The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-11-18
A NARROW ESCAPE.
Seventeen Persons More or Less In.
iuredina a Wreck On the B. and 0.
Railroad.
CONGRESSMAN BOYLE oSEoR THEN.
The Train Leaves the Track and Plum
ges HeadIong into tho River.
COLLECTOR D0WLIE TELLS TIE STORY.

COLLECTOR DOWLIN TELLS TIE STORY.
PIrrsBURG. Nov. 13.-One OF the
most serious wrecks which has been
recorded in the annals of railroad
ing for some time, occurred early
yesterday morning at Blue Stone
Quarry, two miles east of Connells-
Vile, on the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad. Train No. II, the through
express from Baltimore to Pitts
burg. for some unaccountable rea-
son left the track at the above nam
ed place and was completely wreck
ed. The train consisted of a sleep
er, two coaches, two baggage cars
and an express car. Seventeen per-
sons were injured, among whom are
Hon. C. E. Boyle, Hon. John Dow
lin and Hon. f. A. Bigler. Con-
gresham Boyle is the most serious
ly injured, but he will recover.
No. II is one of the fastest trains
on the road, and it is said by some
that she was running at the rate OF
50 miles an hour when the accident
occurred. The engine and tender
kept the track, but the cars left the
rail, and as the train swung around
the sharp curve, the sleeper and pas
senger coaches rolled over and over
and finally landed in the 1oughio-
gheny river 40 feet below. There
was large number of passengers
on the train, and the scene imme-
diately following the accident was
one ofwildest confusion. The fright
ened passengers sprang from the
windows and struggled with each
other in their efforts TO escape from
the rolling cars. Cries OF pain and
fright were heard on every hand.
As soon as those who were unin-
jured had recovered their presence
of mind, a messenger was sent to
Connellsville for medical assistance,
and the work of assisting the in
iured was commenced. A corps OF
physicians WIS sent up on special
tram from Connellsyille, and it was
only a comparatively short time un-
I'll all had been attended to. Super.
iutendent Harris, who went out on
the special relief train from this
city, telegraphed the following OIL
cial list OF inj jured
HON c. T. BOYLE. Uniontown, conclusion o
the knee Joint AID back seriously Injured.
J. n. McJILTON, ankle badly sprained ana
cut
]. TOY, of Boston, Mass, foot hurt.
JOHN SHERIDAN, Piedmont, W. V, righ
arm cut.
b SHAIRS. New York right arm and bach
hut slightly.
F. A. BIGLER, Collector Internal Revenue
Allegheny Pa. legs and hands slightly cut.
MRS W. L. WELLS, indianapolis, Ind, lss
sprained
CHARLES HIRRsCH, New York shoulder
hurt and scalp wound
T. W. YOUNG, New York, back and leg sprain
ed
JOSEPH E. DoILAN, Brooklyn, y. Y; hands
cut.
MRS. LUCY MOFFAT, sewickiy station
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad wrist burned.
). Il. WIENER, Garret, Pa. thinks he is in
jared internally.
MRS. DYER, Pittsburg, back sprained
c. +. IDDING, scalp wound and head bruised
oRIN VAN METER, Shadyside, Pttsburg
badly burned about the hands
JowN DowLIN, Collector ofIEternal Revenue
Pittsburg, slightly bruised,
F. McGRAw, badly cut, AMI one other man,
name not given. hands burned. None of the
injured are dangerous.
Collector Dowlin. in speaking OF
the accident said "It is hard to say
just what caused the train to leave
the track. My own private opinion
is that the great speed at which the
engine attempted to round the curve
was the cause of the accident. The
sleeper seemed to leave the rail first
1t swung around on the ties for an
instant and then toppled over and
rolled into the river. Had there
been an obstruction on the track, OF
had the switch been misplaced, the
engine would, | think, have been
the first to leave the track. No,
was not injured to amount to any
thing, but 1 got a good ducking. l
was in water up TO nv neck. and
was kept pretty busy for a time
getting myself out"
One of the officials of the road
stated that there was undoubtedly
something the matter with the
switch, as he does not think that
the train was going fast enough to
cause it to leave the track of its own
accord. The track in the vicinity of
Blue Stone Quarry is as fine as any
piece of track on the road. The
train was one which had been made
especially for running fast. The
theory of the officials of the road is
that the switch, which is Just at the
beginning of the curve, had been left
open. causing the train to leave the
rails and bump along on the ties
until going around the curve, the
rear ears were thrown over the en-
bankment. The matter will be thor
oughly investigated by the com
pany.