New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-16
DISASTER ON THE "BIG FOUR"
A SCORE OF PEOPLE KILLED IN COL
LISION.
PINNED UNDER THE wRECKAGE OF ENGINES,
FREIGHT AND PASSENGER CARS-TAKiNG
OUT THE DEAD AND DYING IN
BLISDING STORM AT NIGHT.

BLINDlNG STORM AT NIGHT.
Cleveland May 15.-A dispatch 10 "The Palndeale'
from Cleves. Ohio says: In the midst OF ternhc
storm OF wind and rain. two Big Four trains crashec
into each other Clcves. Ohio this morning, with
awful effect the full horrors OF which are not yet
known. This morning the summer schedule went
into effect and orders had been issued accordingly
Freight No. AZ, through train northbound, had
| orders to stop ut North Bend. to allow Express
No So &" cannon ball special" to pass.
The trains usually passed at another point some
miles further Instead Of stopping the freight. the
engineer pulled ahead and approached Ceves running
about twenty miles hour Why he did not stop ut
North Bcn< will never be known. he Is dead but
II Is thought that in his anxiety over the storm,
which might have washed out bridges he forgot tho
schedule and hurried the train approached
rlcvcs Charles Smith, the telegraph operator. was
sho ked he knew +. should have been sderackcd
at south Bend, and that the express, few minutes
overdue then only short distance away,
running fory-hvc miles hour to make
mp lost time. Smith rushed to tho signal
wires and dashed ont the danger signal Either it
was not seen in the binding rain. or the engineer
could not control his engine for II sped on without
checking speed At that moment the express came in
sight at the speed of the wind. II any effort was
made on either engine to slacken speed 1t not
appreciate, and the engines crashed into each other
Both engines were battered into shapeless
behind were smashed into klndling and
tho track for 100 feet was torn up.
Telegraph poles were thrown down. and it was two
or three hoirs after tile wreck before word reached
this place and a special train was sent TO the scene
from Cincinnati. Long before that the people from
the little village and from the surrounding country
rad gathered and in the frightful storm doing
all they could. Many Of the wounded had been taken
away and the number cannot tonight be definitely
II IL That mo nj idpd
for are In n dying condition. Not person either
train escaped unniurcd.
with the arrival Of the special train the work Of
getting out the dead began. Up TO @ O'Clock five
bodies had been recovered Under the freight engine.
bruised and scadcd. found Engineer william lIldds
and his fireman, Hiram Bruce, both OF indianapolis.
Under wrecked freight further back Philip Gib1on
and David lIarwood found. Nearly every bone
in their bodies broken, and their faces horribly
GisiGurcd The fifth dead body that Berry Ed
wards engineer Of the passenger train Ills fireman.
Henry Tyrel. had Jumped before the crash. but
had been caught under Of wreckasc
His chest was crushed in and his head cut.
He taken to Lawpnceburg but cannot survive
the night John Schroeder conductor OF the passenger
train. was injured in almost the same manner and
can live only few hours ut most. George W.
lludlcr a commercial traveller, from MIamlsburg
was crushed between two seats, being bent almost
double. He brought to this city and taken TO the
Cincinnati Hospital lie cannot live.
Julius Weber, clerk Of Coroner Bangc, Of Cincin-
natl, has Just returned from the wreck and says the
,renc is one Of the worst he ever saw. He thinks
there from five to ten dead in the ruins.
but the exact number cannot be told tonight. Boney'
kccfc freight brakeman had Just reached the top OF
y car when the collision occurred. The crash
terrible that he thrown over telegraph wire
forty feet into stream OF water, which
alone saved his life. lie thinks there at least
three tramps under tho wreck Of the freight. several
passenger on the express positive that several
II their number were alrC killed. II Is certain
they missing but they may be among the wounded
scattered ahOnt. Owing 10 the distance from the city
and the prostraton Of the telegraph wires by the
accident to tho telephone wires by the storm. details
have been slow In coming In, and no complete
n,t Of the wounded can be given The property loss
IS severe. and Will bc 100000 Both engines are
complete wrecks, and the coaches Of the express
train ruined. II is said that much valuable mail
and express matter l. lost. dozen freight cars
loaded with costly goods total loss.