St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-21
DEATH ON THE RAIL.
An Express Engine Explodes
While Going Forty Miles
an Hour.
The Cars Thrown Down Fifteen Foot
Embankment.
A Scene of Destruction and Death With NJ
raculous Escapes.
Several Minor Railway and Other Casu,
alities Yesterday.

Several Minor Railway and Other Casu-
alities Yesterday.
PHILADELPHIA, March Goat the Office of the
Pennsylvania Railroad company, nothing has
been learned, up to one O'Clock, regarding the
accident on the limited express at Columbiana,
Pittsburg. The wires between Pittsburg and
Columbiana are are in trouble, but the officials
will make an effort to get working wire from
here to that point. They are also arranging for
the list of injured.
LATER
The company learns that the trains ran into
the land slide, near Salem, sixtyseven miles west
of Pittsburg. The recent rains had loosened the
earth, and it fell upon the track. The engine
and track were derailed. Engineer Jas. Rich
ards and fireman c. Richards were instantly kill
ed, and eight passengers slightly cut and bruised
but none of the injuries are serious, and no
bones are reported broken. The brakeman and
baggage master are also slightly injured. Wreck
trains are sent to the scene of the accident. the
passengers transferred and will reach Pittsburg
about five hours late. 1t is reported all the in
jured passengers will be ablo to go through to
their destination. This is the first serious acci-
dent which has happened to the New York and
Chicago limited express since it commenced run
ming, nearly three years ago.
MuTCu SU.-1ne OUlCldl report 10
the Pennsylvania company, says the limited ex-
press coming down Franklin grade, three miles
east of Salem, O., at the rate of forty miles an
hour, the engine struck an obstruction of some
kind, jumping the track, and went over an en-
bankment.- The entire train left the rails, but
only the baggage car and smoker were upset.
When the engine overturned the boiler exploded
James Richards, engineer, and Chas. Rhodes,
fireman, were blown several hundred yards, and
instantly killed. Baggagemaster Beisel and
Brakeman Lands were slightly injured. Six pas
sengers were also painfully hurt, but none dan
gerous. The other passengers were badly shaken
up, but uninjured. A train sent out from
here Immediately and the passengers transferred
1t will arrive some time this afternoon when we
will be able to get the full particulars. No tele-
graphic reports have been received from the
scene of the accident. Another
account says the train, which con-
sisted of the engine, three passenger
coaches, baggage and mail car and sleeper, upon
reaching Franklin hill, the engine left the track
plunging down an embankment thirty feet below.
The baggage car and smoker followed, and were
badly wrecked. To add to the horror, almost be-
fore the passengers could realize what had hap
pened, the boiler of the engine burst with a re-
port that was heard for miles. The baggage car
lying near the engine, was blown to pieces, and
the dead and mangled bodies of the engineer and
fireman were found 400 yards away. In addition
to those injured, given already, the
colored porter of the sleeper was seriously
injured. As yet, no definite cause can be assign
ed for the accident, but the opinion is expressed,
that an obstruction was maliciously placed on
the track in such way as to be unnoticed by
the engineer in time to avert the accident.
LIST OF THE KILLED AND WOUNDED.
LAToNIA, o., March 2O-Locomotive 3Os,
drawing the through express, due here this morn
ing, exploded four miles west of here.
KILLED.
Engineer James Richards and
Fireman Charles Rhodes.
Three Pullman sleepers and one baggage car
were derailed and the following passengers in
jured.
j. S. Mcknight, of Ft. Shaw, Mont, scalp
wound.
j. B. Vies, New York, hand cut.
VIM. Fuller, Chicago, nose and face cut.
II. ]. Douglass, Ft. Yates. D. II, scalp wound.
Richard Arter, porter, scalp wound.
R. Brunswick, eye and hand cut.
G. N. Beisel left leg and nose broken.
Hedry Candis, back injured and scalp wound.
D. c. Newcomb, Atchison, Kas., back injured.
Others whose names not learned are more
or less severely wounded, including the brake
men and conductor. The.track is torn up dis
tance of 200 feet.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
PITTsBURG, March 2O.-The Chicago and New
York limited express on the Pittsburg, Fl. Wayne
& Chicago railroad which passes here at met
with terrible accident two miles east of here
this morning. The train was equipped with a
combination smoking and baggage car, dining
car and two sleepers, having ON board twen-
ty-nine passengers bound for points east of Pitts
burg. The train was in charge of Conductor
Holloway, with Engineer James Richards and
Fireman Charles Rhodes in the cab, and while
rounding sharp curve and running at high
rate of speed the boiler exploded
with terrific violence, hurting the engine down
fifteen foot embankment, and blowing the engin-
eer and fireman 400 feet from the point where the
engine left the track, killing them instantly
The combination car followed the engine, and
landed upon the boiler with such violence as to
force the drivers of the engine through the floor
the car being demolished completely. The din
ing car was thrown over on its side and slid down
the embankment, aud is complete wreck. The
remaining two cars were forced from the track
and the trucks of the forward car were thrown q
distance of twenty feet. Both cars are badly
damaged.
MIRACULOUS ESCAPES
For few moments after the explosion, the in
terror of the seepers was the scene of inextrica-
BILE confusion. The screams of the lady passen-
gers were most heart rending, and the cries of
strong men could be heard above the din, calling
for help. Some little time elapsed before any at
tempt was made to ascertain the extent of the ac-
cident, so great was the excite ment, and every
person, being either unconscious or imprisoned
The first person to emerge from the wreck, was
the colored porter, who, though badly bruised,
succeeded in breaking the windows of the sleep
ers, which afforded an avenue of escape, and one
by one the passengers crawled out, and soon as
certained that none had received serious injuries,
although eleven are more or less cut and bruised.
The employees on the train were not so fortunate.
The baggage master, Beisel received
o. had onto tha 1no oulit 10 oro6 h lyt,aa t.
fractured. The sleeping car conductor is badly
bruised, but not seriously. One of the colored
porters was found unconscious in the smoking
car, lying in pool of blood and it was at first
feared he was dead, but after being removed to
the open air, he revived. His injuries are not
considered fatal. The injured passengers names
are as follows:
Frederick Mather, Philadelphia, slightly bruised
on the face.
VIM. Rich, Chicago, slightly cut about the face
and head.
j. B. Viets, New York, hand cut and face
scratched.
Mrs. Dean, Chicago, right arm bruised.
j. II. McKight, Fort Shaw, Montana, scalp
wound.
Ely Northam, Philadelphia, foot hurt, and face
bruised and cut.
Miss Roch, Chicago, muscles of right arm cut
VIM. Fuller, Chicago, nose and face cut.
D. c. Newcomb, Atchison, KS, leg cut and
face bruised.
R. Brunswick, Chicago, right eye cut and hand
hurt.
H. j. Douglas, Fort Yates, Dak., head cut and
face bruised.
Richard Arter, porter, head badly cut.
Engineer Richards resided in Pittsburg, and
Fireman Rhodes in Alliance, O.
As soon as the accident was made known
train was sent out from Al
lance and Pittsburg with surgeons
and other necessaries, and the injured made as
comfortable as possible. The company then fur
nished a special train and the passsen-
gers were conveyed to Pittsburg. The escape of
the passengers is most miraculous, as it seems
almost impossible that any should have come
out alive at all. In all probability the exact
cause of the accident will never be ascertained,