Daily Republican., 1889-08-24
COLLISION,
A WRECK CAUSED BY CON.
FLIcTiNo TELEGRAMs.
Cars Thrown Over CIIH-Thirty Men
Killed and Many Others wounded.
Trainincn HcroIcalIy Stick
TO Their Posts.

PETROLEUM, W. Va, Aug. 23--A ter
rible collision occurred about IL o'clock
this morning on the Baltimore and Ohio
Rsilioad, between Petroleum and Silver
Run tunnel, about % miles east of Par
kefsburR, In which three men were In.
stantly killed and many wounded. The
accomu odation train coming wet, due
at Parkersburg at 10 m. o clock, crashed
Into q special train occupied ty railroad
msgnates on a tour OF inspection.
The cause Of the wreck is said to have
be. n conflicting el,Rraus. The one re-
c,ived by Conductor flanagan and Engi-
neer Lsyman, OF the accommod alton, or
dered them TO pass the special at Petro-
leum, While the special train, engineered
by Captain Cephus Rowland, is said to
have had ielegraphic orders TO pass the
accommodation at Silver Run. The re-
suit OF these misconstructlons was to
huIl into eternity four men at least, and
TO wound Is or 20 others.
The trans came together with Q crash
at the curve, east OF Petroleum, and be-
tween that point and Silver Run. Both
trairs were running at rapid speed, and
when they collided the special ira and
the ent Inc, tender aud Baggage car Of the
accommodate went over the cliff.
James Layman, engin er OF the accom-
mediation, OF o OF the oldest engineers In
tie employ Of the Baltimore and Ohio
road, was crushed to ceath. Alex.
Bsiiey, fireman for Lsyman on the ac-
commodation, was also crushed. Cephus
wizard, also ole of the old engineers,
was caught under the wreck aud had OF
leg brot en- and received Internal injuries
from which he cannot recover. John
Fletcher, fireman on the special, was all O
Killed. Fletcher stuck to his engine, and
with his h.lpmate preferred death to de-
fertion OF his post, and went over the
bank In the wreck. He was cut and
crushed TO death. The special tar occu.
pied by cffic ais on an Inspecting tour was
tmi shed. Roadmaster j. A. Hunter was
badly injured, together with several
Others. George douglass, In the same
car, was also badly injured.
In the accommodation train were many
Passengers, all OF whom received q terri.
bic shaking up, and 15 or 20 OF whom
were more or less injured. Il. j. Malloy,
Track master OF Part ersburg and mem
Der OF the City CouLcil, was badly ipjur-
Cd. Jefferson Rose, bagge master OF the
accommodation, was alto seriously hurt.
A large number of passengers were more
or less injured, but they were hurried of
oh trhins gong east or Woet, and In the
confusion following the disaster it was
impossible to get their names.. The boo
les Of LayunD, Bailey and Fletcher were
taken to Parkersburg on the EVENING"
train, Where they were encased In cofijns
and sent to their homes. Layman was
ient to his home on Depot street. Row
and was taken to Grafton,
When the train bearing the bodi=s ar |
lived at Parkor]burg, It was surrounded |
" thousands Of people. many OF whom
we're friends OF the dead, while others |
lad friends who they believed TO have
zen on the wrecked trains. As It is I'M
'ossiele to hear from their friends, and
$ rumors Of the accident had grown
nto colossal dimensions, the anxie'y
increased until the crowd numbered
Thousands at the depot
The accident occurr long distance
rom any town or tel, graphic facilities.