Daily Republican., 1886-09-15
TkRRIBLE KAiLKOAD DISASTER.
Eighteen Persons Killed and Large
Number Wounded


Silver CREEK. N. Y, Sept. 14-A
terrible collision occurred on the Nickel
Plate road, just east of the station, this
morning. An excursion train, bound
for Niagara Falls, left Ashtabula, Ohio,
at an carly hour, receiving passengers
at Erie, Dunkirk and other points along
the road. When the train reached
Dunkirk. at 10 o'clock, there were
nearly 800 people on hoard. The eugl
neer received orders to pass o way
f-eight bound West at Silver Greek.
Upon arriving at this station the excur
sion train WAS behind time. There was
NJ freight train IN sight, and the engi
neer concluded to pass the train a.
| irving, station two miles east.
The excursion train left Silver Creek
at 10. 10, went slowly over the Greek
bridge and dashed into deep cut ut an
increased rate OF speed. Rounding q
curve In this cut the two trains met
The engineers and fremen of both
trains jumped and escaped. Both en-
gines were badly wrecked, Two of the
freight cars were crushed and the bag
gage car and smoker of the excursion
| train were teleacoped. The excursion.
lists In the other cars rathed forward
and aided in the work of removing the
dead and dying. The first body taken
out of the wreck was that Of q middle
aged man; both legs were crushed and
the head disfRured. The workers IL
the short space Of 20 minutes removed
Thirteen bodies from the wreck.
These were at once carried back to the
freight house at Silver Greek, where
the Coroner's inquest was held later
The injured, as fast as taken out of the
ruins, were carried to the ladies' wait
Ing room In the room in the depot
IVillagers came with lots of bedding
and bandages, and the wounded were
N ade comfortable. In the meantime o
Especial train from Dunkirk was on the
way, bearing railway men and corp,
of five surgeons. Many o. the wound
ed were fatally injured. One man dice
while being carried to the depot, and
another died this afternoon. A youn;
man named Henry Hike has just died
In one corner of the wrecked smok erl
the bodies of four men were found
heaped one upon the other. Three o
the men were lifted out dead. Th,
fourth man, who was found under tn
three deal ones, was alive. What 4
stranger still he was uninjured, and, Il
the surprise of those around, walkeI
laway. His name could not he learned
tOf the dead and dying, those from Fri
were taken by special train to that city
Those from Dunkirk we're conveye,
There. Others remained at Silver Greek
Wrecking trains came from Uankirl
and Buffalo, aud in less than thre
hours the track was cleared, and the OK
cursion train proceeded to Niagar
Falls. Some of the slightly injured &C
compAnied friends on the train. Th
dead and injured being thus scattered
1t was difficult matter to obtain
lcomp plete list Of the victims. Few O
the passengers outside of those in tn
smoktng-car were Injured. No wome
or children were killed or injur Tn
} men who crowded the smoker were tn
ones who suffered.
Fourteen men who were In the smoh
ing car were killed outright. The IL
jured are doing well, with the excptio
of four, two of whom will certainly di
before morning. Members OF the Ordt
Of United Workmen from Dunkir
: took charge of the wounded at the dept
for the Silver Greek Lodge.
L The suddenness of the shock thre'
NEARLY all the passengers from the
seats. The Coroner arrived at Stivt
Greek late this afternoon and the jur
. was empannelled to night. Some diff
lculty in holding the inquest arose an
the Coroner adjourned the proceeding
r until Friday, when the inque will
t held in Dunkirk. The name of tt
e enRineer OF the excursion train ws
: William Brewer. Immediately aft,
! the accident he said he was going at ono
to Buffalo to report to headquarter
z He has not been seen since.