The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-02-22
A MARVELLOUS AcclpENr.
~ II. Il o. Train on tho Wheeling aud Pitts.
burgh Division wrockod on n Trcstic,
Some of tho Features.

u. & o. Train on tho Wheeling aud Pitts.
burgh Division Wrecked on n Trcstic,
Some of tho Feature.
PiTrsnuIou, Pa, Fob. 21.-Probably
tho inostthrilling mud remarkable rail.
road accident that has occurred in tho
vicinity Of Pittsburgh within many
years happened last night on the
Wheeling division OF tho Baltimore &
Ohio railroad, near Whitehall, about
twelve miles aouth Of this city. A pas.
sengor train WIS wrecked OH the high
trestle just north Of Whitehall. Il
The train left Wheeling forty minutes
late. Tho train was In charge OF Con.
ductor Ball. 1t was hauled by engine
No. 7+0, Engineer Edward Mahon and
Fireman Charles Lindsey. The train
was made up OF twod day coaches. A par
Tor car and accumulation mail and bag.
gage chr.
When the train struck the heavy grade
north Of Whitehall the speed was in
creased to about thirty.iivo mile, an
hour. At tho foot OF tho grade Is short,
sharp curve, tho approach to a deep ra.
vine over which stretches for nearly 500
feet temporary trestlo. While the
train WIS rounding the curyo tho engine
struck hugo rock which, loosenod by
frost and thaw, Ind rolled from tho high
embankment above to tho railroad. Il
An awful crash followed. Tho engine
broke from tho tender and left the track.
Tho tender partly broke from tho train,
and tho separate parts rushed in mad
race for tho trestlo. Tho escaping steam,
the rumbling OF the engine over tho ties
and the shrill grinding Of tho train upon
which the airbrakes Ind fastened when
tho engine broke away sent out into tho
dismal night horrible, sickening sound.
When the englno reached tho trestle
proper 1t seemed to stop suddenly and
plunged down the embankmcnt. The
train grinding out flashes Of fire from
the rails, swept by it safoly, being
stopped by tho air brakes at tho other
end OF the trestle.
AS tho engine topplcd over Engineer
Nahum was thrown out. lIe was found
some forty feet away from tho engine In
the deep ravine. He was unconscious
when found. Part OF his clothing and
one OF his overshoes were found some
fifty feet away from him. Tho engine
was crushed into mass OF warped and
shattered iron.
Whom the engine stopped before Its
plunge into the ravine 1t throw Fireman
Lindsay high into tho air through tho
cab roof. He alighted OH tho embank-
ment. His shoulder was dislocated and
he was otherwise injured. He was
brought to his home in Glenwood. The
engineer was brought to tho Homeop-
athic hospital: Both arc single. The
tender left the track whom tho train
stopped on the trestlo, and plunged into
the chasm below, without taking any
OF the cars with 1t, making second
miraculous escape.
After tho first fright passed of tho
passengers left tho train and busted
themselves in arranging for the safety
oil all. Fires wero built in the rear and
in front OF tho ill-isted train to prevent
other trains from approaching. An
other engine was sent to the scene and
the train was brought to Pittsburgh.
The groans Of Mahan when he was
tcnderly carried into the parlor car, a
bleeding, unconscious mass OF flesh,
were sufficient to sicken the lady occu-
pants, who waited in suspense for the
renewal OF the journey. DR.. Schultz,
OF Whitehall, was summoned by man
who made his way over the hills by the
light OF torch. He said it was miracu-
lous that the man ever lived d moment
after his tremendous plunge down tho
mountain side. He gave 1t as his opin-
ion that Mahan had but d short time to
1.-Two. &
The accident is pronounced by rail-
road men and travellers to be one of the
most marvellous over known to them.