Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-07-06
HAND OF SORROW
IsS HEAVY ON TEE PEOPLE OF TIE KAMA
WA VALLEY
Account Of the Terrible Wreck on the KaAa-
i. .ha and Michigan Railroad Saturday-SOms
Who Wsrs Reported Killed S6ll Live
Engineer OCOlnOr's Story Of
the Disaster.
4, - T.l.ram b III Rscistsr.

fDtiIk IcieGTdHl 70 t1o AiegtSteF.
CHARLESTON, w. VA, July 5.-Hun-
6reds Of people to-day drove down to
line scene Of yesterdays wreck on the
Kanawha and Michigan railroad and
saw the spot where thirteen lives were
prushed out and half a hundred bodies
manned and diSfgured in the space of a
eouple Of seconds. Nothing that has
ever occurred has cast such deep
gloom over this city, or sent such deep
sorrow to so many homes.
In the churches this morning men
zion was made OF the horrible catas-
trophe and prayers were offered for the
wounded ana the bereave0. On every
street corner and in every household
almost the sole topic Of conversation
il the wreck, and the great
est surprise is manifested that any
escaped alive. No more deaths have
VET occurred. The wounded are all re-
ceiying every attention that is possible
70 give them. Five of the most serious
lv nurt have at various times in the
excitement been reported dead, and
half dozen are now in critical con-
dition and not expected 10 live. They
are Mrs. K. 5. Trus,ow, Of Charleston;
I u. Jones, President of the Order of
United American Mechanics in this city;
Wm. Ford, Mrs. Wall and d. Z. Reed,
OF Elk City, which is just across the
river from here, and James Blackwood,
q Eanawha and Michigan employe from
Athens, o.
This afternoon the order of United
American Mechanics and hundreds of
other SOrrOwing friends followed the
remains of Walter Welcher and his wife
To- rhe crave. The other funerals have
mo-, YET occurred but Will 90 held to-
morrow and Tuesday. The body OF T..
y. Wilson was sent to GallipOliS this
morning.
ENGINEER O'CONNOR'S STORY.
Engineer O'Connor tells q thrilling
story of the wreck. The trestle is at
the end Of a curve around which the
train was dashing along at moderate
speed. 1t being early in the morning,
the fog had not risen, and it was impos-
sible TO see distinctly very far ahead OF
the train. Through the fog he caught
q glimpse of the smoke curling up irom
a,ss,enldarip0 timberS. After an IN
it was smoke. sue rs iEisstttiR5 eIqqse5 he saeg
flashed into his mind that he should
stop, but 70 attempt il would probably
carry the whole train through the tres
tie 70 the creek sixty feet
below. The only hope was that the
timberS were not burnt through and
that be could get safely over. In less
time than it takes to tell it, he had
opened the throttle and pulled open
the sand box. The engine leaped for
ward aud passed In safety, but the ten
Ger jumped the track. Then followed
the others. Fireman Wyatt looked
back just as the coaches went over
and exclaimed: "GOOd God, look at
them coachesm But it was to late, the
fatal work was done. The engine was
stopped, and every person taken from
the wreck before the engineer went on
% the next station for help.
A PROvIDENTIAL ESCAPE.
O'COnnor was not the regular engi-
neer, nor was the conductor, Robinson,
who was hurt and lost brother. Both
regular men were off for holiday.
Conductor Bob Clark, whose regular
run ia was, says he usually, after going
through his train, sits in the rear car
we'll back 70 count his tickets, and stays
there from lock six to SatteS. 1t was
between these stations the wreck oc-
Cured, and in the rear car well back
was where ali were killed. He regards
his escape as providential. He was con-
ductor OF the relief train and worked
hard among the Injured.
General Manager J. NJ. Ferris, of the
Toledo and Ohio and Kanawha and
Michigan railways will be here tonight
from Toledo TO investigate. There will
probably be several large damage suits
against the road.
The full details OF the wreck, graphi-
caily told, taken from the SUNDAY
REGISTER, will be found on the third
page OF this issue.