The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-04-29
Death WAS WAITING
As a Crowded Grand Trunk Train
Rushed Along.
The Cars DeraiIed at a Switch Near
Hamilton, Ont,
And Crushed to Pieces Against a
Water Tank.
Flames Spread Through the Broken
Timbers Of the Coaches
And Envelope The People Imprisoned
Beneath Them.
Eighteen Bodies Burned Beyond Re-
cOgnitiOn Taken Out.
A Man Bound to Maine Among Those
Injured.
Detroit Militia Going to New York
Escape Unharmed.
One Report Says Thirty are Dead
and Forty Injured.
Detroit Militia Going to New York
Escape Unharmed.
One Report Says Thirty are Dead
and Forty Injured.

"AS ASNoA'Ou hOAc tuiS ofoulug cOuutInlng u
United Press despatch reporting terrible
disaster on the Grand Trunk railway near
Hamilton, Ont, at about one this afternoon.
From what intelligence can be gathered at 7
p. m. it appears that the special passenger
train which left Detroit this morning con-
veying number Of Michigan mjlitiamen and
others to participate in the centennial cele-
bration at New York, while running at a
high rate of speed, jumped the track at a
point near Hamilton, Ont, and was COM
pletely wrecked. One hundred and twenty
five passengers were on the train. Thirty-one
were killed and about 40 injured. Particu-
lars are meagre and the railway officials re-
ticent
HAMILTON, ONT, April 2S.-The limited
express on the Grand Trunk Railway, due
here at 6.55 this morning, met with an acci.
dent when 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, the Chicago and
Grand Trunk through passenger coach,
Wabash coach, Wagner first class coach,
Pullman car and two Wagner sleeping cars
in the order named. Conductor Poole was In
charge of the train, with j. Watson, of Lon
don, engineer, and E. Chapman, of London,
fireman. The accident occurred at the juno
tion where "Y" is used to switch through
trains for Toronto onto 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 the switch the engine jumped the
track and plunged into water tank which
stood in the space between the "Y,'' smash
ing the tank into atoms and turning the en-
CINE 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 the
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 bag
gage cars. The passengers on the train
numbering over $50, many OF whom were
asleep, had terrible experience. A majori-
ty of those on board the train were able to
get out of the coaches before the fire reached
them but IN the confusion that reigned it is
not known how many victims were left to
the mercy of the flames penned in by the ma
terial of the wreck and unable to extricate
themselves
d. r. Gurney, of Brooklyn, N. Y, had his
head completely severed from his body by a
piece of flying debris.
| Rudolph e. Deever, whose address is not
known, was also instantly killed.
There was great difficulty in securing wa
ter. owing to the tank being smashed, and
the fire held sway for many hours before
thorough search could be made through the
DEBRIS. Up to o'clock the charred remains
| OF Is victims had been exhumed from the
wreck. In no case was there enough of
| body left to identify the remains or to tell
| whether the person was male or female
Among the injured was Joseph Morris of
East Sioux Falls, Oak, ,on his way to Charles
Island, Me. Heihas scalp wounds, bruised
| leg and shoulders. His injuries are not Sc
rious None of the members of the Detroit
Light Infantry were injured, and not wom-
an was hurt. The wounded in the hospital
are all deing WE'LL
| From 80 to 35 passengers were in the
smoker. This car and the second baggage
car were telescoped completely and took fire
Immediately. The wrecking of the tank cut
off the supply of water. The passengers
were at the mercy of the flames. Thirteen,
as far as can be learned, got out safely. The
others were cut to pieces almost to a man
and burned beyond all possibility of recog-
milton. They were together in a heap In
the end of the smoker and pinned in by
timbers. Nothing conld be done for them.
The only way. that it could be ascertained
that 16 or Is bodies were taken out was by
legs and arms corresponding to about that
number being found.
Investigation shows no negligence on the
part of the railroad company. The train
simply jumped the track at frog. The en-
gineer and fireman did not jump because
they had no time. The conductor says the
train was 10 minutes late and not running
more than 20 miles per hour when the acci
dent happened. The place was conside red
dan gerous The orders are that trains
must not run over 1t greater speed than 2C
miles. One baggage, two first class coaches
the smoker and first class day coach, and two
Wagner sleepers are completely burned. The
engine is completely wrecked. The loss &c
the company will be enormous. Most Of the
passengers lost all or portion of their bag
gage and clothing. The mails were burned
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