Page 3 Advertisements Column 2

Temuka Leader, Issue 1439, 10 December 1885, Page 3

Railway Disasters in America.—A serious and fatal accident occurred to a train on the Pennsylvania Railroad on October 19th by which a large number of immigrants who bad arrived from Europe by the steamers Donau, Eider, and Hekla, were proceeding to the West. A few miles out from the Jersey City, the driver pulled up, and took a supply of coals on the engine-tender. Soon after he had again started, he found the block signals against him, and he had scarcely stopped the engine when “All clear” was signalled. On starting this time the rear car was detached from' the train, owing to the coupling being defective ; as soon as this was discovered the engine backed the train, and the car was attached. The engine was slowly resuming the journey when a heavy express train, misled by the “All dear” sighal given for the immigrant train, dashed into the rear of the latter. The effect of the collision was to throw two cars across the adjoining tracks of the Lehigh Valley Railway, at the instant that a train came up on the line at. full speed. The result was the complete wreck of the two cars, the occupants of which suffered fearfully. Three bodies were taken up which had been decapitated. When the body of one woman was raised her legs fell from her dress, having been severed as cleanly as if by a surgeon’s knife. It has been ascertained that at least nine lives have been lost, and there are six passengers in the hospitals who have been > seriously injured.