The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-02-17
A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.
Remarkable Circumstances Of a
Pittsburgh Disaster.
MISS CLARA FLEMING KILLED
In Peculiar Manncr...Mcmber of a
Prominent Fairmont Family.
Several Others Have n Mirac.
ulous Escape from Death.

PrrrspURou, Feb. 1G.-An immense
rock, weighing at least 1000 pounds
fell from Duquesne Heights about S:St
o'clock this morning, and crushed into
passenger coach Of the Washington, Pa.
Express on the Pan. Handle road, in
8 stautly killing one passenger and seri'
ously wounding three others.
Their names are:
Killed-Miss Clara Fleming, aged ID
years; brains crushed out and body
mangled.
Injured-J. F. Dopahue, aged 20
years, badly hurt about the head and
chest.
Miss Mamie Baldwin, aged IS years,
cut about the head, breast and arms.
The victims were all students Of Duff q
College, in this city, and were on their
way to school when the accident hap
Il had been raining steadily for nearly
twenty.iour hours, and land.slides were
reported at various points along the
road. The Washington express was due
at nine o'clock, and had just entered
the shadows OF Duquesne Heights, OPP
posite the city, when the rock came
Numbering down the mountain side.
It crashed into the center OF the coach,
completely wEecking 1t.
Miss Fleming and Mr.. Donahue were
sitting in the same seat, but the young
lady occupied the window side. Before
she had time 10 escape the rock came
through the car and crushed her to
death. Donahue made a leap and es-
capped with serious cuts and bruises. Inc
others were struck by pieces OF the rock,
which broke as it fell.
A scene OF wild confusion followed,
and several young ladies tainted. After
detaChing the wrecked car the train was
brought into Pittsburgh.
Miss FlemiDg's body was sent to ner
home at Washington, Pa, and the IN
inred were taken TO hospital. No
blame is attached to the railroad COM
pany, as the accident was unavoidable.
A REMARKABLE ACCIDENT.
1t was in the midst OF a happy con.
yersation that crash and the breaking
Of glass startled the occupants OF the car
with the quickness of lightnine's flash a
fell, aud with it went out the
life OF this popular young woman. This
apparent shadow, in reality substance
the most cruel, crushed out her young
lie and horribly crushed her head,
breaking her neck and killing her in
stantly.
George P. Murray, Esq., was on Wash
ippton accommodation due at S:44, but
was running about twenty minutes late.
"As To giving any account OF the mat,
ter, the case will not admit 1t, for 1t al!
happened so quickly, and the conse'
ouences so awful, said he. II was look
ing down at the tracks when someone
said, there's a stone falling, and l heard
the crash, Then word ran through the
train that lady was hurt. But it was
soon discovered that she had been in
stantly killed.
"The rock came through the top Of
the window as neatly as though 1t had
been cut through, carried away blinds
and sash, killed the lady, took the end
out OF the seat in which she and Mr..
Donehoe was sitting, Miss Fleming's
neck was broken, her skull was horribly
fractured, and the strapgest part OF it all
ia that people sitting near her did not
know she was seriously injured. The
rock rested on Donehoe's legs, and some
one lifted it of. It ia marvellous how
he escaped mortal injury. The car Wss
the third in the train, next the last, and
had the stone fallen three seconds later
the train would have passed. Thepoint
where the accident occurred was IN the
neighborhood OF the Clinton mill almost
opposite the foot OF Market street. 1t
was some moments before the other
women in the car knew the accident was
fatal, and it was not until then that two
or three OF them tainted. This is the
first passenger that has been killed on
tho Charters Branch Of the Panhandle
Road"
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Mr.. Frank Oller, q student at DuG's,
Of Washington, sat two seats in front Of
Miss Fleming. He said;
"At a point between Birmingham and
Point Bridge rock probably about two
feet long, two feet wide and one foot
thick, nearly cube, struck the car Just
above the window, penetrating the roof
and fell upon Miss Fleming. The rock
fell with terrific force and killed the un'
fortunate lady instantly"
@. H. Jackson, of Ingram, also stu
dent at Dut1's, was in the car in which
Miss Fleming was seated. "There had
been some small slides on the cast
bopnd track, said he, "and we came
east on the westbound track. because
the wreck train was at work on the
other track. The rock which killed Miss
Fleming must have fallen from well up
tho hillside. II struck Miss Fleming,
killed her instantly, and continued tts
aight downward, breaking the seat in
which she and Mr.. Donehoe were cit
ting. Immediately after the stone had
done its work, Miss Fleming fell over
upou Mr., Donehoe and he held her un-
al the train reached the city. Blood
hoved freely from deep wounds in her
head, and BtSeamed down over his
clothes"
No one for several moments Ieaiiseu
the extent Of Miss Fleming's injury
ave poOsibIy Dr.. Libby, OF Washington,
who sat Ii tho seat directly in front ol
her, aud Mr. nonehos. He turned
quickly Immediately after the crash, and
| his practical eye saw that death was
painless and instantaneous, The pool
girl never spoke; not even q cry oi pain
escaped her. She fell upon Mr.. Done
hos, who, with the exception OF mo
meht during great excitement, held hel
Sinanimats form until the body was re
moved from the train, and Yas care
fully conveyed to Ssmpson's undertak
ing rooms, where 1t was prepared tol
burial.
GRIEF OF HER sCHooLNATEs.
Miss Clara Fleming was in her seven
teenth year, tall, with beautiful brown
hair aud eyes, and disposition 80 sum!
and kindly and charitable that her som
panions, all OF them, counted 1t boot
10 find favor with her. For severa
mopths she has been student at Duff
College, taking q coUIse in business AM
stenoSraphy, and would have graduates
next month. During this lime abe ha
travelled daily to and from her home