Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-01-10
a FEARFUL WRECK.

or the Dead and Wounded.
TORONTO, ONT, Jan.
One of the most frightful railway acct
dents that ever occurred in Canada took
place this morning at five minutes to sew
en-. About fifteen minutes previous SUI
burban train consisting of a dummy engine
and two cars on the Great Western division
of the Grand Trunk left Union Station,
having aboard about sixty passengers,
chiefly employees of the Bolt and Iron
Works at Humber, residing in the city, who
were going to their work Each was hap
pier than the other, and, although the
weather was severely cold, gale blowing
the snow against the car windows, the
merry crowd did not heed it as they told
how they spent New Year.
On rounding sharp curve just before
reaching the Bolt Works the engineer saw
a freight train coming laundering down
the grade toward him. He reversed the.
engine, blew a warning and with the fire.
man jumped for his life. The conductor
heard the warning, and shouting "Jump,
boys, for your lives" sprang into the snow.
In a second more there was a terrific crash.
The engine of the freight train knockedt the
boilers of the dummy clear through the
first car, crushing the unfortunate passen--
gers in every direction, and pinning many
to the floor. The impetus was so great the,
engine actually mounted the truck of the
dummy, which kept the rails, and remained
on a balance.
The engineer of the freight train, when
he saw collision was inevitable, Sprang
from the engine, but Thomas, the fireman,
was killed instantly.
To add to the horror of the scene, the
boiler of the dummy exploded and the
steam and boiling water caused the death
and terrible injuries to the mangled and
bleeding men. Then the fire, as if mad
dened at other agencies clutching so many
victims, broke out and completed the sick
ening work, of destruction. Shrieks,.
grOans and heartrending cries for help
from the agonized sufferers rent the air.
Several poor fellows suffering untold
agonies, with limbs and bodies burnt to
crisp, piteously implOred those near them
to pour water upon their Scalded limbs or
put an end to their Sufferings. Strong
men looked on appalled, and many an eye,
was dim with tears. With every possible
phase of Disagreement to be seen, limbs.
cut, bruised, mangled, half eaten away by
fire, swollen to enormous size by steam and
water, possible horror was left to the
imagination. No more awful scene could
be witnessed.
The first passenger car was a terrible
wreck and several hours elapsed before
the poor fellows buried beneath the debris
were eXtricated. A relief party of thirty
or forty men were soon on the scene and at
Onc5 set at work slowly and tenderly to.
rescue the sufferers, and about ten o'clock
carload of dead and injured on the
way to the city,
On arriving at the Union station an am
bulance, station wagon and several cabs
| and 'busses were in waiting. A large crowd
had gathered, and one after another of
the dead and wounded were carried from
the car to the cOnveyances many turned
sick at the sight. The wounded men bore
their sufferings with fOrtitude and pa
thence, a few groans being the only indica,
ton of their intense agony.
The scene at the mOrgue beggars descrip-
tiOn. There were fifteen bodies laid side
by side in rows. Mothers, sisters, fathers
and brothers were to be seen passing from
body to body, and with trembling hands
lifting the COverlet and gazing on the faces
of the dead. Now and then cry of anguish.
would tell too plainly of the discovery Of
| some dear one carried off in the prime Of
manhood.
At the hospital on arrival OF the wound
ed, doctors set to work sewing up wounds
and did all in their power to alleviate the
| sutferings. One man, Jno. Rowlett, died
shortly after arrival at the hospital. When
found among the debris he spoke cheertul!y
and asked to be allowed to walk On look
| ing down he cried: go, God, my legs are
| off," And they were-burned off.
The Coroner empaneled a jury, who
| viewed the bodies and then adjourned till
two O'Clock, when they again met. Some
| evidence was taken and further adjourn
ment had.
Baber, the conductor of the freight train,
| was Immediately placed under arrest. He
admitted he got orders at Hamilton to run
| to Queens wharf, avoiding all regular
| trains. He looked at his timetable, but
| forgot the suburban train on the list of reg
| ular trains. Barber did not show the order
! to the engineer, Jeffery, of Stratford. This
! was Jeffery's first trip on this part OF the
road, and he was totally unacquainted with
! the trains. The only train which was
| passed between Hamilton and the point of
| accident was the newspaper train, going
west. This was passed at Mimico. He
| had his mind, he says, on the express,
| which leaves the city fifteen minutes after
| the suburban.
Public sympathy is thoroughly aroused
| for the unfortunate widows and children.
! Already subscription lists have started and
| offers of entertainments made to provide
| funds. Several families of the men killed
| are in poor circumstances.
! Besides Charles Thomas, fireman of the.
freight train, the following were killed in
| stantly:
! G. Aggett; leaves wife and child.
Joseph Keefer; leaves wife and two
| children.
c. Spohn, single; was to be married to-
night.
r. Mulligan; leaves wife and child.
| j. Kernahau; wife and family.
| Alex. Carruthers; wife and large family
| j. White; wife and five children.
Joseph Mcdonald, single.
| w. Ieriff, single.
ThOs. Burns, single.
@. Prescott, single.
@. Scarf, single.
John Mckenzie, single.
| Chas. Stanley, a boy, aged fourteen.
JnO. Rowlett; leaves wife and child.
Jno. Lynch; wife and family.
| Eddie Robinson, boy.
| Sam Baily, a widOwer; leaves family
H. G. Herman; wife and child only six
| days old.
Fred Boethroyd, single.
Hugh Cunningham; wife and three chill
! dren.
Three Others are not expected to live
| through the night.
The severely injured are w. Rogers,
! Patrick Norton, Matthew Walker Patrick
! Cavanaugh.
| The following were slightly injured: W.
| Fitzgerald, Richard Caruthers, Michael
Kelly, Charles Mcdonald, James Kelly
rigan, Victor Gireaux. Thos. Mcdonald and.
! two Montgomery brothers.
! The damage to rolling stock is $4,000.