Tamanend, PA Train Collision, Oct. 1888

EIGHT MEN KILLED.

Frightful Wreck of a Freight on the Lehigh Valley Road.

MAUCH CHUNK, Pa., Oct. 16 -- A wreck occurred on the Pottsville division of the Lehigh Valley railroad, near Tamanend, about 8 o'clock this morning, between a Lehigh gravel train and a Pennsylvania railroad fast freight. The flagman did not get back far enough to signal the freight train, which struck the caboose of the gravel train, the latter containing a batch of Hungarian laborers, six of whom were instantly killed. Twenty-six were injured, two of them dying while being conveyed to the hospital. The gravel train was backing on a siding when the freight train, which was running on orders, approached at a high rate of speed, and went crashing into the cars ahead. The news of the wreck was immediately telegraphed to the railroad officers who arrived on the scene in a short time and did all in their power to make comfortable the suffering ones. Several physicians were also summoned. The injured were removed to the Miners hospital at Ashland, and as they were all Hungarians with two exceptions, no names could be secured.
The deputy coroner of Tamanend empanelled a jury and testimony will be taken to-morrow. The killed and injured men were all on the gravel train with the exception of one, a brakeman on the Pennsylvania train, who was killed on his own train.
So far as known the responsibility rests upon the shoulders of a flagman who failed to flag the freight train in time to prevent the accident. The following persons are known to have been killed:
WILLIAM GOULDEN of Nescopee, brakeman on the Pennsylvania freight train.
GEORGE PETREY of Rockport, brakeman on the Lehigh Valley train.
JOSEPH HORRINSKI.
MIKE CATILINI.
JOHN SOWINSKI.
LUDWIG PIKE.
JOHN LEVUNKIE.
JOSEPH LOVENSEL.
All these were employed on the gravel train. Two others of the injured are in a critical position.

Syracuse Daily Standard New York 1888-10-17
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!