The Portland daily press., 1884-01-03
ToRoNTo's HORROR.
Shocking Accident on the Grand
Trunk Railway.
A Freight Train Crashes into q Dummy
Loaded with Laborers-24 Killed and
Many Others Fatally Hurt-The City i'm
Mourning.

morning on the Grand Trunk road. A suburb
an train left the Union station at $40 O'Clock.
One Of the cars attached was filed with en-
ployes 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 a curve at Park
dale boundary freight train was observed
coming towards the city, but the impetus of
both trains was too much to allow the brakes
to be applied in time and the result was col
ision. Nineteen of the men employed at the
bolt works are now reported to have been
killed and twenty or thirty wounded. The
conductor of the freight train, George Barber,
is said to be responsible for the accident, as he
was running his train without orders He has.
been arrested.
Latest accounts of the railroad accident
place the number of dead at 27. Several OF
the injured are so badly MANNED that they are
not expected to recover. The affair cssts a
gloom over the city. A witness describes the
scene at the wreck as hesrtrending in the ex-
treme and the newspaper offices here are
crowded with people eagerly awaiting bulle-
tins.
Among the killed are G. Aggett,W W. Kleefer,
G. Spohn. A. Lynch, P. Mulligan, j. White,
Kernaghan G. Macdonald, G. Rowell, w Har-
riss, @. Robinson and Cunningham.
Among the woanded lying in the hospital
between life and death are W. Fitzgerald, R.
Carruthers, 81. G. Kehnan. Michael Kelly,
W. Rogers, Fred Burntor. These latter two
cannot live.) @. Mcdonald, Geo. Lynch, james
Kelley, A. Banks, Hugh Cunningham, E. Rob-
inson, Bailey, Pat Norton and John Corri-
gan. majority of these are in an unconscious
state and the doctors cannot say how many will
survive.
The friends of the victims are surround
ing the hospital and morgue and scenes of a
most heart-rending description are witnessed.
Several of the men killed leave wives and
families.
Another Account.
One of the most frightful railway accidents
that ever occurred in Canada took place at
90 o'clock this morning. A suburban train
consisting OF dummy engine and two c'rs
on the Great Western Division OF sfs ~. a.
Trunk Railroad left the Union Station, having
on board about sixty passengers, chiefly en-
ployes in the bolt aud iron works at Hamher,
who resided in this city and who were going
to their work. They were all in the best Of
humor, and although the weather was pierc-
ing cold and the gale blowing the snow against
the car windows, the merry crowd did not
heed it as they told how they had spent New
Years day. Upon rounding a sharp curve,
just before reaching the bolt works, the eng-
neer cav freight train laundering down the
grade toward him. He reversed the engine,
shrieking out q warning, and along with his
fireman jumped for his life. The conductor
heard the warning and, crying out. Jump
boys for your lives,' sprang into the snow.
In second more there was terrific crash.
The engine of the freight train knocked the
boiler of the dummy clean through the first
car, crushing the unfortunate passengers in
every direction and pinning many of them to
the floor. The impetus was SO great that the
engine mounted the truck Of the dummy which
kept to the rails and remained balanced.
The engineer of the freight train, when he
saw collision was inevitable, sprsng from
his engine, but fireman Thomas was instantly
killed. To add to the horror of the scene, the
-vorrcr uT Jne dummy v<rl~aad and the esoan,
ing steam and boiling water scalded and car
ried death or terrible injuries to to the mangled
and bleeding men. Fire broke out and COM
pleted the work of destruction. Shrieks,
groans and heartrendering cries for help from
the agonized sufferers rent the air. Several
poor fellows, suffering untold agonies with
their limbs and bodies buraed to crisp, pit
eously implored those near them to pour water
upon their scalded limbs, or put an end to
their sufferings. Strong men looked on ap-
palled, and many an eye was dim with tears.
Every possible phase of Disagreement was to
be seen, limbs cut bruised and mangled, half
eaten away by fire or swollen to an enormous
size by the action of the steam and water. No
more awful scene could be witnessed, nor was
any possible horror left to the imagination
The passenger train was terrible wreck. and
several hours elapsed before the poor fellows
buried beneath the debris could be extricated.
A relief party of thirty or forty men was
soon at the scene, and at once, slowly and teu-
derly, set to work to rescue the sufferers, and
at about O'Clock Car load of dead and in
iured was on its way t. this city.
On arriving at the Union Station, an ambu.
lance wagon and several cabs and buses were
in waiting A large crowd had gathered, and
as one after another of the dead aud wounded
was carried from the car to the conveyances.
many turned sick at the sight, while others
brushed away their falling tsars. The wound
ed men bore their sufferings with fortitude
and patience, few groans being the only in
dication of their intense agony
The scene at the morgue bsggars description.
Fifteensbodes lay side by side, in two rows on
aesd dac ~ tbn
sisters and brothers we're to be seen passing
from body to body, and with trembling hands
lifting the canvas to gaze on the faces of the
dead Nov and sgain cry of anguish was
heard, which told too plainly of the discovery
OF some dear one, carried off in the prime OF
manhood.
The hospital from an early hour was crowd
ed with relatives and friends of the wounded
On the arrival of the wounded the full hospi.
-----ls-.-----a--+-aJr rzo1evaoo 10 undr6ss
them, while the doctors set to work sewing up
wounds and dressing those terribly scalded
Some of the latter were burned from head tc
foot by steam. One of the victims, John
Rowlett, died shortly after his arrival at the
hospital. When found among the debris he
spoke cheerfully and asked to be allowed tt
walk. On looking down he cried, so God
my legs are off" and SO they were, burned off
Coroner Lynd empanelled jury. who a
once met and viewed the bodies, and then ad
journed until o'clock, when they again me-
and some evidence was taken, and further
| adjournment was had until Tuesday night.
Barber, conductor of the freight train, wa
immediately placed under arrest. He at ono,
admitted that he got orders at Hamilton to rui
to Queens Wharf, Toronto, avoiding all reg
| uar trains. He looked at the time table, bu
| forgot that the suburban train was on the lis
pof regular trains, and hence the accident
Public sympathy was thoroughly aroused TO
the unfortunate widows and children, and al
ready subscription lists have been started, an
offers of entertainments made to provid
funds for their aid. The families of several o
the men killed are in poor circumstances, an,
could ill-afford 90 lose their bread winners.
The Killed.
Besides Charles Thomas, fireman of th
frsfght train, the following named were in
pstantly killed:
g. Aggett, who leaves widow and on
child.
Joseph Keefer, leaves widow and two chill
dren.
G. spohn, single, who was to have bee
ma rird tonight.
P. MulligaD, leaves widow and child.