St. Michael's History at 1445 N. 2nd street, Philadelphia, PA 19122 US - Great Train Wreck of 1856 "THE BALLAD"
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Great Train Wreck of |
ON THE
NORTH PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD
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9
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On the Seventeenth of Jyly
This awful threat that he did make,
Fathers and mothers crying,
Eighteen hundred and fifty-six,
It was not in his power,
Where my daughter and my son?
The teachers of Saint Michael's school
Although their lives he took away,
Others saying, have more patience,
An Excursion they did fix;
All in that very hour.
For the Lord's Will must be done.
To spend in recreation,
The engines met with fearful force,
Many of the clergy too
Their children's hearts to cheer
And raised into the air,
To the very spot did go,
With the Reverend Daniel Sheridan,
And in a thousand pieces fell
Their very heart was aching,
Whom old and young loved dear.
Sent many in despair.
To see their grief and woe.
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The teachers of the Sunday school
This awful threat that he did make,
The doctors hastened to the scene,
A contract they did make,
It was not in his power,
And done all in their power,
With a Rail Road Company
Although their lives he took away,
To relieve the sick and wounded,
Two thousand souls to take,
All in that very hour.
All in that fatal hour.
To bring them to Fort Washington
The engines met with fearful force,
Many hired carriages,
And home again that day,
And raised into the air,
And rode out the whole way,
All things were gotten ready,
And in a thousand pieces fell
Many others ran on foot,
To have a grand display.
Sent many in despair.
Without any more delay.
3
11
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At day light in the morning,
The cries and moans, and dying.
When at the Depot of the cars,
Before the sun did rise,
Will never leave my heart,
These corpses were brought there,
Those little ones out of their beds
Of old and young, for mercy cried,
Many friends to claim their own
Got up all in surprise.
As they did feel the smart.
Ran almost in despair.
Saying, mother, I will be too late
They gave a second crash, anon,
When they arrived at the spot,
It is, I'm very sure;--
By force of the back ears,
It was dreadful to behold,
Child, don't mind, in the next train
It was like the sound of cannon,
Many of their children
You will be more secure.
From a board of man of war's.
Were laying dead and cold.
4
12
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Oh! mother dear, I cannot wait,
The fire of the engines,
Many of these mortals,
The truth to you I'll tell,
Soon ignited they became
Were burned and mangled so,
My very heart is beating
With the pile of the broken cars,
That neither friend or neighbour
For the sound of the first bell.
Rise into a fearful flame.
Their bodies they could know.
Take some breakfast, boys and girls,
Those unhurt began to work,
About thirteen in number,
Their fathers they did say;
It's others for to save
Their friends could never find,
Say your prayers, their mother's said,
To try to extricate them,
To these broken hearted parents,
You can eat along the way.
All from a burning grave
I address these simple lines.
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God bless you, these parents said,
They got the hair burned off their heads,
Both church and scripture tell us,
And send your safe return,
And the skin all of their hands,
That on the judgment day,
If anything would happen you
The heat it was so very great,
Our bodies they will rise again,
Forever we would mourn.
No man was fit to stand.
No more to go to clay.
Ten ears were filled with young and old
The fire raged at such a rate,
But be united to our souls,
Of every degree,
All had to keep away,
Our judgment for to stand,
Ten minutes after five o'clock,
Until a faithful company
And if we are found worthy,
They started in great glee.
Of firemen came that way.
To be at Christ's right hand,
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14
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And with their Pastor at their head,
From Chesnut Hill they saw the flames,
Our dear Father Sheridan, how
Whom all did love so well;
And ran to our rescue,
We miss you full sore,
Like a general in the battle field,
Like so many gallant heroes,
With our friends and children,
Alongst with them he fell.
Their duty for to do.
About three and sixty more.
They went about a mile full well
They wrought like noble firemen,
With that one stroke of death,
Above the starting place,
For three long hours and more,
All on that fatal day,
The wheels began to slip, you see,
And the hot sun they did not shun,
As long as we have life to live,
Some said the track was greased.
But worked both hard and sore.
For you we'll ever pray.
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Others said that it was dew,
With a strong stream of water,
How this Priest was loved so well,
That fell the night before,
Which they found hard by
By all who did him know,
But when they would be over that
These flames they quenched, in a short
The greatness of his funeral,
They would go like ever more.
Time which threatened to the sky.
And their number plainly show.
The engineer more steam put on,
The farmers and the laborers,
The Streets were filled all round,
And started with great power,
All from the country round,
The church trying to behold,
When little did these pupils think
They came to our assistance,
One last sight of his remains,
This was their fatal hour.
All on the very ground.
Which they treasured more than gold.
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One single track is only laid,
Like feeling hearted christians,
Many a tear upon his grave,
Along that very way,
They offered us their homes,
Is shed by young and old,
Which made it far more criminal,
To take our sick and dying friends
And many others will be shed
This party for to slay.
All with their broken bones.
As this sad tale is told.
Another train was coming down,
When word came to the city,
His acts of love and charity,
And this he knew full well,
Of this sad calamity,
For ever will endure,
He said, before he started, he
The news did spread like wild fire,
He was a faithful pastor,
Would drive them all to hell.
Over town and country.
And a father of the poor,
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We mourn the loss of friends,
So dear unto us all,
We hope they are in Heaven,
And we would not them recall.
So let this be a warning,
To young and old this day,
Since life is so uncertain,
To not neglect to pray.
LIST OF THE KILLED.
REV. DANIEL SHERIDAN,
AGED 35.James Canlin,.........." 17.
Lawrence Dillen,.....aged 50.
Michael Burns,.........." 17.
John Bradley,.........." 14.
Henry Corr,.........." 50.
Miczael O'Brien,.........." 17.
John Sloan,.........." 13.
Harry Harris,.........." 30.
John Dugan,.........." 17.
James Devine,.........." 11.
Francis McCort,.........." 21.
Patrick Kelly,.........." 16.
Lewis Rivell,.........." 10.
Francis Walls,.........." 21.
Thomas Kelly,.........." 16.
Daniel Marlow,..........aged 9.
John Dudsen,.........." 21.
Hugh Tracey,.........." 16.
Mrs. Gunn,.........." 60.
James Roy,.........." 20.
James McIntyre,.........." 16.
Theresa Callahan,.........." 18.
James Gallagher,.........." 20.
Neilus Coakley.........." 16.
Sarah McGee,.........." 18.
Edward Hall,.........." 20.
Edward Flanigen, aged 16.
Mary Short,.........." 16.
Patrick Kearney,.........." 19.
John McVey,.........." 15;
Catharine McGurk,.........." 16.
William T. Barnett,.........." 18.
James Hackey,.........." 15.
Annie Lilley,.........." 16.
Bernard Green,.........." 18.
Hugh Campbell,.........." 15.
Rose Ann Mulholland,......" 15.
John McAleer,.........." 18.
William McGuigan,.........." 15.
Catharine Coakley,.........." 14.
Bernard Ronegan,....aged 18.
Michael Hagerty,.........." 15.
Ellen Clark,.........." 14.
John McGuire,.........." 18.
John Ryan,.........." 15.
Caroline Croener,.........." 13.
William Streets,.........." 18.
Hugh O'Neal,.........." 14.
Mary McArlane,.........." 13.
William Dugan,.........." 17.
James Quigley,.........." 14.
John Grilbeu,.........." 17.
Patrick Flanigen,.........." 14.
JOHN McDEVITT, No. 846 N. Second Street, Philad.
Entered according to Act of Congress in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,
by the author John McDevitt, Sept 5, 1856