One Summer: America, 1927

by Bill Bryson

readily yielded it to her. Unfortunately Mrs. Damiano stalled the car on railroad tracks just as a train from the Pennsylvania Railroad—one of those being hurried to the city to help shift all the extra travelers—barreled through. The train struck the car at 40 miles an hour. Mrs. Damiano and all four of her children were killed instantly. Two other adults also perished. Two more were seriously injured. Only Mr. De Cicco managed to jump clear. The seven deaths were thought to be the most ever in a one-car accident. Mrs. Damiano’s unfortunate husband, who had a night job and didn’t know that his wife and children had gone out, learned the next morning that he had lost his entire family.