The national leader., 1889-05-04
A RAILROAD WRECK.
SEVENTEEN PERSONS KILLED AND
ANUMBEK INJURED.

BODIES BURNED BEYOND RECOGNI-
TION.
HAMILTON, Ontario, April 28th.-
The limited express on the Grand
Trunk Railway due here at 6.55 A.
M. met with an accident about two
miles west of this city, the result OF
which was the loss of many lives. The
train was composed of an engine. two
baggage cars, smoker, Chicago and
Grand Trunk through passenger coach,
W Wabash coach. a Wagner first-class
coach, Pullman car and two Wagner
sleeping cars. IN the order named.
Conductor Poole was in charge of the
gineer, and J. E. Chapman, of London,
fireman.
The accident occurred at the juno
tion where a "YD is built. This ''Yn
is used to switch through trains for
Toronto to the Toronto branch from
the main line. The train is said to
have been running at speed of forty
miles an hour or more, when directly
on crossing the switch the engine
jumped the track and plunged into
water tank, which stood in space be-
tween the ''Y ;" smashing the tank into
atoms, and turning almost UPSIDE
down. The baggage cars came directly
after the engine, and the first of these
was pitched over the engine and thrown
on the main track, leaving It's wheels
behind it.
The other baggage car caught fire
from the engine and the two were soon
in flames. The coaches following, with
the exception of the two Wagner cars
in the rear of the train, were huddled
together by the shock and soon caught
fire from the baggage cars. The pas
sengers on the train, numbering over
150, many of whom were asleep at the
time. had terrible experience. A
majority of those on board the train were
able to get out of the coaches
before the fire reached them, but
in the confusion that relgned it is not
known how manV victims were left to
the mercy of the flames, penned in by
the material of the wreck and unable
to extricate themselves. l.. A. Gurney,
of Brooklyn, N. Y, had his head CON-
pletely severed from his body by piece
of flying debris. Rudolph Deerer,
whose address is not known, was also
instantly killed.
AS soon as the engine rolled over.
after striking the water tank. Engineer
Watson and Fireman Chapman crawled
out from underneath 1t, neither of them
being much hurt. An auxiliary train
was sent out from this city Immediately
on receipt of news OF the accident, and
the passengers. including the injured
and two of the killed, were brought to
this city. Two Wagner cars In the
rear of the train were uncoupled from
the others, and were saved from the
flames.
A large gang of employees, under di-
recCiOn of John Hall, locomotive fore
man, worked increasingly at the wreck,
doing their utmost to eXtinguiSh the
fire. There was great difficulty in Sc
curing the water, owing to the tank
being smashed, and the fire held sway
for many hours before a thorough
search could be made through the de-
bris. Up to O'Clock the charred re
mains of Is victims had been exhumed
from the wreck. In no case was there
enough of the body left to identify the
remains, or to tell whether the person
was of the male or female sex.
THE WOUNDED.
The names of the wounded now in
the hospital are as follows:
James A. Palmer, Ilion, n. Y, head
cut, but not seriously hurt
Hamilton Clark. No. 147 West Ohio
street, Chicago. double fracture of the
right leg, bruised badly. head cut and
probably internally injured. Of all the
injured he is the worst, but he will
probably recover.
Anthony Maaz, or Martz, an Italian,
on his way from Wisconsin to Italy,
head cnt, but not seriously.
Edwin Chapman, fireman, head
badly cut over right eye; not seriously
hurt.
Enoch Kenyon, of London. Eng,