The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-23
Railroad Calamities Involving Loss
Of Life Reported From Dit.
ferent Places.
In the Marrow Confines Of q Tun-
mel Two Trains Crash
Together.
six Lives Lost and Many Others Injured
Hacked Into u Freight Tail End
Collision.

CINCINNATI, Oct. "a disastrous coils
ion occurred at 4:4O O'Clock this morning on
the Cincinnati d Southern railway IN a tun-
mel quarter of . mile north OF Sloan's
Valley station between freight and pas
senger train. The latter left Cincinnati C
p. M Another passenger tram left Gin.
cinnati an hour earlier. Both Of thsss
we're held at Somerset, Ky, two hours or
more on account OF freight wreck south
Of that place last night. When the track
was clear the foremost Cincinnati train
started out from Somerset first. Il met and
passed safely the north bound freight.
Then the other passenger started out.
When the first Cincinnati train passed. out
the crew of the freight appear to have over.
looked the fact that another was to follow
and they pulled ont and started northward.
Less than quarter Of q mile away they
entered the tunnel, which 10 ons-sixth Of 4
mile long. In the most helpless place train.
men ever met death, the engines or the
two trains dashed into each other and the
cars caught fire.
The delay to the passenger train by
another wreck caused tho mistake Of the
engineer and conductor Of the freight train.
Fortunately the passenger train had mot
entirely gone into the tunnel whom the
crash came and 70 the three sleepsra, which
did not leave the track, served a. means
of escape for the passengers. All the train
except the three sleepers was burned.
The dead are a. follows: John pimlott.
engineer; Fireman Welch. Somerset, XVI,
Fireman Gould. Ludlow, KY; Brakeman
John 3: Montgomery. Albany, N. " Postal
Clerk C IL DOnOAn NinCinunki nh3n, -
press Messenger Ed. p. Ru6ner, Cincinnati,
Ohio; BaRga9emaster John II. Long, New
port, Ky. Passengers injured, w. D.
Wheeler, New Orleans. La; Miss Ollis
Getty, Dayton. Tenn; Arch Murphy, Madi.
BY the three last are slight. S7s
From the stories Of railroad men who ~
rived here. this morning it appsars the
wreck was due to the carelessnees Of the
crow OF freight train q. This train was In
stluoted to wait Ct sloans Valley until pas
was' ! long one ana al Iii Tie "a ossv "a. 81 ~ -
freight train went to slesp. Engineer PEN
lott wakened up Just after No. . passed
and assuming that i was No. s
and that the road was clear,
aroused the crew and the train went ON.
The approach to both ends Of the tunnel ID
sharply curved, and within hundred feet
Of the mouth Of it the trains met. Only
the sleeper and one coach Of the passenger
train were saved. The train hands and
passengers pushed them back on the track.
The flames started few minutes after the
collision and the wooden lining Of the
tunnel is still burning tonight.
brave man, whose name was mot
hearing the cries Of George Long
in the baggage car. seized an ak, ont hole
IA the baggage car and rescued Long. In
the express compartment Of the car was Il.
I. Ruffner, United States express messenger.
The unknown here worked hard to cut q
way for Rutfner to escape, although the
flames were dnrtinR all about him. The
effort was futile and Rufner finally shouted
from his prison to go away and save
himself; to say good. bye to his
family and tell them his would-be
rescuer did all that man could do to save
MS life. The unknown hero staggered ont
of the tunnel with hair and clothing sadly
Icorched and fell down in q faint. None Of
he men, in the excitement thought Of
earning his name, but in thought he is q rail-
'oad man. Others Of the train men had
narrow escapes. It is miraculous that any
II the passengers escaped without injury.