The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-29
LOSS OF LIFE.
AN EXPRESS JUMPS THE TRACK
AND EIGHTEEN ARE KILLED.

! AND E4GH TEEN ARE KILLED.
a Spot Near Hamilton, Ont, the Scene
of the Accident-Most of the Dead
So Completely Burned That Identi-
| flcatiou of the Corpses is Impossible
Over a Score of the Survivors
Badly Injured.
HAMILTON, Ont, April 2S.-The limited
express train on the Crank Trunk railway,
due here at ESQ o'clock this morning, 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, a smoker, a
| Cnica 20 and Crank Trunk road through
passenger coach, a Wabash road coach, a
Wagner tirst-class coach, a Pullman car
and two Wag Ter sleeper3, in thu order
named. Conductor Pc de was in charge of
the train, with J. Watson, of London, as
engineer. and J. E. Chapman, OF London,
as fireman.
SCENE AND NATURE OF THE ACCIDENT.
The accident occurred at the junction
| where ~" Is built. This ''Y" is used to
| switch through trains for Toronto to the
| Toronto branch from the main line. The
| train is said TO have been run
nlng at a speed of forty miles
! an hour or more. When direc lv
| on the crossing a switch engine jumped tho
rack and plunged into alter Ia k, which
| sto d in between the "Y, smashing the
tank into atoms and turning the 81! CINE
| almost up side 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 its
! wheels behind it.
CAUGHT FIRE.
The other baggage car caught fire from
J the engine, and the two we soon in
Fl amos. The coaches following, with tn
| exception of the two Wagner cars / tue
! rear Of the train, were huldied toy Their by
! tbs shock, and soon caught fire from the
| baggage cars. Tue passengers on the train.
| numbering over $50, many of whom we're
asleep at the time, hal a terrible expert
| ence. A majority OF those on beard the
| t ain were able to get out OF the cOac res be-
! fore the fire reached them, but in the on
| fusion that reigued it is not kaown how
| many victims we're left to the mercy Of the
| flames, peuued in by the mater al Of the
! wreck and unable to ex ricate themselves.
DECAPIrATED BY FLYING DEBRIS.
J. S. GURNEY Of Brooklyn, n Y 9, had his
! head conn etsly severed from his body by
piece Of fi7ing debris
RUDOLPH Z. GEERER, whose address is
! not known, was also instantly killed.
! As soon as the engine rolled over, after
| striking the water tank Engineer Watson
| q d Fireman Chapman craWled out from
| underneath it, neither Of them being much
! hurt
An auxiliary train was sent out from this
| city Immediately on receipt of the news of
| the acc:d Mt, and the passengers, including
the injured and two of the killed, were
| brought to this city. The two Wagner cars
| in 10 pf ba fra n lad
| rom the others and we're saved from the
! flames.
WORKING AT THE WRECK.
A largo gang Of employees. under the
| direction Of john Hall, a loo motive fore
nan, worked increasingly at the wreck,
| doing their utmost to extingGsI the fire
| Hnere was great difficulty in securing
wafer. owing 20 the tank being smashed,
| and the fire held sway for many hours be-
! fore a tuOrou IA search could be made
| through he debris. Up to O'Clock the
| cnared remains Of eighteen victims had
| been exhumed from the wreck. In no case
was there enough OF the bo ly left TO ident-
fly the remains, or to tell whether tne
| person was Of ths male or female sex.
THE WOUNDED.
Thirteen Of the wounded are now in a
| hospital. About ten others were slightly
! hurt. but no. 50 badly as to prevent taem
from cont uing their journey.
| l. was o'clock this eveing before the
| tracks were cleared.
| n me of the members of the District
| Light Infantry were jurel, and not a
wo nan was IN the least hurt
The wounded Ii the hospital are all doing
well.
NO NEGLIGENCE.
As far as can be learned there was no
negligence on the part Of tie railroad com
| pauy Tae train simply Jumped the track
| at the frog The engi lee and firsmen did
| not jump because they had n time. They
we're taken FIR m the debris with difficulty,
| and 1t is miraculous how they escaped win
| their lives.
The baggageman and expressman, James
| Welch and Fred Dumas. both Of Niagara
| Falls, were in the car which jumped over
the CINE, yet ither was hurG.
Tie screa ms Of the men who were being
burned to death in the smoking car could
10 beard 40 we the noise Of the escaping
| steam a-d the roaring OF the flames.
NOT RUNNING FAST.
Conductor Cole says that the train was
IF cen minutes late out was not running
more than twenty miles an hour whea tbs
accident hap eled, as the orders are that
trains must not run at that particular plac,
at a greater speed than twenty miles. Tue
place whore the acciienJ occurred is con
sidered da ger US, as tnere IS 4 switch on
rather a she p curve aId hence tn pr.cau-
to- OF running slowly. Sven cars, tle bag.
gage car, two frst-cass coaches, a
suoker, fir,t-ciass day coach and two
Wagner s.eepsr-, we're burned, there being
L a vet.ge Il wood or anything that
would bar left. One car, baggage ctr,
was demolished, and the engine
was the most complete wreck imaginable,
T @ loss to the company will te enOrmo4s.
MANY Of those o. the trail wero g.