1877 — Oct 4, Tropical storm flooding, rails wash out, train derails, near Kimberton, PA-11

–12  Galveston Daily News, TX. “The Storm King on Land,” Oct 6, 1877, p. 2.[1]

–11  Evening Mirror, Altoona, PA. “More Wounded Dying.” 10-8-1877, p. 1.

—  9  Adams and Seibold. Great Train Wrecks of Eastern Pennsylvania. 1992, pp. 45-46.[2]

 

Narrative Information

Adams and Seibold: “Fire and Rain. October 4, 1877. Kimberton, Chester County….

“…the most significant train wreck to follow in the wake of the torrential rains took place near Kimberton, on the Pickering Valley Branch of the Philadelphia and Reading Railway….The weather that night was miserable when the three-car train pulled out of Phoenixville [~3.3 miles  east] at about 7 o’clock….

“About 130 passengers were aboard the train, which was headed for the end of the line in the village of Byers. Most of them were homeward bound after a day of festivities at a reunion of the Pennypacker family in Schwenksville….

“Engineer Frank Kenney inched his locomotive through the storm… Without warning, the earth under the wheels of the engine gave way, and the big machine tumbled into a chasm 30 feet deep. Kenny and his fireman, George Griffith, were killed instantly. The first, and then the second passenger cars followed the engine into the muddy hole….Dozens of passengers were hurt, and seven were killed….” (Adams and Seibold. Great Train Wrecks of Eastern Pennsylvania. 1992, pp. 45-46.)

National Weather Service, Weather Forecast Office, Philadelphia/Mt. Holly: “Oct 4…1877… A hurricane moved through the Caribbean sea then curved N into the FL panhandle.  The storm then moved NE as a tropical storm overland up the coast just W of
Norfolk, VA, and then skirted by SE NJ on its way to Cape Cod as an extra-tropical storm. DC reported a fastest mile wind speed of 45 mph, and Cape May, NJ, a maximum wind gust to 80 mph, both from the NW. PHL had a wind gust also to 80 mph, and a maximum 1-minute wind speed of 60 mph, reported to be from the SE. The 80 mph gusts were the strongest winds measured at those places in 1877. Torrential rains accompanied the storm, with PHL receiving 2.73″ of rain and NYC 4.05″, both daily rainfall records. Various sources give the death toll along its path from Curacao to the NE USA at over 84, putting this hurricane on The Deadliest
Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492 to Present, list. (More than 25 deaths needed to make the list) (PHL[3])(NCC[4])(NHC[5]).” (NWS FO, Philly/Mt. Holly. “Historical Weather Facts…,” 10-17-2005.)

 

News Papers

Oct 5: “Pottsville, Pa., Oct 5. An excursion train from the Pennypacker Reunion, held near  Schiverksville, yesterday, on the Pickering Valley Railroad, when near Phoenixville last night, between 9 and 10 o’clock, was badly wrecked by rains washing out the track for some distance.  There were about two hundred persons on the train.  Up to 9:30 o’clock this morning dispatches show twelve killed and fifty wounded….” (Galveston Daily News. “The Storm King on Land,” 10-6-1877, p. 2)

Oct 8: “Phoenixville, Oct. 8.–News has been received here of the death of four more of those wounded in the railroad accident that formed such a terrible and tragic sequel to the Pennypacker family re-union.

“Michael Corbitt, the brakeman, whose body was crushed between two cars, died at the Pennsylvania hospital in Philadelphia, whither he had been removed.

“Mrs. Albert Pennypacker, of Pikeland, also died almost immediately after reaching her home.

“Peter Danfield and John Latsham died Saturday afternoon, making eleven deaths thus far.

“There are several others who are so badly hurt that they are likely to die….” (Evening Mirror, Altoona, PA. “More Wounded Dying.” 10-8-1877, p. 1.)

 

Sources

Adams, Charles J. III and David J. Seibold. Great Train Wrecks of Eastern Pennsylvania.  Reading, PA: Exeter House Books, 1992. 

Evening Mirror, Altoona, PA. “More Wounded Dying.” 10-8-1877, p. 1.

Galveston Daily News, TX. “The Storm King on Land,” 10-6-1877, p. 2. Accessed 9-5-2017 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/galveston-daily-news-oct-06-1877-p-1/?tag

National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Philadelphia/Mount Holly. “Historical Weather Facts for the Philadelphia/Mt. Holly, NJ Forecast Area.” Mount Holly, NJ: NWS FO, Oct 17, 2005 update. Accessed at: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/phi/hist_phi.html#0311

 

 

[1] If the Altoona Mirror is correct as to additional deaths following the derailment making for a total of eleven, then this day-after newspaper report must be incorrect. It is possible that one or more injured died after the Oct 8 Mirror report, but we choose to use the number reported as definitive deaths.

[2] No sources cited, thus we do not know from whence this information originated.

[3]Philadelphia weather records beginning with Center City readings, then continuing Dec 1, 1945, with readings from Philadelphia International Airport.

[4] National Climatic Center.

[5] National Hurricane Center.