The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1884-07-24
In Which Almost Miraculously No
Lives are Lost
But a Number Seriously Crushed, Bruised
and Wounded,
While Many Sustain Slight InJuries---List
OF fthe Injured of the Great
Calamity---The Cause of tho
Accident, Etc, Etc.
A BIG PICNIC,

hailed with delight by over two thou
sand OF our people, TO whom the day was
one set apart for recreation and enjoy
ment. They were the employees of G.
Aultman & Co., their families and
friends, who were TO spend the day at
CuyahOga Falls In a grand basket pic.
mic Early In the morning the crowd
gathered at the Valley depot and 10 the
melOdious strains OF the Grand Army
Band two trains, embracing thirty-One
coaches, filled with about two thousand
Joyous, happy excursiOnists, rolled
northward out of the city and In less
than two hours deposited their load OF
human freight at that romantic summer
resort and picnic grOund-Cuyah0ga
Falls.
HoMEwARD BOUND.
The day at the Falls was one Of OK.
ceptl0nable enjoyment, no accident oc'
curing 10 mar the pleasure OF the day.
About six O'Clock In the evening the
mammoth party Of picnlckers turned
their faces hOmeward, with health.
glowing countenances and light hearts,
made merry by the pleasant amusements
and associations Of the day.
The arst section OF the train, consist.
ing OF sixteen cars, reached the West
Tuscarawas street depot, In Canton,
shortly after seven o'clock. The people
formed q monster procession, headed by
the Grand Army Band, aud marched TO
the Public Square, where the party dis,
persed and the people started toward
their homes. The procession had scarce
ly disbanded when telephone message
from the Valley depot made the start
ling and frightful announcement that
the second section Of the excursion train
had been wrecked, near the Valley Coal
C0mpany'a mines two miles north OF the
city and that the shattered cars were
lying In q shapeless mass Of ruins In a
ditch, while their human freight lay
crushed and mangled In the debris.
A PANDEMoNIUM.
The announcement Of this terrifying
intelligence on the streets turned Can
ton into state OF pandem0nium.
On the wrecked train were about one
thousand residents OF Canton, whose
families and friends In the city were
almost frantic at the uncertainty OF their
safety, A grand rush was made for
vehicles OF all descriptions, and for about
fifteen minutes the streets were filled
with a thrOng Of wild, excited people.
Immediate upon receipt OF the news
Mayor Piero sent policemen TO the yari-
ous livery stables In the city and re.
quested them TO use their carriages as
ambulancHs, for conveying the wounded
10 their homes. All OF those appealed
TO responded and Ia a few minutes the
Myers Lake road was filled with omnl,
buses, coaches, carriages, buggios,
wagons, aud an army Of foot passengera,
oil fastening to the scene OF the calam-
ity, The valley track from Tuscarawas
street was filled with stream OF people,
rapidly pushing northward, while q
procession OF carriages filled the oldSom-
er's Mill road. In few minutes hun
dreds OF vehicles and several thousand
people had congregated ut the wreck,
A DEMOCRAT reporter was early on the
scene and witnessed heart-rending
spot. The accident occurred directly
south OF the Valley Coal Company's
mines, where the track runs at an eleva
ton Of about ayemieet, with the Mimi
shillen creek directly to the west and q
long wide ditch, filled with mud and
water to depth Of about five feet, TO
the east,
now IT LOOKED
The wrecked train. AZ viewed by the
DEMOCRAT reporter shortly after the nc.
cident, was o sad sight OF destruction
and ruin, The engine had kept the
track and stood mOtionless, the bright
rays OF the headlight serving as a bea-
con 10 the tide OF people arriving from
the city. The tender was swung from
the track, partially into the ditch TO the
east, while the flrst coach was thrown
of the trucks, top foremost into the
mud and water; the second and third
coaches were not overturned, but we're
partially oiled with water; the fourth
coach was thrown TO the west, the for.
ward end resting In the water, while the
rear end clung TO the track; the llfth
coach Jumped the track and hung nicely
balanced, leaning TO the east; the sixth
and seventh coaches left the track, but
stood intact upon the road.bed, The
remainder Of the train was uninjured,
with the exception Of being badly sha.
ken up. The occupants Of the llrst seven
coaches, numbering nearly four hun
dred, were tho sufferers. Immediately
after the accident the scene was one OF
terror, agony aud indescribable confu.
sion. The means OF the wounded the
cries OF those imprisoned by the broken
woodwork, and the sobs and lamenta-
tions OF those, who, escaping injury
themselves, had loved ones In the ruins,
and stood helpless by,was u sight heart
rending In the extreme, and not easily
forgotten by those who witnessed II.
Fortunately there were q number OF
cool.hended men In the party, who at
once set TO work releasing the victims
pinloned In tho debris, and rescuing
those imprisoned In the partially sub.
merged cars and sticking fast In the
ditch. The work OF rescuing was soon
accomplished, and the injured lodged In
the farm houses until the arrival OF the
physicians and ambulances, when they
were conveyed 10 their homes In the
city, surrounding the wreck stood
groups OF excursi0nlste, many OF whom
were slightly bruised or wounded.
As soon 40 the news OF the accident
was reported the llrst section Of the ex-
curslon train, which had discharged its
load, was backed down TO the wreck and
took the uninjured excursionists home.
In the meantime however quite mum.
Der had started home afoot and trudged
In fully two miles TO the city.
AT WORK ON THE RUINS.
A small gang of section hands stati.
oned In the city were early at the scene
but were able TO make but little head.
way, owing to tho smallness Of their
number. Agent Fred Lied established
q telegraph Office at the wreck to be used
In ordering supplies and communicating
with headquarters In Cleveland. Al
three o. clock Sunday morning the wreck
ing train with Superintendent j. N.
Turk, arrived from Cleveland. and the
work Of clearing the debris was rapidly