Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-17
CAUGHT IN A WRECK.
Three Men Injured in a Freight
Smash-Up on the Panhandle.
A PROJECTING CAR RESPONSIBLE.
A Cattle Train Dashes Into the Obstruction
With Fatal Results.
SHEEP SLAUGHTERED UNDER TIE CABS

A rather serious freight wreck. occurred on
the Panhandle road at Midway, late yesterday
afternoon. in which three men were more or
less injured. Through the foolish policy Of
trying to conceal the truth it was difficult to
get at the facts, but fortunately the men
who were hurt were not afraid of losing
their positions and told just how the acci-
dent occurred.
A coal train had pulled of from the main
line at the point named, but the last car
projected over on the other track. Whether
the train hadn't time to get out Of the way,
or didn't pull off far enough, through care
lessness, could not be learned, but an east
bound csttle train came along about that
time, and ran into the projecting car before
the engineer could stop his train.
The result was frightful wreck, and the
narrow escape of the engineer and fireman,
who jumped for their lives, but were in
jured by falling on the ground. The heavy
freight engine was turned over on its side,
and five of the cattle cars were smashed into
fine pieces. Twenty sheep were killed out
right and some cattle, and their bodies
strewed the track for quite distance.
A MIRACULOUS ESCAPE.
A. J. Greenbaum, of Addison, o., a
drover, who was on the car next TO the en-
gine with some horses, was caught and
rather badly bruised about the body. He
was brought into the city on a stretcher and
taken to the West Penn Hospital, where
his wounds were dressed. The doctors state
that his injuries are not serious, but he will
be laid up some time before he will fully
recover from the effects OF the accident.
Mr.. Greenbaum says his escape was
miraculous. The car In which he was
riding was smashed into splinters by the
force Of the collision, and some of the horses
were killed. He is a German and can barely
talk English. When he was brought into
the q nion depot he was in semi-conscious
condition, but he soon rallied from the re-
suits of the shock.
Engineer Reed and Fireman Morrison,
who were on the cattle engine, jumped to
the ground. Mr.. Reed fell on his side and
bruised one of his legs rather severely. The
rough gravel abrased the skin, and though
suffering considerable pain, he was able to
walk and took the accident philosophically.
The big, red-faced fireman landed on his
hand, cutting the palm badly, and break
ing his wrist. He also received severe
cut about the head, and he was otherwise
scratched and bruised.
The wrecked cars spread out over both
tracks, completely blockading them and
delaying all trains. The Eastern express
and No. 10 were delayed several hours
through the accident. They came in close
together about o'clock last evening bring
ing in the wounded men.
RUMoRs WORSE THAN REALITY.
At first it was reported that the Eastern
express had been wrecked and eight per-
sons were killed. The rumor was noised
about, and quite an anxious crowd of peo-
pie who had friends on the train collected in
the Union depot.
The wives of the engineer and fireman
were there to meet them, and were badly
frightened. The women were overjoyed
when they saw their people alight from the
smiled some, but his broken wrist panied
him very much.
The rails on the main line were twisted
and bent for some distance by the collision.
The wreck train was early on the scene, and
now the tracks, both east and west, are open
once more.
The conductor of train No. 10 vas very
much afraid the engineer would tell the re-
porters something about the wreck, and he
warned him not to talk. Fortunately there
were too many disinterested people on the
passenger train who related the facts The
telegraph operators also obeyed instructions,
and their mouths were closed, but still,
somehow or other, the public hears about
the wreck anyhow.