The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-10
A RAILROAD HORROR.
Terrible Disaster Near Toronto, Canada.

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Toronto, ONT. January 2.-This
morning on the Grand Trunk Railway a
suburban train left Union Station at
GAO O'Clock. One of the cars attached
was filled with employees of the bolt
works, who live in the city and who are
conveyed to their daily labor by this
means, the train stopping for them oppo'
site the works. After turning the curve
at Parkdale boundary freight train was
observed coming city ward, but the i'm.
petus ofpoth trains was too great to al
low the brakes to do their duty in time,
and tho result was a shocking tragedy.
Nineteen of the men employed at the
bolt works are now reported killed, and
twenty OF thirty wounded. The conduc'
tor ofsthe freight train, Geo: Barber, is
Esaid to be responsible for the horrible
affair, as he was running his train with
out orders. He has been arrested.
The latest accounts place the number
of dead at twenty.seyen. Several of the
injured are so badly MANNED that they
are not expected to recover. A jury has
been enpanelled and has viewed the
bodies,-~The affair casts q gloom over
the city. An eyewitness describes the
scene at the wreck asiheartrending.
The train carrying workmen has the
right of way. Upon rounding the sharp
curve Just before reaching the Bolt
works the engineer saw the freight train
laundering down grade towards him.
He revexed his engine, whistled warn:
ing, and along with the fireman jumped
for his life. The conductor heard the
warning, and crying out, "Jump, boys,
for, your lives" sprang into the snow.
In q second more there was q terrific
crash. The engine ofthe freight train
knocked the boiler of the dummy clear
through the first car, crushing the un.
fortunate passengers in every direction
and pinning many of them to the floor.
The impetus was 80 great that the engine
mounted the truck Of the dummy, which
kept to the rails and remained on bal
ance.: The engineer of the freight train,
whom he saw that collision was inevita-
BILE, sprang from his engine, but the fire.
man wasinstantly killed.
To add to the horror of the scene the
boiler of the dummy exploded and the
escaping steam and boiling water scalded
and carried death or terrible injuries to
the mangled and bleedingsmen. Then .
fire broke out and completed theiwork of
destruction.
a relief party Of thirty. or forty men
Was soon at the scene, and at once set
to work to- relieve the sufferers, and at
about 10 o'clock q car.load of dead and
injured vas on the way to the city. Up.
on arriving at the Union Station an am.
bulance wagon and several cabs and
husses were in waiting.
Barber, the conductor of the freight
train, was Immediately placed under ar
rest. He at once admitted that he got
orders at Hamilton to run to Queens
wharf at Toronto, avoiding all regular
trains. He looked at the time table, but
forgot that the suburban train was on
the list of regular trains and hence the
accident.
Public sympathy was thoroughly
aroused for the unfortunate widows and
chiIdrsn, and already subscription lists
have been started and offers of entertain.
ments made TO- provide funds for their
aid. The families of several of the men
killed are in poor circumstances.
Fifteen dead bodies were taken from
the wreck. Seven died after reaching
the hospital. Three more will probably
not live through the night. Twelve
wounded are in the hospital and four
wounded men have been taken to their
homes. About sixty persons we're on the
wrecked train. s