Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-07-10
FEARFUL ACCIDENTS.
ONE AT RAvENNA, O.. AND ONE
NEAR CHARLESTON, w. Va.
Seventeen Lives Lost at Ravenna,
Thirteen at Charleston, Besides
the Many Badly Injured.

At three o'clock on the morning OF the
Fourth an accident occurred at Ravenna,
Ohio, whereby IL people met instant death,
while a great many others were seriously
injured. The accident was the result OF
a mistake or carelesspess on the part Of a
fagman. A passenger train was lying
at the station and was delayed by break
in the coupling OF a special car A freight
train was almost due and Flagman Boyn-
| ton was sent back with the flag and the
lantern to signal II TO stop. He did not
go quickly enough and the freight rushed
on TO the passenger train, crushing into it
| and causing the devastation as set forth
above. The passenger train consisted Of
an express and baggage car, three day
coaches, two Pullman coaches and spe-
| cial car, and was about ten minutes late,
| owing to the trouble with one of the cars.
| The train at the time of the accident lay
on the Nypano main tracE, just at the bot
tom of steep grade, and though the train
men knew they were followed by No. s, a
fast freight filled with Chicago fresh meat,
no one seemed TO think that the freight
was at their very heels and once on the
! down grade coming into the station it
would be hard matter 10 stop, and espec-
tally as the freight did not intend TO make
| Ravenna stopping place. What might
have been expected, actually happened.
| The freight was making time ard came
| down the hill with "A rush, engine and
| tender being fairly hurled through the
rear cars of the passenger. a few
minutes after the accident the
scene beggared description. Piteous
cries for held arose from the heap OF
wreckage and willing hands were already
| tearing at the heap of broken and twisted
| timbers and iron, when scream of horror
arose from beneath the ruins that sent
thrill through the hearts of the Gro wd
that gathered about Then here and there
the darkness became gradually lit up with
no grateful or welcome light as tiny
tongues of flame sprung up from the GREY
| ices OF the wrecked train. Fire had added
| cruel fear and terror TO the wreck, and
| fight as they would the rescuers could not
drive the unruly element one foot from
| tho writing victims. who shrieked and
! implored in vain for help that was willing
enough, but, alas. far too weak to tear
| as ide iron and t.mbers before the wreck
and flame had done their worst. The re
| were very few injured who did not die,
| and very few dead who were not bruised
| and broken and blackened and burned out OF
| al semblance TO the form OF their Maker.
| The wreck will be an expensive one from
| a financial standpoint, as the loss will foot
| up in the neighborhood of 500 600. BY
| o'clock the wrecking crew had the debris
nearly cleared and the wounded were be-
| ing cared for Trainmaster Corbln OF
| Kent was also on the scene. Supt. Mat
| son would give no opinion nor make any
statement in regard 10 the wreck, but the
case will be fully investigated and the
,,,lac IF h.a - wi ba pn
forced. Many wild rumors are afoat, but
none are worthy of credence, and only
| close investigation can place the blame
where it belongs. OF the forty glass-blow-
ers who occupied the rear coach seventeen
met their death, and all the others were
more or less injured, two fatally.
STILL ANOTHER.
Another terrible disaster occurred on the
Fourth eight miles west Of Charleston,
w. Va, where high trestle gave way
beneath an excursion train, wrecklng two
coaches, killing Is eXcurs onists and badly
injuring many others. dispatch from
Charleston 81 es the following particulars:
The first fatal wreck TO a passenger train
in the history of the Kanawha occurred
Saturday, and eclpscd anything that
ever occurred in tn S part of the state.
Rumors of the wreck reached the city early
in the morning, and the reports, which
every body hoped and believed were exag
gerated, proved only too true. The train
was the passenger train No. l. which left
[ Charleston at 100 for Columbus. 1t was
| composed Of the eLgine, combination mail.
| express and baggage car and two day
coaches. II being holiday and excursion
rates being sold to ali points on the road,
| both cars were filled with passengers.
| Probably - or so persons were in the two
| coaches and out Of the entire number but
| one person, John +. Norvell OF the Charles
ton nat onal bank. escaped uniniured.
| Among the passengers were the Charleston
| lodge of the Order of United American
! Workmen and their friends who were
| 60 ng TO Poca TO celebrate the Fourth.
| There were also large number OF Kan
awha a. Michigan workmen aboard going
| TO their homes along the line TO spend the
day with their families. The train sped
along with the merry party of excursion
lists aboard, all laughing. joking and enjoy
ing the occas on as only such party can,
when suddenly the awful crash came
which dealt out death with such an
unstinted hand. and brought sorrow 10 so
| many homes. The engine and combination
car went safely over the trest.e, but the
rails, VIII Oh had been loosened by fire on
the trestle, gave way under the coaches
and they were thrown upon the cross-ties
OF the trestle. The wreck was a fearful
one and the full horrors of it cannot be
realized by one who was not at the scene.
The dead and wounded were all brought 20
Charleston. The dead were all taken care
of by the undertakers. The injured were
taken TO Their homes or to the Capitol
house, where surgeons attended them.
Robert Jones, Jackson young man, is
under arrest for taking improper liberties
| with the 6 year old daughter of NiColo