Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-09-12
THE LATE RAILROAD CA
LAMITY.
Particulars Of tie Collision Of Train'
Near Independence, o. -
CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.

additional particulars worthey of
credit in regard to the terrible rail
road accident near Independence,
about seven O'Clock last evening.
From physicians and others who
visited the scene we learn that six
persons were killed outright, and
one died soon after removal to Il
house in the neighbOrhood, and that
about forty=tiye were wounded. Be-
side the names telegraphed lastnight
l have been unable to secure any
others of the killed, save that of
Eddy White, Of Independence
The two additional names have been
unObtainable either from the rail
road officials, surgeons or passen-
gers. In regard to the cause of the
accident it is difficult to fix the re-
sponsibility. 1t lies between the dis
patcher at Newark, the operator who
sent and received the order, and the
conductor Of the Chicago express.
According to one account orders
where sent by the dispatcher, and
received by the conductor, to meet
and pass the excursion train at In
dependence, and for some reason
he seemed to be ignorant of the sec
ond train, which closely followed
the first. He therefore pulled out
after the first train had passed and
had scarcely proceeded a quarter of
a mile before the collision took
place. Mr.. Patrick, the conductor,
is one of the Oldest employees on the
road, and has been noted for his
care and intelligence In running, as
has also Mr., +. NJ. Livingston,
the dispatcher, in his especial capa-
city. Conductor Dougherty had
charge of the fated excursion train.
The accident happened near the
switch jnst north of Independence,
at point where two down grades
meet, which gave a tremendous
momentum to the colliding trains.
There is very sharp curve at this
point, and the trains were almost
upon each other before the situation
was discovered. The engineers of
both trains and one fireman jun
ped off and escaped injury, One fire.
man was buried inthe coal and debris
of the locomotive and tender, and
severely but not seriously hurt.
Mr.. Patrick, the conductor of the
express, jumped from the train be-
fore the engines struck and escaped
unhNrt. The two frant cars of the
express were telescoped and the
three front cars Of the excursion
train the latter being crammed full
passengers, and many standing ON
the platforms, All the killed and
many of the wounded were stand
ing on the platforms. BEACH Harris
station agent at Louisville, who was
killed, had gone out on the platform
and was apparently in the act of
jumping off when he was caught be
TWEEN the cars and killed in shock
ing manner. No Women were kill
ed, and the men were mostly young.
Several ladies injured, one having
her leg broken, but the most were
men. The surgeons dressed the
injuries of thirty in all, and six or
eight who were slightly hurt went
to their homes, making in all forty
five wounde ed, i,m ,8 asesI
The scene ON the ground after the
accident is described as narrowing
in the extreme. .tf.I .
A large proportion of the wound
ed are dangerously hurt, legs and
arms lrakeH and bodies bruised.
The following is understood to be
Conductor Patrick's version of the
accident: The regular passing point
of the trains was at Independence,
and on his arrival there from the
South he found the down excursion |
train behind time, hut o dispatch
waiting for him, saying that the way
was clear at Relleville, and to run
to that place. He and his engi
neer debated as to whether they
would remain or obey the order,
and finally concluded to obey. The
collision took place soon after he
pulled out. There were thirteen
cars Of the excursion train, with
over nine hundred passengers and
the wreck of the train was q terrible
scene to hehald, t.