Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-09-04
SAD ACCIDENT.
Two Belmont County Men the Vic
tins, One Former Resident of st.
Clairsville.

Death in any form is always the cause
of SORROW to some hearts, and the nOrr
loved ones aud friends the person has, the
more general is the sorrow. But there
is always kind of balm to the hearts Ut
friends in seeing loved one pass away,
in knowing it is to occur, and IN meas
ure is the blow softened by preparation,
and loving farewell words spoken on Ell
ther side. But when young man starts
out in the morning in the fullness of life
and youthful yigor, and parting with
wife and babes, promising to be home in
the evening from his work, and is sud-
denly stricken down, and the wife and
friends have the first intimation of their
loss by the telegraph, whose voice Is
heartless, only Those who have expert
enced, can ever know the agony, the tor
ture and the broken-hearted wall, HE
will never come home again." and as
the fatherless babes are gathered in her
arms, too young to realize their terrible
loss, who Can picture the sorrow of that
young widow?
And again, the bride of few short
months the honeymoon not yet over, re
ceives the message of woe in the same
manner, and having few short hours
before parted lovingly from him whom
she, such a short time ago, had promised
TO love and obey, while life lasts, but he
is returned to her in cetfin.
Such sorrows are sacred, and still the
bustling world moves on, and yet it is
well for them to know that many, many
friends sympathiZe with them in their
bereavement, but have no way to make
il known, for silence seems best TO the
stricken ones.
Possibly the saddest accident that has
ever yet occurred Oh the c., l.. & w. road,
was that one of last Thursday night, at
Saltwater station, in which James L.
Bulger, formerly of this place, and James
Exton, of Bridgeport, lost their lives.
The latter was engineer and the former
front brakeman on the south bound
freight, which consisted of 33 emptes
and three loaded cars. The train was
ahead of time, and was only going at the
rate of ten miles an hour To make it up
when at IL O'clock, just before reach
ing Saltwater station, the engine left the
track and went over small embank-
ment on to its side, wedging the two
men named in the wreck, some IL or IA
cars following the engine. These cars
were demolished, and the fireman escaped
by jumping. EXton ard Bulger, as stated,
were less fortunate. The engineer was
found seated Oh his cushion, bent for
ward with his arms held over the top of
his head, held firmly to the ground by
the top of the cab. One leg was cut off
and driven into the soft ground. He
moved twice after the crew had reached
the engine and then died. Bulger was
riding on the engine at the time the acci-
dent occurred, and was found back of
the engine, held tightly the weight of
part of the cab and imbeddedt to the waist
in cord wood that was stacked beside the
track for shipment. He begged piteously
to be released and told the two men who
were working to release him from his
burning prison to kiss his babies for him
and tell his wife that his last breath went
out in prayer for her and the little ones.
He was carried to the station and died
at o'clock.
James I. Bulger came to this place
about ten years ago from Barnesville,an
worked at his trade, shoe-making. He
married Miss Mary Overbaugh. daughter
of Mr. M. G. Overbaugh, who, with three
small children, survive him. Jim was
well liked by those who knew him best,
and the news of his sudden taking off, at
the age of "a years. was in the nature of
shock to the people of this place. He
had only lived in Bridgeport about year
prior to his death, having removed there
with his family when be went to work
on the c., L. & W. road. His wife and
family have the sympathies of the entire
community. The remains were brought
to St. Clairsville, and buried from the
residence of his father in-law, Michael G.
Overbaugh, Esq, on Saturday afternoon
services by Rev. DR.. Minor-and many
former friends of the deceased took a
last look at his well known features and
followed the remains to the Union ceme-
~, where all that was mortal of James
L. Buler was laid to rest.
John Exton. the engineer, was popu
lar young man of Bridgeport. aged aoout
90 years, and had been but recently mar
ried His funeral occurred on Sunday.
under the auspices of Bridgeport Lodge
K of P. A train was run through from
Lorain on the c., L. & W. road Sunday,
and took up the employees of the road to
Bridgeport. to attend the funeral. 1t
was expected they would both be buried
at that time, but as stated, Mr.. Bulger