It. blushes o'er the world; Yet both so passing wonderful 1 -Shelley. MRS. BOUGIIXKK. Mrs. Elizabeth Boughner, relict of the late William Boughner, and mother of Mrs. Daniel Whitmoyer of Orangeville, died at her home in Sunbury a few days ago aged S2 years. SAMUKL MCCARTKR. Samuel McCarter died from in juries sustained in the Exeter dis aster at his home iu Norristown 011 Monday. He was a brother-in-law of County Commissioner John N. Gordon. MARGARET MCBRIDE. Miss Margaret McBride, who has been confined to the house as an in valid for upwards of ten years died at her home in Rupert, Sunday morning at the age of twenty nine years. The funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon and was largely attended by relatives and friends. ANDREW CAMPBELI. Andrew Campbell, aged seventy years, a conspicuous figure on our streets for many years past, died of concussion of the brain, at his home, on Iron street, Thursday last. He served 111 the war of the rebellion and was a member ot the G. A. R. The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon. MRS. DAXIEI STERNER. Mrs. Daniel Sterner, died at her home on Railroad street, this town, early Thursday morning of last week, after a long illness. The de ceased was fifty-six years of age and is survived by a husband and four children, three sous and one daught er. The funeral, wit.' interment in Rosemont Cemetery took place on Saturday. WILBUR E. KANE. It is with feelings of sadness that we announce the death of Wilbur E. Kane, who passed away at his home in Reading on the 14th iust., after an illness of only a few weeks, in the 27th year of his age. He was a young man of sound judg ment and sterling honesty, and was self made, which was also com mendable. The deceased was a personal friend of the local editor of this paper, and was in Blooms burg about a week previous to his illness. He was engaged as book keeper for a large firm in Reading, and his conscientious devotion to duty probably shortened his days. He was everybody's friend, and as we pay our parting tribute ol re spect to his memory, we pray may God rest his soul in peace. CONRAD KRAMER. Another one of Columbia county's ET2AY PARAGRAPHS. Cool and collected A rcceipte d ice bill. In the race of man, Satan con trots the final heat. A frog in the throat is worse than a greenback in the hind. The world seems such a beautiful place when you're called upon to leave it. A good way to light some cities and towns too with gas would be to set fire to their editors. If a village contains a score of gossiping old maids, it has precious little need of a newspaper. A great many men suffer from ful'ness of the stomach, who will never suffer from fullness of the head or heart. If a man publishes his biography let him get as much for it as he can, he has a right to sell his life as dearly as possible. Position is something, but not everything. The eyes are in the rear of the nose, but can see much farther than it can smell. A rhymer sends us some of his verses and describes himself as six feet, four inches high. In spite of his heighth he is no "Longfellow." A paper published away down in North Carolina, edited by Henry Timothy, comes to us this week for exchange. We decline. "St. Paul loved Timothy," so do horses, but we don't. Let the wheels of a railroad train pass ovei your quarters and halves, and there will be an expanded currency, let them run over a ten dollar gold piece and you will have a spread eagle. "What would you say if you were to see a Door drunken man lying in the open street, exposed to the pelt ings ot a violent storm, asks an ex change. We would say the poor fellow was under the weather. - "Let Republicanism be united to a man Ex. Our contemporary takes Republicanism for an old woman and is exhorting her to get married. I an afraid the old hag is so ugly that she can't find anyone to have her, she will have to live on in single cursedness. Blue Serges Are all right for this weather, and we have them to fit and suit you. We can give you Square Cut, Dou ble Breasted, Round Cut, Single Breasted, Skeleton Lined, or a Single Coat. We also have single Serge Trou sers. Our Bicycle Clothing de partment is still well stocked . and we can give you any size you desire. The designs are mostly Plaid. Wash Suits- We have a large line of Children's Wash Suits, also Single Pants. BICYCLES AND PEDESTRIANS Clothier, BEN GIDDING, Bloomsburg Bicycles are so numerous now that some little care must be exercised by pedestrians at street crossings to avoid iniurv. Manv wheelmen seem to think that all the care must be used bv the pedestrians, and that wheels have the right of way, and may scorch along at their pleasure, Regardless of the rights of foot passengers. By law the latter have the right of way at crossings, and wheelmen are either ignorant or forgetful of the fact that if an accident occurs there, they may be liable for damages, especially if they are going at a rapid rate. Numer ous instances of narrow escapes at crossings have recently come to our knowledge, and for the safety of pedestrians the following suggestions are made: Scorching should be prohibited in the built up portions of the town. In Philadelphia it costs five dollars to scorch. All wheels should be provided with bells, and these should be rung at all crossings. On Main street all wheels should be required to keep on the right hand side of the road, according to the direction they are going. Where several wheels are going in both directions on both sides of the street, one scarcely knows which way to turn to avoid them. The Leader Department Store. Will End Sale of Carpets The Carpet Mills of the Country take a month, Spring and Fall A.j.is fc-mnioc Tn Acino- this short lengths of car- geiuui. wen nuco '"i""' ; o - ;0 Sale at Proctor Inn- The personal property at Proctor Inn will be sold at public sale on Friday, May 19th, at 10 o'clock a. m. It includes parlor, bed-room, dining room and library furniture, inirrain and Brussels carpets, porch respected residents, in the person of chairs, mattresses, bolsters and pil- Lonracl Kramer, has passeti irom iovvs anA manv other articles. time unto eternity. The subject ot this sketch was born in Philadelphia November 24th, 1824, and died at his home, in jer seytown, this county, early Thursday morning of last week, being )usl seventy-four years, five months and thirteen days of age. He was the oldest of seven so'ns, and worked on his father's farm, in Madison town ship, until he became of ae, after which he hired out to farmers in the vicinity of his home. In 1856 he was married to Miss Margaret Hen dershott. As a result of the union ten children were born, nine of whom still survive. The deceased was a brother of William Kramer, of this town. Terms -All sales of S.s.oo and under, cash. All over S.s.oo four months' credit. For particulars inquire of C. R Buckalew, A. L. Fritz, or Geo. IS Klwell, Bloomsburg, Pa. Excursion rates from Bloomsburg to Jamison City and return, $1.00 We are in receipt of a communi cation, from Orangeville, with a re quest that we publish the same, but we cantiot comply with the request for the reason that it contains no signature. If the author will kindly send hrs name (not for publication but simply as evidence of good faith) the article will be given I space 111 our next issue. . P j omnlfi size "A2 pels are muue iaugiu& num -" r - - .".-u oil 1 . .i . o -.a Wft have bousht all tne coiieu a saori piwc uu-ou jua. - ------ . 4.1, Samples and odd lengths of the Carpet Works and put them on sale at bargain prices, iou can 1 ci -mu money anywhere else as we offer. Prices from 3c. up. Furniture Department We have a number of Bed-Room Suits, made by Bloomsburg workmen. We want to make room tor rail uooas auu u 3 piece suits for $12.00 while they last. In our higher priced suits we have made reductions which give them to you for cost in some instances below cost. We want them to go. Dry Goods We don't claim to carry the largest stock in Bloomsburg, but we do claim the freshest. We go to market frequently, buy tho atest and choicest of the seasonable fabrics, and you reap the lwnfifit. Snecial attention is called to our showing in Uimities, Organdies, Pks, Ducks, Homespun Silk Finished Mull, India Lin en "and other seasonable goods. For Fancy Waists, we snow a select line of Japanese and China Silks. Patterns, private to us. Linens. W are headnuarters for Fine Linens. We have been so for years, and we take a special pride in our stock. Every housekeep. er knows how mind-easing fine table linen is when friends are at the board. Ask for our best, but don t expect to be siiown a )iece for $1.25. We will ask your opinion on our taste on a piece or &2.2S. Of course, we have them, all prices, dovn to 25c, but jn every grade we show good value for the money. Grocery Department. Vr.11 ran re.idilv ?mess how satisfactory our goods must be to our patrons when we tell you that the business has just doubled, as compared witn 1090. uusmess canuui uo uuui up, umcss uy giving satisfactory goods. That's our plan, and it works well good goods at lowest market rates. Trash we do not keep. May we serve you. The Leader Store Co., Ltd., Fourth and Market Streets.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers