The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-09-01
RAILROAD ACCIDENTS.
The Accident on the Detroit & Mil.
waukee ROad..A Negligent Brakes
man Responsible for It,

Waukee ROadssA Negligent Brakes
man Responsible for II.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH., August 3d.
From the testimony given In the first ex-
animation before the coroners jury and
the statements made by the brakeman
10 q reporter, 1t would seem that the ac-
cident on tho Detroit Il Milwaukee Rail
road, near Muir, was due to the neglect
of q brakeman sent by the conductor ol
the passenger train TO flag the freight TO
90 far enough away from his train 10
show the signal. There was heavy fog
at the time and the freight was moving
on down grade. The express passed
No. IL through freight at OWaso; 1t ugu-
ally passes 1t at Lowell, thirty.eight miles
west Of Owaso. The express, which was
due at Muir village, six miles Of lone. at
4:30, was approaching Muir twenty-five
minutes late, as when 1t left Detroit, one
and quarter miles east Of Muir, the drive
wheel broke oil Ut the axle and tho train
came TO stop. II was then ten minutes
10 five, and in five minutes more 1t would
have arrived ut Muir. The conductor
sent brakcsmsn Mcneil 10 the front and
telegrapkcd back to st. John to stop No.
II, but II had passed there. Conductor
McKuill had sent baggageman Daryey
and brakeman Brown back TO flag No.
10 II was ioggy and they could not see
more than one hundred yards. The flag
man went only third Of milo and
waited at the bridge across Stony Greek.
McKuell returned and followed the
ilagman. lie or the conductor put
torpedO on the track only one hundred
yards cast OF the bridge, the customary
log signals. Section Fireman Mcmullin
also went to the tlsgmen, saying they had
better 20 further. They replied, who Is
doing this flsggingy" lie said no more.
Flagman Brown said he waited there a.
teen or twenty minutes after MoMullln
came. Before 13 came in sight Engineer
Montru heard the tUrpedoes, and saw the
flag signal one hundred yards ahead al
the same time, and whistIed down brakes
Tho brakemen quickly responded. 1t is
down grade OF fifty or sixty feet TO the
milo in tho valley Of the Maple river
from Pewamon Station four miles east Of
where tho train was tagged.
The last few items have been condens-
ed from the testimony at the Inquest.
The fact OF heavy grade there Is well
known. The engineer had not used
steam for the last mile before seeing the
signal. lie reversed : he engine and open
the saliu J,JA, " .m. the fireman Get upt
brake On the tender. Having done all
that was nossible to lessen the catastrophe.
the engineer and fireman jumped from the
engine. There were thirty freight cars,
mostly loaded, moving at the rate Of d.
A. 0nAAH
t ain could not be checked, but slid rap.
idly on at the rate oil at least ten miles an
hour, when II struck the rear OF the ex-
press. The engineer testified that ne
could have stopped the train for certain
if tagged one and quarter miles further
away, and probably II half mile further
away. Judging from all that was done
between the stopping OF the express ana
the catastrophe, there was time for the
flagmcn 10 walk TO Pewamon, where they
would have found freight train taking
on wood and water.
A reporter says lie walked from the
place Of the disaster 10 the bridge over
Stony creek, whero the tlsgmen say the
stopped. The engineer and conductor OF
the freight say they have walked It
easily on the track In eight minutes.
After the accident the express brake.
men, Mcneil, walked 10 Muir, one and
quarter miles, and awakened q section
loremsp, who dressed himselt i and got out
q hand car. Both went back to the e1-
press, and then Mcneil was sent for BY
the conductor, Todarvey, and Brown, the
flRgman, and all complacently waited
ten or twenty minutes, as they severally
estimated, till the freight came tearing
along. The investigation will be con
tiuued to-day.
TWO MEN KNOCKED FROM A RAILWAY
TRAIN AND KILLED.
ST. LOUIS, August 30.-As q freight
train. on the Atlantic g. Pacific railroad
was passing under the bridge at LSclede,
eight miles from this city, las: night, .
brakeman named Atwell and another
man, Arthur MAginnlS, who were stand:
ing on the top oil the cars, were knocked
of and both killed. MaginniS Is supposed
to have been recently employed on the
indianapolis, Bloomington & Western
railway. ..a
TWO sEREPNd MEN RUN OVER RY A RAIL.
WAY TRAIN.
INDIANAPOLIS, August 3O.-Two young
men from Washington, H., VIM. Shear
and George Duran, walking 10 1ndiauap-
oils, sat down on the l. g. & L. railroad
track 10 rest eight miles west Of here, fell
asleep, and were run over by tho eastern
bound express about three o'clock this
morning, Shears lei( shoulder was badly
mashed besides internal injuries, and
Duran's skull and left arm were irac-
tured. Both are in a precarious condi-
ton, especially Duran, and It Is hardly
possible they will survive.
WeatbeT RaDoYH.