St. Michael's History at 1445 N. 2nd street, Philadelphia, PA 19122 US - The Great Train Wreck of 1856

July 17, 1856

In the early summer of 1856 preparations were begun for the holding of a picnic of the Sunday School on Thursday, July 17. Fort Washington was selected as the likeliest place for it, and special trains for the excursion were chartered with the North Pennsylvania Railroad. Father Daniel Sheridan was given charge of all arrange­ments.

In the year 1856 steam-cars were still regarded with wonderment and admiration. We can therefore readily imagine the excitement which attended the preparations for the Sunday school outing. Not only the children but the parents also who would be able to make the journey thrilled at the prospect of so glorious an adventure as riding through the country at great speed behind one of those strange, puffing monsters of iron.

It is not unlikely that these simple people were still in awe even of the horse-drawn vehicles which moved so rapidly on rails past the church. A copy of Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper of the day carried the picture of one of these conveyances in motion: the driver leans forward like a charioteer, reins in his left hand, whip upraised in his right; the horses appear to be in a mad dash; pedestrians are seen leaping frantically for safety. The North Pennsylvania Railroad Com­pany established this rail line for horse-cars in 1855. The route was from Willow Street along Front to Germantown Road, thence to Second Street and on to Beach and Berks Streets.

It is opportune to remark here that in the office of St. Michael's Rectory there is a drawing of the church, which some have insisted is a representation of the first edifice; but this is disproved by several details, one of them being the car rails shown on Second Street. It is, of course, the present church that is represented, since so much enlarged and adorned.

The North Pennsylvania Railroad for steam-cars was first in­corporated in 1852 as the Philadelphia, Easton and Water Gap Railroad Company, for the purpose of connecting the City with the Lehigh coal region. The change of title was made in 1853. The road was finished as far as Gwynedd early in 1855, and this part was formally opened for travel Monday, July 2, of that year. The main passenger depot, called the Cohoquinoque Station, was at Front and Willow Streets; there was a small depot, the Cohocksink, on Master Street west of Second, and up at Washington (American) and Montgomery Streets was the Shackamaxon. In later years the main station of this road was to be located at Germantown Avenue and Thompson Street, and still later at Berks and American Streets. This railroad has been absorbed by the Reading System. The ill-fated Sunday school excursion of 1856 was to leave from the convenient Master Street depot.

July 17, 1856, is recorded as excessively hot. The City was being scorched by one of those intolerable heat waves with which Phila­delphians are afflicted every summer. The heavy and torrid air of the early morning presaged a day of the utmost discomfort for those who would remain on the City streets, but it must have made the excursionists think with anticipatory pleasure of the dense, cool woods and running streams of the country.

The first excursion train was to leave Master Street at five o'clock and arrive at Fort Washington at 6 o'clock; the second would leave at 8.00 and also make the run in an hour. The schedule for the return in the evening called for departures from Fort Washington at 5.30 and 8.00.

Twelve hundred tickets had been sold. About seven hundred persons were on hand to make the early trip. Father Sheridan directed the entraining with the assistance of members of the lay committee. This robust young priest had need of all his vigor to cope with the situation created by the impatient and excited children. He made every effort to keep the little ones in the rear cars where there would be less danger.

The weight of the train of ten crowded cars was so great that there was difficulty in starting. Conductor Alfred F. Hoppel testified later that it left the depot at 5.10. The making of thirty miles an hour was required by the orders, but it was impossible to maintain this speed. It was necessary to make several brief stops because of trouble.

There was a stop of almost five minutes halfway between Chelton Hill and Tacony because the steam was low. When the train neared Edge Hill it was at least twenty-five minutes late.

There was only one track to this railroad. And on this one track, through the peaceful countryside, disaster was moving swiftly to meet the happy children of St. Michael's. The train of regular daily service to the City left Gwynedd at 6 o'clock. It reached Fort Washington at 6.15, and Camp Hill at 6.18. The conductor, William Vanstavoren, had observed that the excursion train, which was to follow his own back to the City, was not at the Fort Washington siding. He inquired anxiously about it at Camp Hill, and receiving no information gave orders to proceed cautiously. Engineer Lee kept the shrill whistle sounding, making so deafening a noise, as he him­self was to testify, that it was impossible to hear the approach of the other train.

The conduct of Alfred F. Hoppel, responsible for the safety of St. Michael's picnickers, is amazing. He knew the schedule of the regular train bound for Philadelphia and consequently must have been aware that he was jeopardizing the lives of all entrusted to him. He violated the most essential law of this one-track road in not taking his cars onto a siding. His incredible action was to urge his engineer to pick up as much speed as possible so that the train passed the Edge Hill siding, the last opportunity for safety, moving at about thirty-five miles an hour.

Between Edge Hill and Camp Hill in the vicinity of Dewey's Lane there was a curve along an embankment twenty-six feet high. The excursion cars thundered through a ravine and emerged on the curve, traveling with tremendous speed on a down grade. A second later the trains collided. The locomotives rose on end so that the fire boxes nearly touched, turned over and lay side by side.

The sound of crashing woodwork, the hissing of steam, the screams and piteous moans of the victims succeeded the first deafen­ing noise of the terrific impact.

The three forward cars of the excursion. train as well as two unoccupied freight cars of the other were smashed to pieces. The wreckage of St. Michael's cars caught fire immediately. Many persons were killed instantly, others burned to death.

Children and women who occupied rear coaches and escaped serious injury jumped out, screaming in a frenzy of fear and grief. A crowd gathered quickly from neighboring hamlets, for the blaze could be seen for several miles. The heat of the burning wreckage was so intense that though protruding arms and legs and other parts of bodies could be glimpsed through the flame and smoke, it was im­possible to approach to attempt a rescue.

A small brook ran nearby. A bucket-brigade was formed and equipped with tubs, buckets, pails, kettles and other utensils supplied by the farmers, but the effort to aid in this way was merely pitiful. The Congress Engine and Hose Company of Chestnut Hill shortly reached the scene and in a little while subdued the flames and began to extricate the victims.

There were two small hotels, maintained for summer vacation­ists, one dwelling, a blacksmith shop and a shed within a radius of three hundred yards of the wrecked trains, and as quickly as possible the injured were removed to these shelters. Later the shop and shed were converted into morgues.

Very Rev. Dr. Moriarity, O.S.A., pastor of the new parish of Our Mother of Consolation, Chestnut Hill, and Father Barbelin, S.J., who was a guest at the home of Lawyer Hirst in the same locality, heard of the disaster and sped with all haste to give the ministrations of religion. Physicians hurried from Chestnut Hill, Edge Hill, White Marsh and Germantown. Among them was Dr. S. Weir Mitchell.  

       Mrs. Mary J. Ambler upon receiving the intelligence quickly gathered first-aid materials and covered the distance of two miles on foot. The service she rendered in caring for the injured was so conspicuous that after her death in 1868, the railroad company changed the name of the station near her home from Wissahickon to Ambler.

 
STAINED GLASS WINDOW HONORING MARY AMBLER + ST. JOSEPH CHURCH + AMBLER, PA

The tragic news was brought to the City, spread through the parish. Men dropped their tools or left their looms and rushed from the factories, anguished women ran sobbing through the streets. Crowds of parents and other relatives of the children collected at the three sta­tions, clamoring frantically for transportation, and had to be restrained by the police from seizing and attempting to use the dangerous hand-cars. Coaches were attached to the one locomotive remaining in Philadelphia, but they were given over almost entirely to Sisters of Charity, nurses and physicians with their equipment. The parish­ioners then sought horse-drawn vehicles, and soon the Chestnut Hill Turnpike held a fast-moving procession of cabs, carts, wagons, drays. Some, however, bethought themselves of using the Chestnut Hill Railroad and walking the three miles from its terminus to the scene of the tragedy. Rev. Francis O'Connor of St. Michael's and Rev. John McGovern of St. Paul's went up as quickly as possible.

The train which had taken up the physicians and nurses returned to the City at three o'clock, bringing twenty injured and twenty dead. It was sent back immediately and arrived again in Philadelphia before six o'clock with many more of the injured. The train which came into the Shackamaxon Depot that night at nine o'clock carried still more of the injured and thirty-one dead bodies. Because of the insistence of relatives some of the injured were taken to their homes; the rest were removed to hospitals-the Pennsylvania, St. Joseph's, Episcopal.

Father Daniel Sheridan had been killed, crushed in a horrible manner between two cars. His body was so mangled as to be scarcely identifiable. The remains of a young boy had been found under the ruins of the engine in an ash-pan. The condition of many of the corpses indicated that death had been caused by burning. Here is the list of St. Michael's dead with their ages: 


Rev. Daniel Sheridan 35 yrs

Lawrence Dillon 50  

Henry Corr       30  

Francis McCort  21  

Francis Walls 21  

John Dudson    21  

James Roy        20  

James Gallagher 20  

Edward Hall     20  

Patrick Kearney 19  

William T. Barnett 18  

Bernard Green 18  

John McAleer 18  

Bernard Ronegan 18  

John McGuire 18  

William Street 18  

William Dugan 17  

John Grillen      17  

James Conlin 17  

Michael Burns 17  

Michael O'Brien  17  

Mrs. Gunn        60  

Teresa Callahan 18 

Sarah Mayer    18  

Mary Short       16  

Catharine McGurk 16  

Anna Lilley       16  

James Dugan   17

Patrick Kelly     16

Thomas Kelly 16

Hugh Tracey     16

James McIntyre 16

Neil Coakley     16

Edward Flanigan 16

John McVey      15

J ames Hickey 15

Hugh Campbell 15

William McGuigan 15

Michael Haggerty 15

John Ryan        15

Hugh O'Neill     14

J ames Quigley 14

Patrick Flanigan 14

John Bradley    14

] ohn Sloan      13

James Devine 11

Louis Rivell       10

Daniel Marlow  9

Rose Ann Mulholland 15

Catharine Coakley 14

Ellen Clark 14

Caroline Croener 13

Mary McErlane 13

Besides, the engineer of the excursion train, Harry Harris, was killed. The fireman, although thrown thirty feet into a: field, suffered only abrasions and slight contusions. Alfred F. Hoppel escaped with the least of injuries. The engineer and fireman of the other train had been able to save themselves by leaping. The conductor, William Vanstavoren, upon returning to the City reported the accident officially and then went to his residence, 169 Buttonwood Street, and committed suicide by taking arsenic.

A Solemn Mass of Requiem was celebrated in St. Michael's Church Saturday morning, July 19. To quote from the Catholic Herald:

"As early as five o'clock on the morning of Saturday, groups of persons who had relatives among the dead or who belonged to the congregation were scattered in" the vicinity" of. the church, Before eight o'clock these isolated groups became one solid mass, all press­ing forward to get a last view of the beloved priest by whose mini­strations they had been so long edified, instructed and consoled. During the early part of the morning the Holy Sacrifice of propitia­tion had been offered up to the throne of mercy at each of the three altars in the church on behalf of the many deceased. The several pews were occupied by their immediate relations.

"The body of the Rev. Mr. Sheridan was disposed in the manner usual with deceased clergymen; arrayed in sacerdotal robes, was laid in the richly-mounted coffin and placed in the centre aisle before that altar whereat he had so often officiated. The crowd outside was becoming every moment more and more anxious to get in, but the most perfect order was preserved. If they had been permitted to get in, by crushing and pressing lives would have been lost. This was provided against. The outer entrance at the iron railing was closed, and a considerable body of police was present and had a very important duty to discharge, which they did satisfactorily. Under the direction of the Rev. Father O'Connor of this church, upon whom the arrangements devolved, groups were admitted from time to time. They passed up the centre aisle, around the coffin, and cast one last, sad, lingering look on the countenance they were to see no more. They were passed down the south aisle and out to make way for others. In all this procession or pilgrimage, silent prayers arose from every heart, tears started unbidden to every eye, reverence was in every attitude and step. Judging from all that we have witnessed, we believe it hardly possible to estimate the depth of love, esteem and veneration in which this young clergyman was held.

"Before and during the celebration of High Mass, several coffins containing the remains of some of the deceased were brought into the church and rested on the upper parts of the pews. They were laid feet towards the altar, the remains of the deceased clergyman being placed, as usual, facing the congregation. Many others for whom space could not be found without incommoding the congre­gation were placed in the basement.

"The Solemn High Mass for the eternal repose of the Rev. Daniel Sheridan and those of the congregation who died in conse­quence of the same awful disaster, was commenced about nine o'clock. The Rev. P. F. Sheridan of St. Paul's (an uncle of the dead priest) officiated as celebrant; Rev. Edward O'Brien of St. Malachy’s, deacon; Rev. John McGovern of St. Paul's, sub deacon. Thirty-four priests were present, taking part in the celebration. Immediately after the offering of the Holy Sacrifice, the Very Rev. P. E. Moriarity, D.D., O.S.A., delivered the sermon.

(At one touching part of this discourse, "the grief that had been only held back by the earnestness with which the consoling language of the Very Reverend preacher was listened to, now burst forth, not in loud or frantic wailings or gesticulations, but with that deep intensity of grief which no form of words could embody, that low, hollow, indistinct sound which told of that hoarded reverential love for the faithful Priest of God, which lay in the depth of every human heart within that congregation. It was with difficulty the voice of the preacher, sonorous though it be, could be heard for some time."}

"After the sermon the usual psalms were sung and the coffin containing the remains of the Rev. Mr. Sheridan having been closed up, a procession of the clergymen preceded by the cross-bearer, carrying a large-sized crucifix draped in mourning, followed the body to the burial ground adjoining the church. Immense crowds followed, and amongst them there was not one who did not evince the deepest emotion. Other bodies which lay in the church immedi­ately followed and were also interred. On Sunday the bodies of nine others were interred. The number of persons whose remains could not be identified was eight; these were buried under the arrangements of Mr. Hookey, the undertaker, along with the others." On Sunday, too, Mass was offered for the victims in every Catholic church of the City.

Coroner Daniel Jacoby of Montgomery County impanelled a jury and opened an inquest at the Fort Washington Hotel, as did Coroner Delavau in Philadelphia. Some startling testimony was given during these inquiries. Edward Boyle and Frank McAnany, both of St. Michael's, had gone into McClain's tavern opposite the depot early on Thursday, July 17, and there overheard Harry Harris, the engineer, who was killed instantly in the col­lision, declare that he "would drive them all to Hell." A rail­road man, Mr. Lee, who in fact was engineer of the other train, sub­mitted hearsay evidence that the difficulties which caused the excur­sion train to be late were due to greased rails. The juries disregarded such statements and after a thorough investigation into railroad schedules, orders, siding locations, and similar details, charged the disaster to the negligence and disobedience of Conductor Alfred F. Hoppel.

Mr. Hoppel was a Kensington Protestant-a description which in those days connoted a most intense hatred of Catholics. But it is unbelievable that he or anyone else, not to speak of a group, would seek to compass the death of hundreds of children. Such a man would be a human devil, a monster of evil, a modern Herod. But the horrors of May, 1844, were still vividly remembered in St. Michael's Parish, and the recent criminal excesses committed bv the Knownothings in various parts of the country-it was not yet a year since the Bloody Monday at Louisville-had kept the people for some time in a state of apprehension, so it is not surprising that rumors of a plot to slaughter the children on their outing should have sprung up and persisted. John J. McDevitt of 842 N. Second Street, wrote and published a lengthy account of the tragedy in verse, in which he expressed his conviction of the guilt of the bigots. This poem, if it may be called such, was circulated through the City parishes and made a lasting impression. One effect of the fear en- gendered was that for some years afterwards Catholic organizations in chartering. trains for excursions demanded the right to pass upon the acceptability of, the train crew.

The whole nation was horrified at the tragic news. Newspapers in every part of the country carried leaders demanding that railroad companies improve their methods and equipment and make the safety of passengers their first consideration. This was everywhere described as the worst disaster in the history of steam-cars. In the parish itself hysterical grief quickly yielded to the calming influences of religion. Faith sustained the people, soothed them, whispered its sweet message of hope to their sorrowful hearts. Whatever' cre­dence was given in the circumstances to' rumors of greased rails and similar stories, there was never the least manifestation of passion. They understood that God saw all things and permitted the tragedy for His own good purpose; it was necessary to humble themselves before Him, to submit patiently to His holy Will. This was their supreme hour of common trial and they came through it with unwavering trust in the goodness of their Maker.

A public subscription of thirteen thousand nine hundred dollars ($13,900.00) was made to relieve the distress occasioned by this tragedy.