Lancaster Daily Intelligencer

Bio Collision At Coatesville
The Fortunate Escape Of Train Crews—Two Men Hurt.

A destructive railroad collision occurred in front of the Coatesville passenger station at 9 o'clock Saturday night. An unknown man who was stealing a ride was seriously and probably fatally injured and Fireman Curry, of Harrisburg, was slightly injured. An engine and eight loaded freight cars were completely demolished. Two trains were going east, and engine 253 crashed into the Columbia train. The forward train was in charge of Conductor Brooks, of Columbia. Engine 253 was run by Engineer Roberts, of Harrisburg. There was fortunately no one in the caboose of the Columbia train, which was smashed into splinters. The loss to the company by the wreck will probably foot up $50,000. The overturned cars took fire from the stove in the caboose, but the flames were quickly extinguished by the Washington fire engine company, of Coatesville. The tracks are completely blocked and torn up and it was twenty-four hours before trains could pass the spot east or west. The wreck is the worst seen there for years, and the escape of the members of both crews is almost miraculous. The passenger trains were all affected by the accident, and several of them were run around by Wilmington and Baltimore and thence to Harrisburg. Several Lancaster people were obliged to make the round-about trip, and did not arrive here until 4:45 Sunday afternoon. Pacific express, due here at 1:25 Sunday morning, did not reach Lancaster until after 8 o'clock.