The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-09-25
Els LIFH CRUSHED OUT.
Horrible Fatality on the BsIti-
E. .as more 8 Ohio,
EDWARD GIBSON THE VICTIM
ora Serious Collision in East Wheel,
ing-Heavy Freight Train Crashes
iuto "a Construction Train from
the Rear on a Down Grade.

Rplle q serious accluent occurred on
the Baltimore & Ohio road in the east.
ern part Of the city, yesterday morning,
whereby Edward Gibson, a popular en-
glneer lost his lie, For some time past,
a special construction train has been
working on the tracks between the
yards in this city and Elm Grove, the
principal work being to repair a number
Of cuts, where trouble has been exper-
fenced from land slides, Yesterday
morning this train was on the main
track just at the stock yards switch, and
the men were at work widening a cut
nearby, A aagnsn was placed near the
Central Glass Works to warn all out,go.
ing trains to run slowly and watch for
the construction train,
At $40 q, M, train No, SO, drawn by
engine 400, In charge Of Edward Gibson,
OF Glenwood, Pa, engineer, and Sam
Gordon, OF Benwood, fireman, left the
yards 10 run to GlenWood, Before they
left the yards, the yard master gave the
engineer two distinctwarningslt 10 look out
for the construction train, and TO run
slowly until he met 1t, AT the Central
glass works he was tagged and warned
by the construction train hagman. In.
stead Of slowing up he ran the train
down the steep grade at that point at
lullspeed, and went with u crash, into
the rear OF the construction train, which
was only about 400 yards from the point
where lie was last warned.
Fireman Gordon, who was interview
ed, says that Gibson put the air on the
engine and whistled down brakes, but
too late. The rails were wet aud Slip
perry, and the brakes did not seem to
take hold properly. When Gibson saw
that u collision was inevitable, no told
the fireman to jump, and did so himself.
Gordon came out all right, but Gibson
was less fortunate. No one saw just
how he was killed, but there are two
plausible theories. One Ia TO the elect
that he lost his balance when he struck
the ground and fell back under the
wheels OF the tender, and the other IL
that he struck the wire fence, which en-
closes the track at that point, aud was
thrown back by Its elasticity. II Is GER
tain, however, that he fell with his leg
under the wheels, and was dragged
further under, till his legs and body up
to his chest were ground 10 Q shapeless
mass. The engine went on into the ca.
boose, tearing the latter to pieces, and
wrecking itself completely, Two or
three cars In the freight train were more
or less damaged, and one or two in the
construction train, besides the Caboose,
were splintered. The engine was almost
totally demolished. The rods, pilot, bell,
stack, pumps, air compressor, and al.
most everything but the boiler, were
torn away. The dinner pals Of forty or
fifty Italian and negro laborers were In
the caboose, and they with their con.
tents were scattered helterskelter, while
the workmen, who seemed terrorized,
ran in all directions,
As soon us possible, the remains Of
Gibson were gathered up and brought TO
the city, where they were taken charge
OF by undertaken BlatCheley, who pre-
pared them for burial. Gibson's body
was horribly mangled, and at the under
takers rooms after being washed, pre-
sented a horrible appearance. The
head and face were not badly SCARED,
but from the waist down the remains
were mangled mass Of blended blood,
bone and flesh, so badly torn aud multi.
ated that the undertaken could not
model the legs to their former shape,
and was forced.to wrap them in a sheet
and deposit them in the coffin, only
hanging to the trunk by shreds OF skin
and muscle.
Mr.. Gibson was a married man about
2S years old, and leaves q wife and two
children 10 mourn his sad demise.
His home was at Glennwood, Pa,
where he had Just ilished neat little
cottage, into which he expected to move
his family next week. He was a popu.
lar man among his fellow workmen, and
many expressions OF sorrow were heard
about the Baltimore & Ohio yards dur
ing the day. The remains were taken
home on the l: AS p. IN. train.
The men on the construction train,
with the help Of the wrecking crew, got
To work on the wreck few minutes
after 1t occurred, and In an hour had the
tracks cleared, 50 that no trains were dc.
layed. BY last evening everything which
would indiCats that a wreck had occur.
red was out Of sight. L. .Yj