Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA
1865 - TERRIBLE RAILROAD ACCIDENT. NINE PERSONS INSTANTLY KILLED !!

From the Harrisburg Telegraph.
One of the most horrible railroad accidents that occurred during the present year, happened on Saturday afternoon, on the Pennsylvania railroad, three miles this side of Lancaster, as the Day Express train reached that point, en route for Philadelphia.

The train consisted of seven cars. The front axle of the third car breaking, that end of the car at once fell to the track, and as the train was under full headway, the rear cars ran into the one to which the accident occurred, crushing to death nine persons and maiming a large number of others – rumor says thirty or more. The scene is said to have been heartrending and sickening in the extreme. The shrieks and groans of the wounded and dying were such as to unman the stoutest heart, and cause many passengers to leave the vicinity of the accident to obtain relief from the sad spectacle presented. The following is a list of the persons who were instantly killed, or died within a few moments after the accident occurred:

MRS. JAMES P. BARR, wife of the Surveyor General of Pennsylvania.
MRS. SARAH WILLETT, of New Cumberland, Cumberland county, Pa.
MRS. MAGDALENA ZETTE, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
COLONEL BUTLER, of Lewistown, Pa.
MRS. BUTLER, (wife of the above,) Lewistown, Pa.
WM. H. BUTLER, (known as "BARNEY" BUTLER,) Clerk in the Surveyor Generals office, Harrisburg.
MRS. PHILLIPS, of Ohio.
A daughter of MRS. PHILLIPS, aged about 15 years.
Another daughter of MRS. PHILLIPS aged 10 years.

It is said that from thirty to forty persons were wounded - and there is no cause to doubt the truth of the report, as it seems incredible that a smaller number would be injured, when the list of killed is so extensive as the above.

Among those reported wounded are JAMES P. BARR, Surveyor General, and MRS. WOLFINGER, of Harrisburg, CAPT. ISAAC MOFFATT, of Philadelphia, is supposed to be injured internally.

The bodies of the persons killed were forwarded to the West on the express train of Sunday morning. That of MRS. WILLETT was brought to this city, and after being placed in a neat coffin, was sent to New Cumberland.

We are informed that the railroad track was torn up for a distance of a hundred yards or more, and that three of four cars were shattered to pieces. A bar of railroad iron penetrated entirely through the body of one of the men killed. Some of the bodies are said to have been horribly mutilated.

Among the parties wounded some are reported as having arms and legs broken, and others sustained injuries of every conceivable form.
The accident is attributed to defective iron in the axle that broke, the car to which it was attached having been in good condition.

Village Record
Pennsylvania
October 20, 1865

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