The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-10-16
rerrlble naiiroad pi.a.ter.

a PAINFUL rallrOaQ ACCIDENT mas Just
occurred on the Michigan Central rail-
road entailing a terrible loss of life and
the wounding seriously, many perhaps |
fatally, of about fifty persons. The
number of the killed is given at twenty
five or thirty. The Pacific express leav-
ing Detroit bound west collided near
the junction at / o'clock at night with
the switch engine at the junction, which,
at the time, was attached to seven
freight cars. The engineer of the switch
engine had succeeded, by reversing his
engine, in s%toppingit, and then jumped
from it and escaped unhurt. The ex-
press was travelling at the rate of thirty
miles an hour when it collided, and was
made a complete wreck. The fireman
and engineer were literally torn to
pieces. The express and baggage cars
~telescoped, the first passenger whirled to
one side and was comparatively unin-
iured, the second and third coaches we're
smashed almost to kindling wood and
their passengers mutilated in a horrible
manner. Those who witnessed the wreck
Immediately after it occurred say that
it beggars description. The cries and
groans of the wounded and dying were
h~eartrending. Physicians and surgeons
were at once on the ground, and with
the assistance of the railway employee,
and those of the passengers who we're so
fortunate as to escape injury, the work
of ~extricating she crushed and bleeding
from the horrible wreck, was vigorously
pushed forward.
Evsnder Colwell, the yardmaster at
the junction, makes the following state
ment as to how the accident occurred:
81 have been employed by the COM
pany three years; for the last six months
as yardmaster at the junction. Ny bus
mess is to make up trains. / wanted
some cars out from the north to the
south side. / went to the telegraph
Office and inquired where the Pacific
express was. The operator, Henderson,
tapped the instrument as though re-
ceiving a message, and said: She is
forty-iye minutes late now He gave
me no written message. l then went
down ten or fifteen rods to where Jones's
engine was, and told him to take those
cars oyer to the south track as soon as
possible. The Pacific is forty.fve min
utes late. Can you go over before she
gets here 2 He says. 4 should think |
could. / have eighteen minutes to do
it, / said, you have eight cars; don't
go if you have any fears whatever He
whistled for the switch, but it was not
set for him, and he whistled a second
time, being compelled to slack up be-
cause the switchman was not there toset
it. He swore at the switchman. l said,
Maybe it is all for the best. Don't
| cross over to the main track now ]
then jumped off the engine lit was
standing still), and walked back on the
other side of the main track to give
some instructions to the switchmen. /
saw a switchman down the track in
front Of the yard engine signal it to go
ahead, and Jones moved down on the
main track. When l requested Jones
to 60 out he did not decline. He took
out his watch and said, Eighteen min
utes; | think | can make it. l looked
at my watch; can't now say what time
it was. l heard the Pacific whistle
down brakes; could see the expre IS when
it was about forty yards or more away,
| always find out how much time Ihave
before sending a yard engine on to the
main track. / do not know of any
time when there has been any apparent
danger of a collision; have never had
trouble or controversy with Jones about
switching; have heard him have word'
with the switchmen. He is very OBJ
stinate and contrary, and in the habit
of disputing about time. He has never
refused to obey me, but sometimes hes
itates, and likes to do things his owr
way. 1 never saw Jones drink; I occa
sionally take a glass of beer, and an
not a drinking man seldom take any
thing stronger; l had taken a drink Oh
two of whisky to-day; did not drink
drop yesterday. l remained at tint
wreck the whole night, helping to gel
out the bodies. 1t was not eighteen
minutes from the time l left the Office
till the collision.