Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1890-03-13
THE LAKE SHORE CRASH.
SIX KILLED AND SIXTEEN SERIOUSLY
INJURED.

INJURED.
Distressing Scenes When the Victims
Reached BuffaIo-Death Eobs a Groom
of His Bride and Babe of Its Par
euts-High Praise Given the Porter.
Bravery and Cool Judgment Displayed
by the Sleeping Car Conductor-Re-
sponsibility Not Fixed.
BUFFALO. March S.-The relief and
wrecking train sent to the scene of
Thursdays disaster on the Lake Shore
road, near Hamburg, returned about
3:15 yesterday morning. 1t was met by
a large and anxious crowd, and it
brought the first definite particulars of
the disaster. An ambulance and corps
of surgeons were also in waiting and
the work of transferring the injured
persons to the hospital was quickly ac-
complished.
1t is learned that all those who were
seriously injured were in the front part
of the Pullman car nearest the engine.
Eye witnesses of the accident give the
highest praise to a big negro porter of
the car, A. E. Waldron. With great
presence of mind this man dashed in5o
the wreckage and at much danger to
himself succeeded in
Distinguishing the Lamps
in the sleeper, which were faring up
ominously and would soon have set the
o,- ~, 4ra l,,,+ for b,c tip,aIv action
which doubtless saved many persons
from perishing The action of Sleeping
Car Conductor Louis L. Test showed
bravery and cool Judgment. He was the
first person in the rear section of the
train to notice the coupling had parted
and he instantly applied the airbrake by
means of a rope running through the
car, but it failed to work. He ran
through three cars and made similar
effort, but the safety apparatus was dis
abled in all. As last resort he turned
to the hand brakes, and was screwing
the nearest one up to the highest notch
when the
Crash of the Disaster Came.
1t is learned that the same coupling
had been found parted at Dunkirk, and
it was patched up there, though the air
brake and steam tubes were not con-
nected.
The wreck occurred at spot where
there is quite down grade, and as the
train was running at a good rate of
speed, it is remarkable that the collision
was not more disastrous and that more
of the cars were not derailed. The scene
around the wreck was a terrible one.
The telescoped cars were a mass of
twisted iron and broken timbers, and
along the track were strewn pieces of
iron, splintered doors and window frames.
A correct list of casualties shows six
killed and sixteen injured, as follows:
Killed.
f. Z. Stewart and wife, Rochester, N. Y.
J. Swain Porter, Cincinnati.
Mrs. Joseph Baucus, Saratoga Springs.
John 7. Power, traveller for D. NJ. Collins &
Co, Pittsfield, Mass.
j. w: Flynn, Canton, o.. travelling agent for
LantZ Bros. q Co., OF Buffalo.
One unknown.
Injured.
L. H. Fisher, Rochester, NY.
F. A. Coombs, Philadelphia
Julia Healy, Boston
George E. Allen, Buffalo, general passenger
agen Erie railroad.
J. c.. Armstrong, Rochester.
H. II. Jaeger, Rochester.
Rev. johnson Meyers, Cincinnati.
Charles J. Rice, Newton Falls, Mass.
Joseph d. Baucus, Saratoga Springs.
W. W. Branch, Charleston. w. Va
L. f. Hanpt, Buffalo.
J. N Nimick, Philadelphia
Charles Barsch, New ork.
Henry Ulrich. Rochester.
Julius Siegal Davis, Los Angeles, Cal.
o. A. Llewellyn, st. John, n. B.
Some of the Sad Incidents.
One of the saddest incidents of the accident
was that which befell Joseph D. Baucus, a
bright young lawyer of Saratoga Springs. A
week ago Mr.. BaucuS married to hand
some young lady of Rome, N Y. The happy
couple had spent their honeymoon in the west.
and were returning home on the Salina.
When the accident occurred the lady was
pinioned in the wreck. Her body was horribly
bruised, and her skull badly crushed. Her
husband was injured about the legs and head.
Mrs. Baucus was brought into a sleeper and
the surgeons set about mending her wounds
Portions of the skull had to be taken out.
The bridegroom was stretched out on another
seat, two doctors working over him. The
suspense was too much tor him: He jumped
up, and, brushing the doctors aside, folded his
arms about the dying woman's form.
"she's Cold, She's Cold"
he cried, in despair, and he glanced up for
look of disapproyal from the physicians, who
stood by. No, she's living yet" answered one
of the doctors. The devotion of the broken
hearted husband was touching in the extreme.
He refused to be led away and clung to the
side of his unconscious wife, kissing her bleed
ing lips and urging the doctors on to further
efforts. But medical skill proved unavailing.
The wife died at ESQ o'clock as the train was
slowly rolling into Buffalo Mr.. Baucus is
completely prostrated. His injuries not
serious, although his face is badly cut and
bruised and his legs somewhat sprained.
The Most Pathetic Incident
of the disaster was the miraculous escape Of
Baby Stewart, the l8-months-old daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. E. Z. Stewart, of Rochester. Mr..
Stewart and wife were in the telescoped pas
senger coach, with the baby clasped in its
mothers arms, when the two sections came
bar Mother and father INSTANTLY
killed, being discovered on the floor of the car,
covered with debris, and crushed almost be-
yond recognition. In the arms of the mother
the baby was found, prattling and crying
Mamma, mamma" but the mother was cold
in death, and strong men wept while the little
thing was lifted from the embrace of the dead
mother. The bodies of Mr.. and Mrs. Stewart
were removed to the baggage car, and the
ladies tenderly cared for the little orphan
Soon the baby tired of calling for its mother
and fell asleep. Mr. Frank Conger, vice presi-
dent of the Greeton Bridge and Manufacture
ing company, of Greeton, n. Y, took charge
of the babe, and on arriving in Buffalo, went
to the Continental hotel, where he will keep
possession of her till she is claimed by rela-
tives. The kind hearted people on the train
took up collection for the babys benefit,
and $50 was realized.
The responsibility for Thursday nights rail-
road accident has not yet been definitely fixed.
All accounts seem to agree that the airbrakes
were uncoupled when the train started, after
first breaking in two at Dunkirk. The brakes
were; therefore, useless. They work auto
matically and if in proper condition would
have set themselves on the sleepers when they
broke away from the forward section of the
train. Under those conditions the proper step
was to stop the first section at once. The
questions that will be raised at the coroner's
inquest will be these: Did the conductor
know the airbrakes on the detached section
were useless; if so, why did he stop the first
section? Who responsible for running
the train without having the airbrakes in
working order?
New Road to Enter Williamsport.
WILLIAMsPoRT, Pa, March S.-Benja-
min G. Welch, of Hughesville, general