Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-10-20
WHEELING, W. VA, MORNING, OCTOBER 90 1885,

L bhhbScp Aletruulk bluOo, cS'oaU.y Wv -
forehead and back of head.
d. O. Hsys, (celured) Columbus, Ohio
skull cut, seriously if not fatally hurt.
Jacob Sigler, New York; ankle crushed
and dislocated.
Joseph Msyes, Columbus; left leg badly
bruised.
In addition TO the abave, there were
many others bruised and cut, but not
dangerously. Their names could not be
ascertained. The wounded were almost
| sll confined to the inmates Of the sleepers.
They were removed to the Mercy Hospital,
Auld House and various residences near at
hand, where competent surti:al attention
was furnished them by Washington physl-
clans. A special train was sent down from
Pittsbury for the Injured, and 1t started
back at four o'clock In it were the bodies
of the dead fireman and engineer and
most of the passengers, who were not too
seriously hurt to be moved.
THE WRECK COMPLETE.
The wreck itself was complete. Human
ingenuity could not have devised more
instantaneous or complete destruction.
Car was pilei on car, their strong wells
crushed in like cardboard. Ths train was
composed of a fruit car, baggage car, sleep
er end two passenger 60 ,ches, runpiog IN
the order named. The engine juppsd the
tack before it had left ths switch 100
feet. The tender and fiult car were
dragged after. The tlesper could never
nave passed the sharp curve at low rate
of spesd, and going at 30 miles sn hour, as
,oon as il struck it, it lefs ths trestls,
tearing loose from the baggage car in front
and D lsssnzsr coach behind. 1t fell clear
of the trs>t'e below, a distancs OF
eighteen feet. The next coach plowed
int, the baggage car with terrific force,
rushing the immense iron beams Ike
straws. and ending it's career of destruc-
tion by topping from the falling track
over against he sleeper. The rear passen-
ger coach followed, only the hind truck
remaining upon the trestle. The little
fruit car was caught between the bsggige
car ard tender aud fattsned out like paste
b)srd on ths ground.
The loss was complete. With the single
exception of the last coach not stick re-
msirei Of the entire train that was not
c'u he'd and Injured in the general wreck.
That the loss OF life was not even more
dreadful i. f,ct due Only to the most for
tunate accident. If the walls of the sleeper
hsd given way urdsr the pressure OF the
second coach sboye, scarcely sJul in the
entire car would have come 70 tn alive ln
this coach also the;e wsrs fortunate and
ALMOST MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.
Mrs. Rev. W. ]. McConkey, of Harris.
burg, was sitting near the stove with her
baby in her LAP. AS the car felt over the
stove upset. Mrs. McConkey was thrown
to the fio)r; her dress became iguited, and
il was impossible to rise. Almost at the
same instant tfe water cooler in the car
was throwa over, and fortunately fell In
the direction in the fire, downing ii out,
hut ros until Mrs. McCcnkey had been
badly burned. 1t was fortunate accident
that no doubt saved the car and a mcre
appalling loss oflite.
THE GUILTY PARTY.
There is only oas cause for the wreck
and that is upon the tongues of ell. The
train approached ths station OF the ordin-
ary rate of speed. Only an op'n switch
les6igg t. TIE Y could have swervsd Il
FROM the track, An int mt later the sharp
curve did it's work, and the awful crash
came. No one doubts that the switch was
op IN, but how it came so is a question for
the Corouer's Jury to decide. An ugly
runor is afloat that the switch was pur-
pose'y misplaced. W. F. BradeD, U. 5.
matt carrier, says that be was waiting to
recsive his mail fom the Cannon Ball and
heard it whistle He walked to the upper
or d of the dep t, when the train suddenly
shot out into Ih3 Y and the crssh came.
He imm sdiately started running to the
scene of the wJeck, and about half way
there he met a strange man walking rapid
ly away. To the question, What's
the matter" the stranger made no
reply, and hurried of. Braden paid
no st!ention and went on 20 the wreck, as
sistipg in the work Of rescue. Not until
the csuse of the accident was lesrGed did
hs remember his suspicious action.
Two women, Mrs. Stewart and Mrs.
DOnnell, corroborate Bracea's testimony.
Thy say they saw q man run awsy from
the switch Immediately before the acci-
dent.
The ysrd switch engine was the last on
the "Y'' before the ilttated train arrived
1t was the duty of its fagman, Ed.
Boone, to close the switch. B>one refused
to talk beyond claiming that he had per-
formed bis duty properly.
Coroner Ripple has impanilled a jury,
and al inquest will be held tomorrow.