Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-10-18
An Excursion Train Wrecked.
BosroN. Oct. 8.


A serious accident occurred this
evening on the Old Colony Railroad to
a crowded excursion train which was
match between Reagan, of Boston, ana
Davis, of Portland. A train of twenty
two cars went off the track.
The train to which the accident hap
pened was one returning from Silver
Lake and composed of twenty-five cars
and two engines, carrying about 1000
persons who had been out to witness
the race between Reagan and Davis.
The train was not going at high rate
of speed, perhaps twenty miles an hour.
The cause of the disaster is explained
by the statement of Charles Westgate,
engineer of the leading locomotive on
the wrecked train. He says after leav-
ing Wollaston Station, while travelling
at the rate of twenty miles an hour,
and when about quarter of mile this
side of Wollaston, he saw about 300
yards ahead freight car on the train
running on to the main track from
siding, and he instantly whistled down
brakes and reversed the engine. He
and his fireman, DennisUn, STAYED
on the engine, and when it struck
the car both were thrown off. Den
nison was badly scalded. Westgate
claims he did all in his power to stop
the train, but that he had the right of
way and the switch was all right. He
did not expect to see the freight car so
suddenly emerge from a siding which
| is seldom used. On Old Colony roads
all trains run to the left instead of the
right, as is the custom on other roads,
and the freight car was being switched
upon the right track and had nearly
| crossed when the accident occurred.
A Herald reporter, who was on the
wrecked train, says: Upon passing
Wollaston, the passengers were made
aware of something unusual by two
sharp blasts from the whistle, succeed
! ing which, the air brakes were applied.
| Quicker than it can be related the
train was off the track and ran over
the sleepers 800 or 400 feet. Then
came third and the shock was not
forcible enough to throw the passen-
gers about much, followed by a strange
grinding, crushing noise and the train
came to a stop. The reporter was in
the fourth compartment of the English
coach, only three removes from the one
occupied by Reagan. In a second S
time the whole left hand side of the
coach was torn out into which plunged
the passenger car next following. This
cleared the debris and liberated the
passengers imprisoned in the coach
All was confusion. Mingled with
the noise of escaping scalding
steam were shrieks of wounded
and dying, while the atmosphere
was filed with dust and smoke
and the ground strewn with
wrecked cars, and dead and wounded
passengers. The scene defies descrip
ton. On the ground near the Englisl
car lay the body of Reagan, the de-
feated oarsman, and George Faulkner
wife, while the injured were on ever.
hand. The two passenger cars behinC
this coach were telescoped and shat
tered, and it was in these that the mos
E horrible work of the accident tool
: place. Many of the wounded weI,
= conveyed to Wollaston and taken int
the adjoining houses, while many VIII,
t were not injured were brought to Bos
S ton by carriages. 1he Old Colony roa'
= Immediately ran trains to the scene 0
i the disaster, and built track aroun,
the wreck.
y List of killed as far as known is a
= follows; Stephen Grady, East Boston
n j. A. Hasy, and Charles Morgan, BoS
( ton cypress; Mr.. White, South Boston
a John Day, Cambridge; Michael Clahey
Patrick Reagan, Mrs. Faulkner an
= child, also Reagan s sfather-in-law, nam
+ not vet known, Boston; John Boyle
y coal-heaver; John Wright, (colored,
s and Maurice Green, Boston; Paul Grow
Is ley brakeman.
$ At this hour no additional names {
n dead are known, but several are believe
II to be under the wreck.
; Patrick Reagan, the loser of the rae
Is to-day, was sitting with Mrs. Faulkne
W the wife of his old boating partner, an
n both were killed. Charles II, Morgan
q son of the editor of the Express, WI
u also killed
~ Among the injured are Mrs. Blake,
J; wife of the Cambridge boat builde
~ George G. Kimball, of the Associate
Press; Walter Stafford, reporter of Il
"a Express; M. MahOney, of the Shawn
"a crew, and two of Gen. Buffers son
n who are reported seriously hurt 1t
he stated that James Flynn, Manager
e the Silver Lake Regatta, was fatal
a hurt.
n Further returns from the scene sta
s that later additions TO the list of kill
Oo will raise the total number TO twent
five or more. Most of those killed we
re in the baggage, English coach and tN
he passenger cars. The two latter we
hit telescoped partially and in these ma
Ter were injured. About 800 or 400 D,