The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-09-30
Erie Wreck.
Head End Collision at Kent-one of the Olin
Excursion Trains Collides with Freight
Train of A Cars-Three Killed. and many
Injured

head end collision occurred at Kent. early
this morning. ON the Erie Railroad between the
5th section of train No.4 containing nine coach
es. loaded with 400 members of the Olin Family
Excursion. made up at Galesburg. Mich. bound
for Bennington, Vt .and the 3rd sectionOf freight
train No. IS. west bound. drawn by the same en-
CINE that crashed into train at this placeon the
morning of July 3rd.
The Olin Excursion was made up in five sec
tions. and the freight had orders to lay at Ra-
VIENNA until the 5th section passed it. Passenger
No. ran out of Kent just ahead of the 5th Sec
tion. and the freight engineer mistook this train
for 5th section of No. A. and pulled out for Kent
The collision occurred just east of the Kent
yards, where the Erie has two high bridges over
the Pittsburgh & Western Road and Breakneck
Creek. Both engineers saw the approaching head
lights. but owing to the dense fog prevailing.
mistook them for lanterns. and did not discover
their mistake until ready to collide. The pas
senger was running twenty miles an hour. with
increasing speed. and the terrible conclusion
drove the iron monsters into each other. the boil
er of the passenger engine being literally encased
in that of the large ten wheeled freight.
The baggage car was utterly demolished. two
of the coaches badly telescoped, and third one
nearly destroyed.
Within the awful mass of ruins fully fifty peo-
pie were pinioned between the timbers and seats.
and to add horror to the scene. fire Immediately
broke out from a stove in one of the cars. This.
fortunately, was extinguished before getting be-
yond control. Heart-rending shrieks and frantic
appeals for aid rang out in maddening tones from
the fearful death trap. where men. women and
children groaned in the agonies of physical pain
their life blood flowing in streams.
As soon as possible. the work of rescue was
commenced. but it was fully three hours before
the last body was taken out, and the last victim
released.
The killed and wounded were all taken to Kent
and cared for by willing hands.
On the freight engine was W. H. Maxwell. road
foreman of engineers. Meadville. Pa. who at
| tempted to climb back over the tender. but was
caught in the jam. and crushed to death.
Mrs. Jeanette Dewey. of Richfeld. Mich, was
terribly crushed about the hips. and died on the
way to the hotel at Kent.
The injured are: s. G Alien, Bangor. Mich,
left leg injured.
Rebecca Clark. Bangor, Mich, hips hurt.
Caroline Reed. Richfeld. Mich ,one limb bro
| ken, and internal injuries.
| b. T. Clark, Richfeld, Mich, scalp wound.
Anna NJ. johnson. Muskegon. Mich, both fee
crushed an old lady, will probably die.
Lodena VanAuken. Mcdonald, Mich, arm
broken.
George c. Thompson. Montague. Mich, head
chest. arms and shoulders hurt; badly injured
Mrs George G. Thompson. leg broke.
F. NJ. Caldwell. Huntington. Ind.. Erie Wes
tern Passenger Agent, in charge of the Olir
Excursion. scalp wound and ankle sprained.
Mrs. Alice Friends, Kalamazoo. Mich sligh
injuries.
Edward M. Wood. Shelby. Mich, leg and an
kle sprained,
|
| W. r. Tanning, Bangor, Mich, leg broken.
Charles McKinstry. Kalamazoo, Mich, hur
very badly by falling off bridge over the Greek
both legs broken. and severe internal injuries
Alice M. Sedgwick, Parma. Mich, burned
badly about legs and body. When the cras
came her little daug hter was thrown under tn
hot stove, and the noble mother caught the iro
furnace in her bare hands, and raising it fron
the child and with a devotion and courage tina
cannot be told. stood with the heated iron roast
ing her legs to masses of cooked flesh. until tn
: child was rescued. Her injuries are very seri
Gus. The child was not dangerously hurt.
; Mrs. Nellie Stanford, Galesburg, Michigan
hips badly crashed.
: Mrs. Rev. Geo. A. IBueI. Galesburg. Mich
leg broken, hip crushed, bad flesh wounds Wi
probably die.
Mrs. soules. Muskegon. Mich. back and ank
sprained.
Miss - Richards. slightly hurt.
: j. A. Merrill, Charlotte, Mich scalp wount
3. G. RUNNER. Castle Greek, N. Y, hand hui
E, M. Moody. Shelby. Mich. legs and back.
= Will Dewey. Richfeld, Mich, head and bacl
; Mrs. J-L L. VanAuken. Harmon, Mich. ar
and leg cut. Her little daughter was also il
: jured in one leg.
j. D. Hart, Rockford ILL.,. legs injured,