Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-09-23
AWFUL DISASTER.
Two Sections of "Blg Four" Passenger
Train Collide Near KRnkalSec, uI-Sevcn
Persons Killed and Many Injured.

MANIENOs lll.s pGDJ III ne second
section of the Big Four express, No. 45,
south bound, crashed into the rear end
of the first section at 9:20 o'clock Mon
day night. Seven persons were killed
and twenty severely injured and it is
probable that many bodies are buried
under the wreck. The disaster oc-
Cured near this place. The engine of
the second section. ran clear through
one sleeper and two coaches. Not all
of the bodies, it is thought, are yet re-
covered, as the wreckage is piled about
the tracks in such u manner that the
small wreclSing force has not been
able to make much impression on the
mass
In the confusion it has been impos-
sible to secure the names of but two of
the dead. These are Chris Kimmel, of
Dayton, o., and David jackson, of Gym
thiana, o. The injured so far as known
are:
Albert Jay Sholter, Ripley, o., bad cut face
and head, probably fatal; George Brackuey.
Wilmington, o., limbs crushed, probably fatal
G. b. Wisohart, Frankfort, o., internal injury;
William Evans Powellton, w. Va, internal in.
jury; Miss Sallie Evans, Powellton w. Va,
internal injury; Mrs Chris Ktmmel, Dayton,
w., neuu ana DOuy lnlureu' Ia II. 1lOntOn, Cln-
cinnati, fatal; James w. Brown, Wilmington,
o., internal and head; Mrs. James W.
Brown, Wilmington, o., internal in
jury; Olive Patton, Carmel, o., body
bruised; Emily Templen, Sinking Springs, o.,
head and body; J. w. Means, Chester S. c.,
slightly injured back and head; Blanche Belle
son, Sinking Springs, o., limbs badly bruised;
Anna Cowells, Lower Albany, Ind; Jessie
Morse, Cincinnati, badly injured internally;
Emma Gallatin, Columbus, O., back and limbs
bruised; Miss Il. Gallatn, Columbus o., limbs
bruised; Miss Libble jackson, Cynthiana O.,
internal and other INJURIES probably fatal; j.
W. Foster, Springfield, o. scalp wound and
eye gouged; Mrs. j. w. Foster, ribs broken,
internal and probably fatal.
The first section of the train carried
one Ohio & Mississippi sleeper for
Louisville, Ky, one Ohio & Mississippi
chair car for Greensburg, Ind, five day
coaches and baggage and express
cars. 1t had run down the road to
a point two and one-half or three
miles south of Manteno when u local
train which was preceding it at
some distance slowed up and the flag
man on the local was sent back up the
track to intercept the on-coming first
section of train No. ~ from Chicago.
The engineer on the first section obeyed
the signal and at once drew his train
to a standstill. The fagman of the
first section of the through train in turn
started to the rear, but the second sec
tion of the train was following along so
near that he had gone but few yards
when around sharp curve in the track
the headlight of the following train APP
peared. The first section was now at
standstill and the locomotive pulling
the second section had not in the least
lessened its full speed of 35 miles an
hour. The curve in the track, behind
which the train on ahead was not visi-
BILE, was much too near the doomed
coaches to allow the engineer of the
approaching train to diminish his speed
noLiceably.
The frantic tiagman, seeing the train
coming on with great rush and
kissing of steam and trembling,
jumped down the steep embaullment
just in time to save himself from
death. The engineer, upon observing
the danger as his locomotive rounded
the curve reversed his engine, seeing
the hopelessness of any attempt to check
the speed of his train in so short
distance, and realizing the danger, he
jumped from his cab down the embanll-
ment, and his fireman followed him.
The crash came then, and the loco
motive drove ahead with mighty fol ce
into the heavy sleeping car, smashing the
framework of its rear end into kindling
wood. The sleeping car was in turn
driven into the day coach next forward
which gave way more completely,
its timbers being lighter. This coach
and. the coach just forward of it
were almost completely demolished.
All of the three cars were crowded with
people, more than half of those in the
sleeper having retired for the night
The passengers were thrown from their
berths and from their seats. Some
were crushed under beams and between
the broken, grinding timbers of the
wrecked cars. Awful confusion and
fright prevailed.
People from farmhouses in the vicin-
ity heard the crash when the collision
occurred. Twenty men We're on the
scene within half an hour and began
helping uninjured passengers and train
men in the work of rescue. One brawny
| fellow, whose hat had blown off and
who hadn't stopped to put on his coat,
was the first to arrive. He lived near
the right of way. He saw the passen-
gers rushing out of the cars. With an
ak he broke open several windows in
| the sleeper.
He crawled in at one over berth
and found man lying dead between
the blankets. He pulled the body out.
The upper berth was broken in the
middle and part of it apparently had
struck the unfortunate in the chest.
Having got this body out of
his way the farmer, followed by
passengers from other cars, crawled
into the sleeper. Several women
and children, who seemed to have been
rendered unconscious by the shock,
had partly recovered their wits and
were crying piteously. The men were
hunting for "a way out. The passengers
were helped out of the windows that
had been broken and were told to