The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-06-13
The Accident Caused by an Overloaded Sunday.
School Excursion Train Breaking in Two
on Grade Near Armagh, Ireland.
The Broken Section Dashes Into an As
cending Engine and Is Wrecked.
Out Of 1,2c0 Passengers Over 0ne.Third We're
Either Killed or Wounded, the Majority
Being Adults-Criminal Negligence.
MANY CHILDREN KILLED.

A sunday-School Train Wrecked, with Aw-
full Results Near Armagh, Ireland.
DUBLIN, June IA train containing an
excursion party from Armagh was wrecked
near that place this morning, and nearly
one hundred persons killed and as many
more injured. The train contained 1000
persons, composed of Methodist Sunday
school scholars their teachers and relatives.
They were going on an excursion to War
rem Point. The party left Armagh this
morning on two trains. The accident
occurred at point where the
trains had to ascend grade on a bank
fifty feet high. The first train ascended
the grade without trouble. The second
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
track, but before they reached it they came
in collision with an ordinary train from
Armagh. which was proceeding at good
rate of speed. The excursion cars were
completely wrecked.
The scene which ensued was heartrend-
ing. 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 and special
train from Belfast brought to the scene
twenty surgeons from that city, and
number of medical men from other places
between Belfast and Armagh. The disaster
is unparalleled in the railroad history of
Ireland. The accident has cast gloom
over Armagh. All the shops were closed
this afternoon, and the people are in gen.
eral mourning.
The engineer, fireman and guard of the
| train and the traffic managers clerk were
| summoned before a magistrate, and were
remanded on the charge of being 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
eng 'neer remarked to the fireman, Il am
afraid we can't do it," The following train
was commencing the ascent when the en-
| gineer saw the runaway cars Shutting off
| the steam and reversing the lever, the en-
| gineer and fireman jumped from the en-
| gine, shouting to the passen-
| gers to do likewise. The lat
ter, however, not hearing the
| cries, did not obey. No one was injured on
that train. The engine was hurled sixty
| feet down an embankment The carriage
that ran into the engine was shattered to
splinters. and fragments of dresses. um-
brellas, 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
| to escape, but the doors were locked. The
front part of the train started back in pur-
suit of the runaway cars, and the passen-
| gers saw the collision at a distance of 500
yards.
| A car-driver named Hughes, who visited
the scene of the disaster, was so Mortified
| at the sight that he died on the spot. His
| corpse was taken to Armagh in his own
| cart.
Another account of the disaster says the
|
engine pOwerless to pull the train up the
steep grade, unlinked several of the cars,
with the object of taking the front portion
of the train to the next station, and return
ing for the remainder. Heavy stones were
placed behind the wheels of the detached
cars, to prevent them from slipping. but the
locomotive, on restarting gave the train
shunt that displaced the stones. The re-
suit was that the detached cars began to
slip backward down the grade. their speed
gradually increasing until they had at
tanned frightful velocity. After running
four miles, they crushed with terrific force
into the third train at point about a mile
and half from Armagh.
The shrieks of the children were horrible.
The bodies Of the victims were arranged in
rows as soon as recovered. Many were
mangled beyond recognition. There is
scarcely family in Armagh that has not
some one dead. The embankment on which
the accident occurred is seventy feet high.
Many touching scenes were witnessed. The
children bore their injuries with great pa
thence. Wrecking gangs are at work clear
ing away the debris. A private of the Irish
Fusileers, before the collision, jumped on
the fOot-plate of one of the cars and dropped
four children to the ground. He then of
fered to assist others to escape but his offer
was refused. In many cases whole families
were killed. Crowds of people are visiting
the scene of the disaster. and the air is rent
with lamentations.
Before starting on the fatal excursion the
children paraded through the streets OF
Armagh with flags and banners, and the
townfolk turned out almost en- masse to
wish them happy holiday. The party OF
excursionists included ministers, teachers
the parents of some of the children, and a
few other adults. The accident happened
opposite Sir Capels Molyneuxs establish
ment OH the Belfast road.
The passengers give different accounts oi
the accident. but they all complain bitterly
of the stupidity of those in charge of the
wrecked train, who, they say, tried Il
block the wheels of the detached cars with
pebbles. The train consisted of fifteen car
riages The bulk Of the children were in
the front portion Of the train. Only about
one dozen children were killed. TIL,
majority of the victims were abou
twenty years of age. They were il