Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-01-10
CRUSHED BODIES.
A Collision on the Grand Trunk Resulted
in the Death of Twenty seven Persons.

A dispatch fr ON Toronto, Ont, OF January
2, says: The alleged negligence Of a Crane
Trunk conductor resulted to-day in disaster
by which nearly thirty people were killed and
many injured. Shortly before Z O'Clock thi:
morning, suburban train loaded with EN-
ployes OF the Dominion bolt works, who reside
in Toronto and daily reach the scene OF theii
labors by this TRAM was rounding the curve al
Parkdale boundary wien an express freight
bound 10 this city was seen In the near distance
The engineer Of the passenger train applied
the breaks and reversed his engine, but the i'm
peius of both trains, the approaching one be-
Ing ON Il down grade, was too great TO avert q
collision. As result the trains dashed upon
each other with fearful force, wreckiDg each
engine.
The news Of the disaster quickly spread
over the town of Parkiale, end almost the en-
tire town, men, women and children, turned
out to do what little they could for the relief
of the sufferers. The dead were laid side by
side and covered with blankets, sheets or
oyercoats. This task was a terrible one, and
when 1t was concluded the ground between the
wreck aud this temporary resting place OF the
dead was strewn with splinters, human limbs,
and patches OF torn flesh.
Meanwhile the Injured had been ,xtricated
and removed 10 houses near by, and tenderly
cared for. One unfortunate victim WAS damned
into telescoped car aud held there so firmly
that all attempts 10 eXtricate him were In vain.
engine, aud both were kept alive for hours by
administering table spoonful of brandy every
IL minutes, but both finally succumbed.
The medical men of Parkdale worked with
might and main, hut II was not until more
than all hour after the disaster that DR.. Thorn
burn of the Grand Trunk road, with his staff
arrived upon the scene. BY his orders all the
injured who were In a condition to be moved
were conveyed 10 the hospital, while the re-
mains Of tue dead were taken to the morguc.
Immediately after the disaster George BAR
Der, conductor Of the freight trair was arrest
ed 10y order Of Coroner Lynch Of Parkdale, and
place In charge OF the county constable. 1t Is
alleged that hc Was responsible FOR the acct.
dent, "a he was running the train without or
ders. lie dtries this, however, and claims
that he was acting directly according to or
ders.
Every occupant OF the first ear ON the sub
urban train was either killed or wounded. AT
Hamilton Conductor Barber ~ the fast freight
received AN order To run To Queens Wharf,
giving him the right Of way over all regular
trains. He acknowledges he forgot about the
suburban train and thought he had clear
track until he heard the whistle for down
brakes
The freight locomotive struck the boiler Of
the suburban train driving straight ahead into
the first car aud following itself when the
cars took fire The shri, Ks OF the poor wretches
pinned IN the wreck and slowly roasting TO
death was awful. No horror was left to the
characterization. Death in many cases must
have been instantaneous. The scene at tue
mOrgnc as the bodi, 70 were brought In no one
can forget Some OF the wounded crawlcd out
OF the wreck WITH limbs hanging b. them
A second ilamity was narrowly avertcd, the
conductor OF Oh" regular train leaving the
unior station at 1885, received no notice OF