Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-11-13
TRAIN WRECKED.
Serious Accident on the Baltimore aud
Ohio Road-Sixteen Persons Injured.

PITTsBURG, Pa. Nov. l2.
frightful wreck occurred at Blue Stone
quarry on the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, a,
O'Clock Thursday morning. No. II,
through express from Baltimore to Pittsburg,
consisting of sleeeper, two coaches, two
baggage and one express car ran into a mis-
placed switch and was completely wrecked.
The sleeper rolled over the embankment into
the foughiogheny river. The other cars
were upset and the whole train detached from
the engine. Sixteen persons were injured
out none killed outright. The names of the
injured are Hon. c. E. Boyle, member of
Congress from Fayette district, Hon John
Dowlln, collector of internal revenue for the
23d district, j. N. McKilton, legal agent OF
the Baltimore & Ohio Co., Hon. E. II. Big
ler, collector of internal revenue for the 22d
district, J. Foye of Boston, Mass. foot hurt.
Twelve others were injured.
None OF the wounded are believed to be
dangerously injured except Congressman
Boyle, whose condition is believed to be
serious.
The express was about fifteen minutes late
when 1t reached the place where the wreck
occurred. At Bluestone quarry the track
makes sharp curve around the river short
distance from the bank. There is a switch
at the commencement of the curve. Whether
some one had left the switch partly open or
not is uncertain. Officials of the road say
the switch had been tampered with, evidently
with the intention of causing a wreck. Had
the switch been open the train would have
gone into it all right and would have been
stopped before any damage was done. As it
was the train could go on neither track.
The result was that the engine dashed
along the ties tearing up the track and caus-
the pnaehps opd sIaopipn pa hra
loose and dash on over the embankment in
the widest confusion. The sleeping car rolled
over and over and stopped with its side lying
in the bed of the river thirty feet below. Two
passenger coaches stopped at the waters edge,
but the baggage car went into the water. the
scene which followed was one that begeared
description. The cries of the imprisoned and
manned were heard from every car. The
frightened passengers sprang from the win
dows and struggled with each other 10 escape
from the rolling cars, and walls of pain were
heard from some who had been caught and
held within the wreck.
Those who escaped uniDjured were too
much startled for time to render assistance.
messenger was sent to Connellsville for
medical assistance and in short time corps
of physicians was sent up on a special train.
The injured, after having their wounds
uTesestu were TeInOVeu 10 nOtelS at COuuellS-
vile, where they received every attention
that could be given them by the railroad COM
pany. The wreck caused great excitement in
Connellsville, and for hours afterward people
hurried to the scene of the accident The
track was blockaded and torn up 50 badly
that no train could get through until after
noon.
To the sixteen before reported the follow
ing persons were injured-J. A. Kelly, Balti.
more Grin Van Meter. Pittsburg; Geo.
Lane, England; John Younker, engineer,
Connellsville, Pa, and division freight agent
Burgess of this city. Congressman Boyle is
very seriously hurt, but will probably re-
cover. He was taken to his home at Union.
town.
Oren Van Meter, by his heroic action
saved the car from taking fire, and perhaps
some of the passengers from death. When
the train jumped the track he grabbed the
stove with death like grip and held on until
the car stepped at the foot of the embank-
ment where he let go to find the flesh burned
off both hands and arms.