The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-09-10

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An appalling accident took place at the c., b.
& O. railroad crossing on Columbus street In
this city on Wednesday last, resulting in the
death of Bernard Dougherty and aert e INJURIES
to Thomas Aitknsvn, II lad soWc seven years old,
son OF glass blower living in thr ne ;hborhood.
Mr.. Dougherty, q sober. hardwork,ng farmer,
living few miles out Of town on the plank road,
on farm he had but lately bought Of Mr.. NJ. Fl.
Swift, was gong home about Ills A. NJ. At
Makers store the boy having asked permission
to ride home got into the wagon and rode north
with him. Mr.. Doughcrty was followed by q
neighbor and Mr.. Brown, a teamster with load
OF coal. Just after Mr.. Dougherty crossed the
feeder bridge on Columbus street freight train
passed down. Mr.. Brown thinks Mr.. ID. stopped
to let the train cross the street. In a minute or
two, Mr.. Brown on looking up saw the l | :2S pas
senger on the crossing and Mr.. Dougherty, his
team and wagon, and the boy flying in the air
The fireman said the trees were &C thick he could
see from the cab only one little spot in the road
about 10 or Is yards from the track He first
saw the team when the engine had first struck
the culvert, some 30 or 40 feet from the road The
team was not then on the track but was ap.
preaching it on a fast walk. He alarmed the en-.
gineer, but 1t was too late to prevent hitting the
team us it had not stopped. The engineer says
he saw the horses head about half In front of
the pilot (or Cow catcher") when the engine
struck it. The team was struck probably about
at the right horses shoulder, and was thrown vi.
olently around, pitching the man and boy out
One horse was killed and the other hurt just
above the hoof. The running gear was separat.
ed from the box which had the end.board broken
into and was thrown on the horse The ira
was instantly stopped. Near the horse, about 90
feet from the middle Of the road, lay Mr.. Dough
erty, close to the track, face down. The entire
top OF the skull was torn in fragments from his
head, with his brains lying in a mass between
his legs. little east of him, nearer the road =,
and near the track, lay the boy. He was sense
less but not dead. He was picked up and car.
ried into Mr.. Barry's house, close by, where his
wounds were dressed-three severe decorations
OF the scalp, and depression of the skull. He
had narrow escape but will recover.-Conduc.
tor Fred Richardson seeing that there were pco-
pie there to look after the body went on to the
station and had medical assistance sent to the
scene-Dr. Hard, the company physician. DR..
Hopkins took charge Of the boy until DR.. Hard
arrived, so that he had assistance within Is min.
utes at least after the accldent.-Mr. Dougherty
leaves a wife and two small children. From the
evidence taken by the coroner, the jury concud-
ed the train was going at above 10 miles an hour,
how much it is not possible to say, though they
were going at about the usual speed. 1t seems
pretty clear to u.s. however that the bell was
ringing and that such other precautions were
tai en- by the engineer could be by him. How.
ever the track is there compound curve; the
crossing is hidden by trees from the engineer,
and the track from any on the road. 1t is
possible if Mr.. d. heard any noise OF the train he
attributed it to the freight he had just seen. The
place Is terrible one, and can never be safe
crossing unless a fagman shall be stationed
there. The La Sale street crossing is similarly
Distracted and should have Hagman. We be-
lieye the time allowed ON the card for making
the run TO Ottawa depot from Dayton is too
short The time for leaving Dayton is 1:l6 and
OTTAWA 11:2S-l2 minutes; distance four miles,
one and half of which is through the city, fur
ther the engine takes water and crosses rail- |
nod AVID cpip hr,Ip