Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-18
ONLY TWO DEATHS.
The Victims of the West Penn Wreck
are Improving Rapidly.
AN ENGINEERS EXAMINATION
Shows the Accident Was Caused by One Of
the Rails Breaking.
PHYSICIANS VISITING THE INJURED

II hADAS1dND VlOl1lNu AA1 1NJ hHU
Last night the physicians of the West
Penn Railroad were out making an official
visit and examination of the injuries sus-
tanned by those who were in the wreck at
Sarver station. A list OF those injured was
given the doctors, who Immediately started
of upon their examination. A report of
each case, with detailed statement of the
wounds and probability OF recovery, will be
made out and sent to the company. The
records will be kept to be used as evidence
in any suits for damages that may arise.
The procedure on the part of the officers OF
the company is nothing unusual, and is done
in all cases of accident. The idee is to pro-
tect the company against any fraud which
may be practiced by family physicians.
Another object in making the examina-
tion is to form a basis for the payment OF
quit claims. When the exact nature of the
wounds are ascertained agents Of the COM
pany will visit the people and offer to make
settlement with them. This generally
consists of monetary consideration and the
payment of all expenses, such as doctors
bills, medicines, etc. In this way the cases
are settled without resorting to law.
CANNOT ESTIMATE THE LOSS.
Until the report is made it is impossible
to estimate what the accident will cost the
company. The damage to cars, roadbed,
etc.. will be covered by 5000. What it
will cost the company to make settlements
with those injured and the families of those
killed cannot be estimated. The Twenty
eighth street wreck cost the Pennsylvania
Company nearly $3.50, 1000.
As was published in THE DISPATCH
yesterday, there were only two persons
killed. The statement that Mrs. Duff of
Forty-sixth street, had died on the train
was without foundation. She is at the
West Penn hospital. The list of injured
change in their condition last night. The
only one who was not expected to live was
James K. Deaner. of Homer City, Indiana
county, who is now lying at the Allegheny
General Hospital. His ribs were fractured
and one of them had perforated his lung.
This will cause pneumonia, and his chances
of recovery are slight.
Mrs. Graf, who was at the Allegheny
General Hospital suffering from injuries to
her back, was removed to her home at No.
800 Forbes street. Her injuries were not as
bad as reported. although she is in a bad
condition. Her son, who was with her at
was but slightly scratched. The doctors at
the hospital said
Ex-MAYoR LYON WAS IMPROVING.
and he would be all right shortly. He had
fractured collar bone and wrist. At the
other hospital and homes of the injured it
was stated that the patients were getting
along better than was expected, and their
recovery was certain. AT General Rowley's
house his family said he was all right, and
would soon be as sound as a dollar. AL
though past the allotted time of life, the
Generals strong constitution will pull him
through.
Mrs. Captain Jones, whose windpipe was
exposed, is In q fair way to recover the
deep cash in her throat having been sewn
up.
Chief Engineer Thomas Dobson, of the
West Penn Railroad, went to the scene of
the wreck yesterday. Upon his return he
was seen by DISPATCH reporter and ex-
planned the whole accident at length. He
said:
"The statement that rotten ties had any
thing to do with the accident is
AN ENTIRE MISTAKE,
the breaking Of one of the rails by the
weight of the engine and its consequent
lifting up of the rail when the weight had
been removed caused the whole sad affair.
1t is a curious fact that our foreman hap
pened to be standing ON that very spot when
the same train passed over it yesterday
morning. He said to himself he would
watch how the engine went over, as he had
foo hnn tho inc hroo
thing went smoothly, however, and he
walked on thinking that the place was as
safe as it could possibly be. When 1 Wis
ited5the ground this morning found three
cars off the track. The first car
was clear down the embankment.
The second and third were partially off.
The rail had broken, and when the engines
weight passed over it the broken rail bent
up and pierced through the floor Of the
second car. 1t smashed three rows of seats
and overturned the train. The rail broken
is the upper one (the track being what we
call skew trackO. 1t is on the right
hand as you come toward Pittsburg. The
rail there was divided into three pieces.
One was three, another nine and the other
ten feet long. It was the three-foot piece
that broke and bent up. The damage to the
line extends only half way across the
bridge. On the Butler side it is entirely
uninjured."
Superintendent A. P. Kirkland was also
seen, and said: ST saw the sensational
heads over the accounts of the wreck, and
was especially surprised at that of one
morning paper, which set down the cause of
the accident to 'rotton ties The rotten
ties notion is altogether wrong. The
whole track in that locality has been care
fully tested very recently, and there were
no rotten ties there. It is rather hard on
the road that such stories should be circu-
lated"
POWERS FUNERAL TO-DAY.
Ex-Mayor Lyon is much grieved at the
loss of his gold watch and chain, which has
mysteriously disappeared. The timepiece
was given Mr.. Lyon by the police of this
city during his term as Mayor.
The rail that pierced the second car
entered it in about tine same manner as the
piece that caused the death of Mrs. Colonel
James P. Barr on the main line some years
ago,
Union Veteran Legion No. 1 will meet at
its headquarters on Sixth avenue, at 1
o'clock this afternoon, to attend the funeral
of William j. Power.
WILL YOU STRIKE?