Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1891-08-06
FRIGH?FUL WRECK.
Three Persons Killed and Forty
More Injured and a
Mass of
Ruined Passenger and Freight
Cars Tells the Story of
Collision

DAYTON, Ohio, July 26.-William q.
Douglas, one, of the foremen of the Ma.
tional Cash Register works, and who
was also one of the committeeman in
charge of the Cincinnati, Hamilton &
Dayton excursion to Woodsdale. tells
this story of Saturday nights wreck, in
which three persons were killed and
forty seriously injured: A train of fif
teen crowded cars started out on its re.
turn trip from Woodsdale about Z
o'clock. and about an hour later an acct
dent occurred at Middletown, drewbar
about the middle of the train breaking,
and they stopped at Middletown to
patch it up for the run to Dayton.
Brakemen were Immediately sent out
with red flags to flag the approaching
train and nearly half an hour was con-
sumed repairing the disabled
Car. Red lights were not promptly
changed to the rear. The accident
occurred at 6 o'clock $50 men, women
and children were in the last thre e
coaches and all knew that freight train
No. "A was following and they appreci-
ated and talked of their danger. Some
of them called Conductor Peter g.
Clancy's attention to their peril and he
cautioned them that if they heard train
No. a coming they should jump from
the car. Five minutes later the awful
disaster was upon them, The excursion
train was slowly creeping off the side
track when ominious roaring was
heard from the expected train
No. A. then not over quar-
ter Of mile away. Nearer and
clearer came the monster mogul with
thirty-fve loaded cars, and when in
sight of Middletown station Engineer
Schwind saw the fagman waving the
danger signal and he Immediately called
for brakes, shut off the steam and ap-
piled sand. He saw the collision was
inevitable. then he and his fireman
jumped and in an instant later the
crash came, the rear end of the collision
of mighty force. The excursion train
was pulling out on the main track and
all but one of the two hind coaches had
lett the siding, when the mogul engine
with heavy tr in behind it went plow-
ing through, The two rear cars and the
human freight were hurled into the ditch
and the next coach was struck fairly
on the end, and the locomotive pushing
under it elevated it to an angie of forty
five degrees, and there it stood, filled
with shrieking people. This car caught
fire, but Engineer Schwind and his fire.
man were able to extinguish the blaze
by the ure of hose from the locomotive.
Two cars lay crushed in the ditch, with
mass of MANNED and mangled people
moaning III agony and pleading for
help. Rescuers set to work at once to
extricate them. Legs, arms and heads
could be seen through the broken win
dows, or pinned under the wreck. The
groans Of the helpless sufferers and the
means of the dying mingled with the
frantic cries of mothers seeking hus-
bands and children. Many had be- n
cut by the glass and eimbers in
the rush to escape and the bloody faces
and hands bore CHASTITY testimony to
the great number who were injured.
Physicians and citizens of Middletown
were soon at the scene and joined in
rescuing the unfortunates. The terror
stricken excursionists were made CON-
Portable in houses. Dead persons were
properly cared for and the injured re-
ceived necessary attention. All traffic
on the railroad was suspenl led and re.
lief trains we're the only cars moving.
Passengers of the Inflated train began
arriving here at midnight but it was
not until 7:30 this morning that the
special train reached here with the if
teen most seriously injured people