The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-28
WRECK ON THE PANHANDLE
Two Postal Clerks of This City Badly
Hurt, VIM. M. Hoyt Fatally.
The Cause of the Accident-ConditiOn of
the Injured Men Last Night-A
Postal Clerks Statement.

A dispatch from Wheeling, W. Va, last night
gives the following account of the accident on
the Panhandle road at Mingo Junction, o., yes
terday morning:
At 1928 o'clock this morning a collision &C.
CURED on the p. c. & st. L. railroad ABOUT
mile west OF Mingo Junction, o., where the
memorable disaster of 1878 occurred. The Gin
cinnati express gong west, drawn by engine 81,
and the second section of the esst-bOund freight
train No. AZ, drawn by engine SO. came together
at full speed in a curve where q high fill extends
for a third of mile. Both engines were COM
pletely dem olished, and fonr freight cars loaded
with pork in boxes, lard in barrels and oats
In bulk, and the mail and ex press cars of the
passenger train were reduced TO kindling wood.
Owing to the character of the road where the
accident occurred trains approaching cannot be
seen until close upon each other. The engineer
of the passenger, Chas. Wolfe, noticed the ap
proach of the freight train, and applied the air
brake and reversed the engine but this had little
effect before the freight train, composed of
thirty cars, and coming down grade, crashed
into him. The passenger coaches and sleepers
kept the track, and the passengers escaped with
slight bruises and shaking up.
VIM. Hoyt, postal clerk, of Indianapolis,
had leg broken and his body crushed so badly
that he will die. He was surrounded by debris
requiring chopping TO release him. j. b. New
man, postal clerk of Indianapolis, WAS slightly
hnrt. Charles Wolf, engineer of the passenger
train, had u thumb amputated and was badly
bruised about the body and head. He will re-
cover. j. G. T. W atsOn and A N. Brown, postal
clerks, Of Indianapolis; Joseph Little, colored
porter, in the postal car, were all slightly hurt.
The engineer of the freight and both firemen
jumped when they saw the danger but Engineer
Wolf stuck to his post The accident resulted
from the carelessness of Conductor 5waney, of
the freight. The passenger train was ten min
utes late and the freight twenty minutes. The
latter had telegraph orders to go to Mingo nOG
not later than 1:l3 A. NJ. The conductor did not
1:3O.
wrecking train at once sent to the spot.
and by 1890 A. M the track was clear and
traffic resumed.
STATEMENT OF POSTAL CLERKawATsoN.
j. t. G. Watson, the chief clerk, aud A. G.
Brown. assistant, who escaped comparatively
uninjured reached the city at midnight last
night. Mr.. Watson stated to a Journal reporter
that HOyt could not possibly recover, as he had
one leg and arm broken, and was crushed in
terDaliy. At O'Clock yesterday afternoon he
was unconscious, in which condition he had
been since the accident. John Newman had his
left thigh broken and hip disoCated, and it
was feared that he also had received internal
injuries which might prove fatal, he COM
planned of terrible pain in his stomach and
breast. Said Mr. Watson: Newman and
1 were working together at a table at
the time, and Brown and Hoyt were at the other
end of the car. We had no premonltion of dan
ger, no whistle nor bell-ring, but all at once
there was terrible crash and the car filed
with flying debris. 1t was all over in a minute,
and got up and asked Newman il he was hurt
He gr0aned and laid down on the mail, and
Wnen WenI TO look Tor the other boys, Brown
was all right, but Hoyt was almost covered up
with pieces of the and tables. A heavy
case had wedged him to the end of the car, and
1t took us considerably an hour
TO cut h1m out, ana he unc0n-
scious from the time of the accident. He
and Newman were taken back to Steubenville
to hotel. When 1 left HOyt was expected to
die any minute, but Newman was conscious, and
the physicians could not say exactly how badly
ne was hurt The car was smashed into pieces"
THE INJURED MEN.
Both Hoyt and Newman are well known in this
city, where they both reside, the former at 1856
East Pratt, and the latter on Fort Wayne avenue
Newman was for a long time in Frank Birds
transfer office. Both are young married men,
but have no children. Mrs. Hoyt and Mrs
Newman left last night for steubenville
brother of Hoyt, who on His
way here from Cleveland to visit him, reached
the city last night and also left for steubenville
this morning. HOyt had a $1,000 policy in the
National Benefit Association and is also insured
in the Masonic Mutual.
one OF the mail service men stated to q Jour
nal reporter last night that Mingo Junction was
famous for accidents, and among the boys it was
known as dead Mans Glen" In an accident
there in 1878. postal was wrecked and
three men killed, and since then there have
been numerous other accidents.