The record-union., 1893-10-14
special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.

awful railroad disaster OF lue pI6S6Ilb
year is the most that can be said of ter
rible wreck which occurred this morning
right in front of the depot of the Michi-
gan Central Railroad in this city. Twelve
lives were wiped out, and, nearly twice
that number of people mangled and
crushed All the people, who were happy
and joyful, we've on their way to visit the
Worlds Fair. This is the first wreck of
any consequence on the Michigan Central
Railroad since 1879, and the result was
appalling.
The train on which the casualties oc-
Cured was an excursion train that left
Watertown, N. Y, yesterday for Chicago,
in two sections, heavily loaded. The
first section reached Jackson at Sis this
morning, and stopped at the depot to
change engines. Many passengers
Lighted during the time to get bite of
breakfast during the wait. This itself
was most fortunate occurrence. Had it
not been for this the list of killed and in
jured wouldahave been much greater
While the first section was standing in
the station the second section came into
yard at the rate of twenty miles an hour.
The engineer saw the Semaphore set and
tried to stop, but for some unaccOuntable
to work, and the heavy train crashed
with terrific force into the cars standing
still.
Two rear coaches of the first section
were telescoped, and it was in these that
most Of the casualties occurred. Every
passenger in these cars were either killed
or terribly injured. The third coach from
the rear of the first section was thrown to
one side, and four passengers in 1t killed
and others injured. With the exception
of the engine and baggage-car the rear
section escaped serious harm. The engine
was badly wrecked, and steam and hot
water escaping from the sides OF the
punctured boiler added locally to the
Suffering of the unfortunate victims.
Within very short time after the acci-
dent occurred people gathered at the
scene by the hundreds, and aided the rail-
road men in every possible way in sue
coring the untOrtunateS. President Led
yard and other high officials of the road
came from Detroit on a special train as
soon as they were advised of the awfu
affair, and directed the efforts OF the res
cuerS.
The killed are, Mrs. D. z. Gibbs,
Wheeling, n. y; Mrs. Lloyd Woodbury.,
Bath. n. Y; James Woodbury., Bath,
\. Y; Mrs. James II. Keller, Ham
mondsport, \. Y; Maggie McMaster,
Pennyan, n Y; Harriet Breree. Pine
City, \. Y; Mrs. Charles Starr, Elmira,
n. Y. George Hoffman, Louisville, n.
"; Mrs J. III. Beardsley, Canton, Pa;
baby Harrington, six-months- child
of Mrs. Arson Harrington, Elmira, n.
y; Mr.. and Mrs. Gilmore, Morris Run,
Pa.
Injured: Kate Healy, fractured thigh;
Joanna Healy, serious internal injuries,
fracture of both legs; J. Y. Anderson,
thigh cut and back sprained; Mrs. limo
thy Donovan, serious cuts and bruises,
Morris Run, Pa; Mrs. Maud Benedict,
serious internal injuries; Miss Blanche
Beardsley, fatal fracture of the skull;
Miss Allie Harris, internal injuries; Miss
Mary 9. Krise, serious cuts and bruises,
Canton, Pa; Mrs. Anson Harrington,
leg broken; Mrs. G. Fay, painful cuts and
bruises: Mrs. Laura Fay, bruised and
cut; Mrs. Alfred Searles, internal in
juries: Miss NJ. Dolmetch, internal in
jures: Mrs. Mary Wakefield, cut and
bruised, Elmira, \. y; W. X. Hum-
phrey, Shenango Lake, Pa, cut and
bruised; Miss Sarah L. Keeler, Ham
mondsport, n. y, skull fractured; Mrs.
J. w. Anderson, Morris Run, Pa, leg
broken and internal injuries; u. S. Aims
worth, Norwich, n. Y; serious internal
injuries; Mrs. q. ii. Garner, Horseheads,
n. Y, cut and bruised; Maud Gardner,
aged years, bruised and cut; Mrs. j. A.
Burlingame, East Springfield, n. Y,
head cut; I. Lewis, Columbia Cross
Roads, Pa, cut and bruised.
When the collision occurred the shrieks
that rent the air could be heard for
blocks. Joseph Kimberling jumped from
the cab before the crash, and escaped un-
injured. Engineer William Whalen re-
mained at his post to the last, and was
badly hurt. He may not recover.
As the mangled forms were gradually
removed from the coaches the mass of
onlookers groaned in sympathy and the
injured cried out in agony. Lord have
mercy on my SOUL" shrieked poor fei-
low whose life was ebbing fast away.
''Good Jesus, care for Tommy" cried a
woman who was dying with a child at
her breast.
4 woman, whose name is unknown,
Law on the side of the track suffering un-
told mental and physical anguish. She
was the mother of child 2 years old, and
implored the bystanders to save her child.
tOnly let me see my child before l die,"
said she. "You who know mothers
love, get my child, l beseech you" Her
child was dead.
,Tbe work of removing the dead and
injured was carried on with all possible
dispatch. Mayor Bennett and Sheriff
Peck took charge of the work OF the
townspeople. and to them and the citizens
generally is due great credit Tor the atten-
ton bestowed upon the sufferers.
Though thousands of splinters were
scattered about this morning, but few re-
main on the ground tonight. They have
been carried away by the curious as me-
mentos of the awful wreck. Cushions
bespattered with the blood Of the killed
has been torn to shreds and carried
away likewise.
The cause of the wreck is a mystery.
Some of the railroad officials say the only
responsible agent is Engineer Whalen,
but none of them say he can be fairly
held responsible for il. The airbrakes
would not work, and nobody feels COM
petent to explain why they wouldn't.
The two trains were delivered to the
Michigan Central at Buffalo, one from
the New York Central and the other
the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western.
Bath were excursions, the passengers
having been picked up at local points in
in New York and Pennsylvania
Engineer Whalen was able tonight to
talk to a representative of the Associated
press. He said the engine was new
one in ali particulars had worked beau
tjfnllv on the run from Detroit He
stopned at two points, and slowed down
at one junction, and son these three oe-
casions the air-brakes worked perfectly.
Inst east of Jackson junction, a mile east
ofwbere the disaster occurred, he touched
Tho air and found it all right. AS the
trein crossed Elmer avenue he began to
slo1v down. and applied the air. He
found that the brake held on the engine,
b,,t wouldn't on the train. lie then
wS;stIed for the hand-brakes, and re-
varsed the engine. The fireman jumped,