The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-09-22
A DEATH SWITCH.
An Express Train on the B. & O. Rail.
road Dashes Into a Freight
Train at Ankeneytown, 0.
Three Employees Instantly KILLED and
Thirty Two Passengers scaidea
or Maimed.

The most disastrous wreck that has ever
occurred ON the Lake Erie division Of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and one rival.
ing the awful disaster az Republic In January,
1887, happened at Ankencytow small
station twenty-five miles east Of Mansfield,
o., at o'clock Friday morning.
The west-bound express, due in Chicago
ut 1850 p. m, consisting Of two fruit ears, a
mail ear, n combination baggage and express
car, two day coaches, and two Pullman cars,
was running Twenty-Five miles an hour when
the mail car jumped the unlocked switch 10 n
sido track ON which freight train was stand
ing. The mail car was pulled along over the
ties few rods, when the coupling fastening
II TO the engine and two fruit cars snapped,
the mail car dragging after IL. The baggage
car and the two day coaches then careenrd %
one side against the engine Of the freight
train, the boiler OF which exploded a moment
later with terrific force. After striking the
engine the mail ear rebounded nj cross angles
10 the track, completely wrecking the bag
gage ear and the first day coach, the second
coach then mounting upon the wrecks Of the
two ears preceding IL. The two palace cars
remained on the track unchanged.
simultaneously with the crash came the ex-
plosion OF the boiler, and pieces Of the wreck
strewed the fields for many rods around. The
dome OF the engine, weighing several hundred
pounds, was hurled high In the air, and came
down crashing through tho roof OF one OF the
fruit-cars OF the forward part OF the train,
wrecking IL. Hot water aud steam from the
exploded boiler dcluged the victims imprison-
ed in the debris, adding % the torture OF
those already injured, and scalding those
who had escaped serious injury from tho
wreck.
From the sparsely populated section OF tho
country I'm the vicinity came very little avail
able help until the arrival OF the wrrcknr
train several hours later. Meanwhile those
who could help themselves effected their es-
cape, and with the constantly arriving specta-
tors, gave such aid as they could 10 less for
tunate victims. Surgeons were summoned
from MI. Vernon, Belcyillc, and Mansfield,
and Were soon doing All In their power 20 al
leyiate the suffering Of the victims
Engineer Harry Tomlinson, OF the freight
trains, was found between the boiler and
tender OF his engine, the front part OF his
head blown away aud his brains covering the
pump OF his engine, which hal been blown
into an apple tree In AN ada ~; orchard.
David Nr~n, the baggHge-naster. was
found bctwt, "a the two trains with his neck
and back broken aud his skull crushed.
William Frinslcy, brakeman OF tho freight
was wcdged in the wreck, and crushed and
scalccl so fearfuly that after eniuring tie
greatest agony until o'clock, death relieved
his suffering.
The two day coaches which wee wrecked
carried ITO passengers, mostly G.. A. II. men,
with their families en- route home from col
umbus. or these thirty-four were injured
some OF them 10 an extent which can not vet
be fully determined, but a half dozen viii
surely be added 60 the list OF the dead
Mrs. Edward Valentine, OF Chicago, was
pinned under the wreck OF the first day
coach, and so closely wedged In between the
tmbers that she could only be rescued by
chopping her out OF her position. The up
per portion OF her body and her right arm
were so badly crushed that she can not live.
j. ID. Thomas, Commander Of Burnside
Post Of Shenandoah, Iowa, was 20 crushed
about the breast and shoulders that his con-
dition Is considered critical.
AS fast rs removed from the wreck. the i'm
jured were carried TO farm houses in the
ccinity, where they received surgical attend-
ance. DIR. w. G. Eagan, OF Atlantic. Iowa,
was among the passengers and, luckily cscap-
Ing injury, gave attention % many OF tho
wounded before the arrival OF the company's
surgeons. A number OF the injured who
could bear transportation were taken to their
homes, and the others arc being cared for az
Ankeneytown.