Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-13
TERRIBLE ACCIDENT
ON THE B. 4 0. R. r., AT BElT0N.
Two Passenger Trains Collide and Three
Persons Hurled into Eternity-A
Fourth will Follow -
Full Particulars.


CAUSE. MISUNDERSTANDING OF Or
DeRS.
The flag flying ut half mast over the
Baltimore and Ohio machine shops, yes
terGay, conveyed the sad tidings TINT
soma of the employees of the Company
had died at their posts OF duty and three
bodies laid out at the dead house con-
frmed the mOurniul news. A
FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT
had occurred the night before, at Bolton,
a station on the b. Il o. Il. r., thirty
five miles east OF this city, by which
three lives were sacrificed and one now
hangs trembling in the balance.
The particulars are as follows: Tram
No. 10, bound west was slowing down
bv the switch ut Bolton, where 1t
had been ordered to take the siding and
await No. l. east bound. When about
fifty wards east of the switch the engineer
OF the former saw the east bound tram
come tearing around the curve on lull
head of steam. and knowing a run-ln to
he inevitable stopped his engine and
Jumped OIL Scarcely had he done so
when the trains met with terrible
crash. Immediately followed the fright
iul scenes of a railway calamity. There
is no telegraph station at Bolton and the
news could not be sent OIL until Con-
ductor Bullen of the west bound train
rot To- Littleton and dispatched east and
west for wreCking trains and assistance.
A train was sent down from Grafton,
ut once, by Supervisor Bailey, ana one
left from here about > A. NJ. yesterday.
Upon reaching the scene OF the collision,
the work of finding the dead and wound
cd and clearing the track began. No. 10
train. which was almost stationary at
the time was the most injured, the en-
CINE of No. | plungipginto a terrific rate
of speed; but the loss of life was coniln-
ed To No. l, as there was no time for the
road men 10 vacate it. The only person
seriously injured on the former was
FIREMAN JASPER,
of Fairmont, who leaped off
at the approach OF No. /,
but unfortunately alighted upon
pointed switch rod which impalcd
him. piercing his body in the region OF
the picvis. lie now lies in precarious
condition. The baggage car was tele-
scoped by the tender, but beyond
smashing up the baggage and car, no
damage was done. Platforms were
mashed and seats broken of, through
out the train, but with the exception OF
several bruised ribs and blOodlcd noses,
the passengers received only thorough
fright.
on THE EAST BOUND TRAIN
the loss of life occurred. Engineer
James Askew and fireman John
Smith, both of this city, were
instantly killed. Three young tramps
were stealing ride between the bag
gagc car and tender. Two of them cs-
capped, but one was caught and crushed
To death. The train was not seriously
damaged. The pilot and forward part
of the engine, the baggage car and sew
cral platforms OF the passenger coaches
were smashed up, but when the track
was cleared enough coaches were lelt IN
tact to make up train for Baltimore,
The accident occurred at preciseIv
obs on Saturday evening, and 1t
was four o'clock before ply
y;cian arrived from Cameron. lie
at once attended to the wounded, none
of whom were at all seriously hurt. In
the meantime the wrecking trains had
cleared the track and coaches, in either
direction, took the passengers on the
routes.
The wrccking train from this city re-
turned about six O'Clock, Yesterday
morning and the bodies OF the dead
were placed i'm the dead house
i'm the machine shop yard, where
physician put them in readiness Tor
burial.
JAMES ASHEw,
the engineer, was found clinging To
his seat i'm the engine, and must
have died instantly. There was not
q bruisc visible on or bone broken in
his body. lie was evidently killed by
the concussi0n. lie is q resident of this
city. living at No. 1921 Chapline, and
has been in the employ OF the Is. 40.
Railroad Company for upwardso OF fifteen
wears. He was sober and industrious,
and considered faithful and trusty en-
giueman. He has a host OF friends in
this city, who will read with sincere
sorrow the tidings OF his untimely call.
His body was removed to his residence
Tor irtcrmcnt Ills family will he lett
i'm tolerahlc circumstances, as he was
thrifty and provident.
JOHN SMITH,
the fireman. was found short distance
away, where he was precipitated by the
shock. Ills body bore the marks OF
many blows and his death was instanta-
ncous and painless. His head, breast
and hips were much crushed and mutt
lated. He resides ut No. 22i6 Water
street i'm this city, and was another tired
servant of the road, his connection ia
ting back twelve years. Nothing can he
said save i'm praise of his conduct and
efficiency while i'm its service, and by
ms death the company loses trust
worthy helper. His family, we under
stand, will be left in rather Strengthened
circumstances.
The third person killed, sup
posed to be a tramp, was boy OF about
rs wears, of whom nothing is known.
Ills clothing was carefully examined,
but nothing was found that would point
to his identity. His neck was broken,
Us was also his left leg, and his skull
was crushed in on the left side. His
body was turned over to undertaken
link, 10y whom it will be buried.
TmR CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
As vet, the causes which led to this
terrible run-in, are partly conjectural,
rs no investigation has vet been held.
The entire control of trains
belongs to the dispatcher and when
a collision occurs, the engineer and
conductor having obeyed orders, from
him an explanation is expected. Capt
K. T. DevrieS, general agent at this point,
was interviewed by the REGISTER and
gives the following as the cause, as it
now appears, of the collision.
The trains mentioned, Nos. and 10,
pass at Glover's Gap, if no other orders
Il. . 49, lnf.,tf fttl