Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-17
Brakeman George Hardy Meets a
Painful End in a Panhandle
Wreck Near Burgettstown.
ENGINEER AND FIREMAN INJURED
Special Freight Running at High Speed
Crashes Into Another Train Not
Far From Cut.
FIRE FOLLOWS, DESTROYING 80 CARS.
Valuable Merchandise and Railroad Property,
Amounting to 100000, Lost

One of the worst freight wrecks that the
Panhandle has had for years. occurred near
Burgettstcwn yesterday afternoon. One
freight train ran into the rear of another,
and to add to the disaster the cars caught
fire, and George Hardy, the front brakeman
on the second train, was burned
TO death. 1t was impossible to recover the
body, and it was reduced to ashes. Engineer
Thomas Whiteside and J. w. Mcfarland,
his fireman, jumped off the engine and were
more or less hurt Whiteside had his shoul-
der blade broken, and he was injured in
the side. Mcfarland was badly bruised, but
escaped with sprained wrist. The brakeman
was a new man, and in the excitement no
one seemed to know where he lived.
Engineer Whiteside lives in Pittsburg and
the fireman in Cadiz Both men were brought
to the city last evening Mcfarland
Whiteside, who is young man, was taken
to the home of his mother.
Trains Collide in a Deep Cut.
The accident happened in a simple way
and was the result of a misunderstanding
about orders. The first train had stopped
near Burgettstown to do some shifting. The
engine was cut off, and the cars
were left standing on heavy grade. The
brakeman in charge couldn't hold the train,
and it started back toward the town. The
second train was running at the rate of 40
miles an hour. 1t was special, containing
o5 cars of very valuable merchandise.
The wreck occurred at one end of cut,
and Whiteside and Mcfarland had
scarcely jumped off before the crash
was heard. The engine plowed through nine
loaded cars before it stopped and of the %
cars behind it only seven were left standing
on the track. The others were smashed into
pieces, piled up on the locomotive and scat
tered over the ground in wild confusion.
Whiteside saws he heard poor Hardy give
two shrieks and all was over. The fire started
Immediately, and soon ragged fiercely.
Mr.. Clark, an insurance agent who came
in from Burgettstown last evening, said he
could see the reflection against the skies
nine miles away. About 80 cars were
burned up. The engine is a total
wreck, and won't make common scrap
iron. Altogether it is estimated that the
loss to the road will foot up over 500, 600.
The wrecking crews soon arrived on the
scene, but Mr.. Clark states the men were
demoralized and scarcely knew what to do.
Could Not Approach the Cars.
The heat was so intense that they couldn't
approach the burning msss for some time.
The men put on gum overcoats, and
then with bucket of water
thrown over them, they would
rush in, and try to fasten chains to the car
trucks. The country people for miles
around gathered to see the awful spectacle.
1t was impossible to get water, and the cars
were soon destroyed. Some of them in the |
first train were loaded with coal, and it |
caught fire with the other articles. In
q short time the coal fire resembled |
blast furnace. The special |
train carried valuable merchandise, consist |
ing of fine carpets, notions, drygoods and |
perishable stuff There were several car |
loads of wire, and it was twisted and |
doubled up into all sorts of shapes. A lot |
of it was wrapped around the locomotive |
and was often at white heat from the |
effects of the fire |
The track was torn up for long distance,
and in some places the rails were badly |
distorted The wooden sills were burned, |
and it is not expected that the road can be |
repaired before this evening. East-bound |
passengers were transferred at Mingo juno |
tion to the Cleveland and Pittsbnrg road. |
The st. Louis express came in over |
the Fit. Wayne last evening a lit |
tie over an hour behind time |
The west-bound freight and passenger |
trains went out over this road For the |
present all Panhandle traffic will be handled |
by the Ft Wayne.
Could Not Find Hardy's Body.
Hardy, the dead brakeman, was making |
his second trip. The trainmen think that |
he was killed instantly in the smash up. |
His body could not be seen in the flames |
and it will never be recovered.
The Panhandle has had more than its |
share of disasters lately. Recently there |
was frightful wreck at Mingo Junction,
and yesterday morning two passenger trains |
came together at Mansfield with consider
able force. The passengers were badly
frightened, but beyond violent |
shaking up nobody was injured. The !
Washington and Wheeling accommodations
reach Mansfield about ten minutes apart
The Wheeling train was delayed Yesterday,
and before the fagman could go back from
the station the Washington accommodation
struck it. The engine was damaged, but |
can be easily repaired.
As if two wrecks are not enough for road |
in one day, W. H. Stewart, fagman
on Panhandle freight, had both legs
crushed below the knees. He Jumped off |
his train and tripped, with the above result.
Stewart was removed to the West Penn
Hospital suffering great pain. He lives in
Mansfield and has wife and five children.
He is not expected to live