The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-06-22

rrain-over Seventy Killed aud Many
Injured.
DUBLIN, June 13.-The train carrying
an excursion party from Armagh was
wrecked this morning, near that place.
The train contained 200 persons, COM
posed of Methodist Sunday school
scholars, their teachers and relatives,
who were going on an excursion to
Warren Point. The party left Armagh
tins morning IN two trains, and the accI-
dent occurred at a point where the
train had 20 ascend a grade on a bank
fifty feet high. The first train assembled
the grade without trouble. The sec
ond section attempted the ascent, but
the weight Of the train proved
too great for the engine. Several
cars were detached and allowed to
run back towards the level tracks, but
collision with an ordinary train from
Armagh, which was proceeding at
good rate of speed. The excursion cars
were completely wrecked. The scene
that ensued was heartrending. Hosts
OF volunteers were soon at hand, and
the dead and wounded were taken
from the wreck and carried down the
bank. Medical aid was called for. and
a special train from Belfast brought to
the scene twenty surgeons from that
city and number Of medical men from
other places between Belfast and Ar
magb.
The disaster is unparalleled in the
railroad history of Ireland. 1t has cast
gloom over Armagh. All the shops
were closed this afternoon and the
people are in general mourning. The
engineer, fireman and guard of the
train and the traffic managers clerk
were summoned before magistrate
and We're remanded on charge of be-
ing responsible for the accident.
The brake power of the engine of the
third train was Inadequate. While the
second train was ascending the incline
the engineer remarked to the fireman:
81 am afraid we cannot do it," The fol-
lowing train was commencing the ascent
when the engineer saw the runaway
cars. Shutting off the steam and re-
yerslng the lever, the engineer and the
fireman jumped from the engine, shout
ing TO the passengers to do likewise
The latter, however, not hearing the
cries d1d not obey. No one WAS
injured on the train. The engine was
hurled sixty feet down an embankment.
The carriage that ran into the engine
was shattered to splinters, and frag-
ments of dress, umbrella, etc, were
scattered hundreds of yards. A dozen
corpses were found beneath the engine
in parboiled condition. Some OF the
occupants OF the runaway cars tried 10
escape, but the doors were locked. The
front part OF the train started back III
pursuit of the runaway cars, and the
passengers saw the collision at a dis
tanCe Of SO wards.
A car-driver named Hughes who yis-
tied the scene of the disaster was so
horriied at the sight that be died on
the spot. His corpse was taken to Ar
magh in his own car.
Another account of the disaster SAYS
that the engineer of the sec 1nd train
finding his engine powerless to pull the
train up the steep grade, unllnked sew
eral oi the cars, with the object of tax
ing the front portion Of the train TO the
next station and returning for the
remainder. Heavy stones were placed
behind the wheels of the detached
cars, to prevent them from slipping, bur
the locomotive on restarI!ng gave the
entire train shuut that displaced the
stones. The result was that the de-
tached cars began to slip back ward
down the grade, their speed gradually
increasing until they had attained a
tright'ul velocity. After running four
miles they crashed with terrible force
into the third train at a point about a
mile and half from Armagh.
Seventy bodies have been taken from
the wreck, and there are others buried
under the debris. Over 100 of the pas
sengers who escaped death were injured
more or less seriously.
Warren Point, the place where the
party was bound, is a watering place at
the mouth OF the Newry River, in Coun-
ty Down.
Before starting on the fatal excursion
the children pGraded through the
streets of Armagh with flags and ban
ners, and the town folks turned out
almost en- masse TO wish them happy
holiday. The party OF excursionists in
cluded ministers, teachers, the parents
of some of the children, and few
other adults.
The accident happened opposite Sir
Capels Molyneaux's establishment on
the Belfast road. The train consisted of
fifteen carriages. The bulk of the chill
dren were in the front portion of the
train and only q dozen or fifteen of
them were killed. The majority of the
victims were about 20 years of age.
They were IN the last carriage, which
was completely smashed. Many of the
occupants jumped from the windows
and escaped with slight injuries before
the collision. The passengers on the
hind train were not injured, and they
assisted in the work of relief. All the
bodies have not been taken from the
wreck. The total killed is seventv-two,
of which slXty-fOur have been identi-
fed. The number OF injured is about
one-thlrd of the entire number of pas
sengers and many of these Will die.
AT the formal inquest this evening
the magistrate said it appeared on the
face of 1t that there had been most cul-
pable negligence. DIR. Lynn Is at the
head of the school to which most of the
youthful excurslonists belonged. He
Methodists in Ireland, and his
school is attended by many children
of other denominations. The annual
excursion has always been very pop
ular event. MCGrath, the engineer of
the wrecked train; Parkinson, fireman;
Moore, guard; and Elliott, the traffic
managers clerk, are held on the specific
charge of having by their negligence
caused the death of Mr.. Steel, clerk of
the petty sessions, and his two children,
who were among the eXcurslonists.
ARMAGH, June l3.-Many anxious
friends are making inquiries for missing
cnlidren III the liAl iuAil 10 WHICH tue
persons injured in yesterdays railroad
accident were taken. Crowds surround
the building, and the discussion of the
terrible disaster engrosses the attention
of the entire community. The interior
or the infrmary presents a sad speCta-
Gle. one of the wounded, boy named
Cleland, died this morning. Both of his
parents and his two brothers were
killed outright The dead now number
seventy-four. Others of the wounded
are in a critical condition.