Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1874-03-13
THE SEN TINEL.
mo Bell-Rope on the Train.

The late horrible accident on the Great
Western Railway OF Canada, by which ten or
twelve people were in few minutes roasted be-
yond recognition, is one Of which the occasion
and responsibility are not hard to fix. A
kerosene oil lamp in the saloon ut the front
end Of crowded passenger car, .ell, broke,
and instantly became fierce fire Before il
was noticed, it was beyond the power Of the
passengers TO smother, and the wind of the
fast-fying train carried the flames through the
car rs If through the vent of furnace. Obvi-
ously il was case in which the train was to
be stopped rs quickly as possible. Every mo-
ment OF delay cost life. But in this awful
crisis, the means Of stopping the train were
found missing Here is the conductors state
inent of the fatal fact
There was no bell-rope on the train. We
always carry one, and invariably use it when
We have no oil tanks on We don't take oil
tanks every night. Sometimes two or three
or four nights out of the week We don't
carry the rope with the oil tanks beca use there
is no place for the rope. II would be apt to
CATCH rendering it unservireable thought
il better 10 depend upon our own excrtions
than upon the bell-rope. The rule of the
company always supposes us to carry bell
rope no matter what the train is made up Of
don't think wood, gravel, and iron trains car
ry them. M permission from headquarters
was ever granted TO me 10 go without u bell
rope. The station-muster of London, Mr.
Knight knew was in the habit Of going
without bell-rope, ! having told him that
wished he would let me 90 without tank cars,
because could not pull hrll-rope over them
4 the speed we were running that night the
trains usually 60 a few hundred Yards before
stopping. Had we had a bel-rope on that
night aud had worked it, we might have stop
ped within few hundred yards
Rev. HOOPER of Woodstock n nassenper
sf,er describing the beginning Of the fire said:
81 at once prepared myself in case of danger
when the conductor, who was at the rear end
of the car, sprang forward, calling to the peo-
pie TO keep their seats, saying there was moth
ing wrong. ! saw the conductor look in the
saloon, close the door after him, and 20 out
at the front end OF the car BY this time all
was confusion. Some person opened the saloon
door again shortly after. All pressed to get
out behind, rs far MS | could see sprang
with the rest, ami was taken hv the press out
of the rear door. ! tried to get down The steps
on the south side of the car They were fiiIl
of people hanging on for life. | did what
could 10 push them Of the steps, but found
it quite impossible. they chung so tenacously
TO the rail. Being close to the door was
getting sutfocated with smoke and fumes and
fell down. One leg got bet Seen the brake rod
and the centre rod, and WIS piui0ned there
till the fire removed those pressing on me -
The noise of the people gaspng Tor breath was
terrible. Some were groanng on the track
and Others stricken as they fell off But few
fell off the step, hui many were pushed or fell
off the end. The flames aud smoke coming ont
OF The car were so great that one could last
long on the platform. Is soon as | could dis
enangle my legs, threw myself from the car
People were lying around on every hnd. aud
those could reach ! assisted ms could Only
man that saw was taken off the car when
it stopped. The rest that were not dead got of
themselves. That one.was Brclhwck as
sisted 10 carry him to the sccoud car ] was
looking out of the window when the crash took
place, and thought it about half way Leta cen
London and komoka. | should think the
train ran abou, two mills after the people he
came excited before it stopped | have an idea
that the train ran three miles after the explo-
sion. ! was cool al The time, aud knew every
thing that waS going on around me. The IN IN
who went first To The close: shui the door " hen
lac came out the last time don I know how
f.r east the passengers Commenced dropping
Think il WAS over mlle. Those who fell
were mainly pushed off There was II bell
cord hung in the car, aud ! and several others
pulled il vigorously and it broke | think
The conductor did all he could