Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1880-02-26
TERRIBLE ACCIDENT
ON THE B. d 8, w. MARROW
GAUGE.
Two Cars precipifafed over a
Trestle 30 feet high.
Number of Persons Injured.

aire for Woodsfeld,at half-past O'Clock
last Thursday afternoon, over the Bell
aire & Southwestern Railroad, consisted
of two passenger coaches, and a car
loaded with coal. About 40 passengers
exclusive of train men, were on board
At the IS" treStlc, between JacobsburE
and Bethel Church, about 12 miles Ou1
of Bellaire, the rear passenger cOacl
jumped the track on the trestle, run
ming some distance on the ties, wher
the second coach also left the track, ant
the coupling between the coach and Goa
car broke, and both cars, with theil
load of human freight, were precipitatet
over the upper side of the work, turn
ing over and over, falling distance Of
20 to 25 feet. The engine held to the
track, while the coal car, which did moi
go down with the coach, hung over the
trestle, still bound to the tender.
The cars which went down were
literally torn to pieeas. and among
the splinters and slre'is we're the unfor
tunate passengers, d" husc Shrieks ano
cries rendered the scene terrible. The
work of extrication began at once by
those who escaped comparatively unin
juHed, and by the people who gathered
in from the surrounding country, and :
messenger was dispatched to Beilairt
for assistance. 1t was some time before
the news could reach Bellaire, as thers
was no telegraph line along the n. G
As soon, however, as news of the acci
dent was received, a number of the
friends of those who were on the ill-fa
ted train, together with several physi
clans, took the b. & o. freight, going by
it as far as Glencoe, and then walking I
distance Of about three miles to tht
scene OF the disaster.
While all the passengers were more ol
less bruised, but about fifteen received
severe injuries, and it is gratifying tC
note that all of these are likely to re
cover.
Among those most severely injured
was Hon. l.. Danford, who left his home
in this place, in the morning, for ths
purpose of visiting his aged father, re
siding near Armstrong; Mills. Mr.. d.
iWbo was in the rear car, received al
ugly scalp wound, which almost reliey-
ed him OF the entire upper portion o.
the scalp,an besides this, was more OF
less injured in the back and limbs-st
that first reports said he was fatally
hurt. Our reports as late as Tuesday
we are gratiiied to say, that he is able
to sit up 4 portion of the time, and thaf
within few days he will be StrOns
enough to be brought to his home, from
Mr.. ID. b. Simpsons, near by where thu
accident took place, where he has re
ceived the most careful nursing and at
tention. Others were seriously Injured
as follows: Mrs. A. III. Caldwell. wife O
one of the Directors of the road, had he
collar bone and rib broken, and wa
injured about the head; her life was a
one time despaired of, but later reports
indicate her recovery.
Andrew p. Wiley, an old gentleman
residing at Burr's Mills, had "a leg ant
rib broken, and was cut about the head
A gentleman named Pernell, of ;
Philadelphia shoe firm, had shouldel
dislocated and bad scalp wound.
Robt. Boreman, of Parkersburgh, ;
cousin of Mrs. j. f. Charlesworth, pain
full scalp wound and brain concussion.
Brakeman Birchfield, hurt about th'
head and shoulders.
Isaac Booth, the mail agent, wa
wedged i'll the wreck among freight
grain, &c, and was not discovered unit
some time after the balance were takel
out. He was bruised and scratched, ,bu
is not dangerous.
Miss Nancy FariS, formerly of thi
place, was injured about the chest.
Steve Hayden, acting Express Messen
ger, was injured, but not dangerously.
Rev. Lane, Pastor of the Presbyterian
Church. Woodsfield, received an ugl!
cut on his head.
j. P. Spriggs, Prosecuting Attorney O.
Monroe county, was severely injured il
the back.
A young man and woman named
Bowman, from Pittsburgh, were injur
ed: the former had his arm broken il
two places.
Many other persons were injured
whose names we will not specify. How
anybody on board could escape from
such terrible fall with their lives il
astonishing. The accident is one of thu
worst which has occurred recently, ar(
leads off the list for 1880. The marve
is it was not worse.
The news of the disaster was frs
brought to st. Clairsville by John Poor
man, of Beuaire, who was dispatched b.
Capt Danford about midnight, to ap
prise his wife of the accident, reaching
| telegraphic dispatch from Wheeling
early in the morning, indicated tina
Capt Danford had been fatally hurt,ant
the news spread like wildfire that HI
had been killed. The greatest excite
ment prevailed for a season until tht
true situation was learned from MI
Poorman. The anxiety was intense du
ring all the day Friday, and until favor
able news was received. Dispatche:
from all over the country inQuirin.
about Danford, poured in, showing thai
he occupied high place i'll the public
estimation.
In the House of Representatives a
Washington where he has many warn
| friends, after private telegram contra
dicted the associated press dispatch Of
his fatal injury, the following was re
ceived at four o'clock, Friday, addressed
to him at this place:
"We rejoice to learn that your injury
is not as serious as at first reported
Your friends here duly sympathize will
you and shall hope for your speedy re
coyery." ]. I. UPDEGRAFF,
WIN. MCKINLEY,
j. A. GARFIELD,
Upou the cause of the accident, which
is by some set down to high speed, anG
by others to the drop of brake shoe OF
faulty engineering, we may have some
thing to say hereafter.
Big Snow Storm.
CHICAGO, February PA Bismarck
special says: The worst snow storm ever
known in the northwest has raged here