Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-11-27
A PERILOUS RIDE
On a Runaway Car, and Miraculous
Escape Of Passengers.

gers, except Mr.. and Mrs. W 5. Taggrr
IS who had boarded the train at flag sta
tion mile below town, and who intend
ed to return to their home at Barton o.
: the outgoing train. The passengers
fourteen in number-fOr the sOuthbount
train, which was to leave the station a
e soon as the engine and coach were back
y ed into the yard below, and the engin,
turned and put in front of the coach
boarded the car, which was dropped be
:, low the switch leading into the turn
table. The car came to a stand-still a:
usual, but by some means began moving
I again before the engine had reached its
g place in front. An effort was made to
they failed. as did also the safety all
brake, which was attached to the car, and
almost before anybody could realize the
> dreadful situation, the coach began the
nearly four miles long, of over hundred
feet to the mile. As soon as could be, the
engineer opened the throttle of his ma
chine, and quickly yet cautiously follow
ed the runaway, expecting to find it
dumped some place along the track.
OF course the news of the car running
away spread rapidly about town, and a
large number of people gathered at the
depot to await tidings of the Inflated
car and its precious crew, but the sus-
pense was soon broken by the return of
the engine with the cheering intelligence
that no one was killed, and bringing back
Dan CARL, a B. and .. Conductor, one of
the passengers, ,,who although bleeding
profusely from cuts on the head was not
thought to be dangerously hurt.
The car, which bounded along at the
rate of a mile a minute, stuck to the
track with wonderful tenacity, and dash
ed across the bridge at Wheeling Creek,
and through the spring switch on the
main c., L. and W, line, where, unfOrtu-
nately, just beyond the switch, it ran into
northbound freight, John Seidwitz, en-
gineer, and was broken into splinters.
All of the persons on the car except VIM.
Hoffner, conductor, and wife, a Mrs
Kicks, Arthur Nichols, and Jacob Boggs,
remained in it until the collision, those
named jumping moment before the
crash came.
Drs. Walker and West dressed the
wounds of CARL and he he was removed
to his clearinghouse at NJ. E. Wilson's,
where he is cOnvalescing. Drs. 1, G. Cope
of Pennington, and Fisher of Bridgeport,
were summoned to the scene of the &c
cident as quickly as possible and rendered
medical aid Those injured are getting
along nicely, save Mrs. VIM. Hoffner, of
Bridgeport, and fears are entertained for
her recovery.
Below is a list of the passengers and |
their injuries:
Conductor Wm Hoffner, cut over eye |
and head bruised.
Mrs. Hoffner, wife of Conductor, bruis-
ed about side and face
Dan CARL, B. & o. Conductor, scalp |
torn in five or six places, and arm cut.
Mrs. Annie Kicks, Bridgeport, heel
mashed, and otherwise hurt.
Mrs. w. S. Taggart, bruised about hips
and severely shocked.
W. S. Taggart, her husband, uninjured.
W. C. Shamrock, Wheeling, face bruised
and head cut slightly.
John Heath, Wegee, shoulder badly
bruised
Jas. F. Anderson, Editor Bellaire In
right elbow sprained and leg
bruised.
Jacob BOggs, brakeman, Arthur Mich
OILS. and three colored men, Charley Will
son, Henry Swanegan and Fenton Fields,
were all more or less bruised, but got of
lucky,
Dan CARL, who is used to taking fast
rides, gives and account of the trip af-
ter starting in about this style:
Then the car began to go faster and
faster, and when few hundred yards
from the starting point, it was evident
that the movement was about forty miles S
per hour; then, as it rounded the curve on
Buffers place, the car could be perceptibly {
felt gaining in speed, and it was but {
short time then that our gait was sixty
miles an hour. Think of us going around
those curves at that fearful ratel If the
track had not been in such splendid con- {
1itiOn and the curves of proper eleva- q
ton, the car would have left the track +
inside of mile; but on We went, and
each passenger hoping that something
would happen to Slacken the speed, but ]
no! Every curve We turned our hearts
were throbbing and our breath was short, c
and all was excitement. Jump? NOi
We had no time to jump. The beauty of {
the ride was the occasional sight of the 8
moon as it appeared here and there among
The hills and trees. After reaching the
foot of the grade near the main line, we
discovered the approach of a freight, and :,
our anxiety for safety grew intense, and q
0ur hope was, that the car would jump !
the junction switch, and all would be q
over; but we passed the switch in safety !:
and kept the main line track, headed for
5he coming freight. Then moment of r
lull passedthrough the car, and all having I
Oraced themselves prepared for the worst,
then the crash came, and all was over
Can you imagine our feelings when the !
train came in sightp We actually be-
came unconscious. Those who were
standing on the platform jumped in time
10 miss the wreck. The lights were all a
and one was still Lit when the q
crash was over.
Editor Anderson graphically describes
5he situation thus:
Such, briefly, was the state of affairs on i
.he st. ClairSville Northern Road Satur- q
lay evening. 1t was the last train to /,
(Nl.,r,- Al,.,A
ear was standing at the station as usual S
Ten passengers, seven men and three wo- C
men walked into the coach and took their Z
seats, as is the custom, while the railroad
men were engaged in turning the engine
The car started to moveitoward the hill, .
and Conductor Hoffner and Daniel CARL,
conductor on the other st. Clairsville {
branch, who happened to be on, tried to
check it with the brakes, but for some a