The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-07-20
A wREoK

A sunday School Excursion Train Meets
With IA Terrible Dlsaster-MRny Injured
Seriously,
BUFFALO, N. W July l9.--rhe excur
sion train carrying tho Sunday Schools
OF Bethany and Bethlehem churches,
Of Buffalo, on tho Western Now York
and Pennsylvania railroad, was wrecked
at East Aurora at 7'45 o'clock last
night. One man was fatally injured
and fifteen or twenty others, old and
young, more or less seriously hurt,
Owing to lack OF facilities for communt'
cation tho full details oil the wreck were
not obtainRble until after midnight,
Tho accident Is one OF the most re-
markable in the history OF railroad
wrecks. Two engines were crushed into
masses OF twisted steel, and lying at the
bottom Of the turn table were covered
with tho timbers, broken glass and
iron Of the first two coaches, These
coaches were filed with exCursionists,
and that they oscaped with no more
serious injury is almost miraculous,
As neal as can be learned the accident
wa due 10 carelessnoss, The evening
local train from Buffalo to East Aurora.
had Just pulled into the station where
it stops, Engineer Holland had taken
HE locomotive to tho turn table pre-
paratory to heading it toward the city
Tor tho morning trip, The switch was
lett open and the engineer intended
taking his engine out on the main track
and back to the siding for the night.
Just beyond the turn table Ia a sharp
curve and beyond that the track rises
in q heavy grade, Tho excursion train
rounded the curve and CANT down the
grade.
Engineer Ramsbury saw the danger,
but It was too late 10 stop his train and
it piled into tho pit on top OF the en-
gine already upon tho table. The bag.
gage car and tho first two coaches were
complete wreck. The sCene in tho
wrecked coaches was almost ipdescrib-
able, the women and children being
thrown under and over the seats and
through tho windows, cut with flying
splinters, broken lImbed and bruised,
Then the cars took fire from the en-
gines, but the additional horror was
ayerted by the prompt action OF the
village fire department.. Citizens rushed
to tho rescue aud doctors wore sum.
moned from this city. The injured
woro speedily reached, and upon tho
arrival Of tho surgeons were given all
possible attention, Thero was ono act
that came very near being heroic. Bob
Hanson, fagman Of the excursion
train, was thrown from the baggage
car and received a broken arm and o
Cruahed side. Despite his severe In
jurles no sei2ed hia flag and ran up the
track to warn a Freight train coming
down tho grade, He accomplished his
purpose, but after that was done he
fell laintlng beside the track whore no
was found an hour afterwards. Jack
Norris, tho fireman Of the excursion
train, was the most seriously hurt. His
head struck q telegraph pole and his
skull was fractured.
Tho list Of the seriously injured is as
follows:
Harry sauer, both legs broken, Ar
thur Sauer, leg broken aud seriously
bruised about tho head and face.
Fannie Whitmer, cut about about feet
and logsand bruised. Willie Whitmer,
her ten!year-old brother, legs badly
crushed, severe cuts about tho head.
George Ferguson, cut on face and seri-
ously bruised informally. Nellie s.
Tresaol, leg crushed and head cut, pos
sibly skull fractured. Mrs. Robert
Hood, legs badly crushed and cut about
the face.
The others suffered sprained ankles
and other slight injuries, The train
bearing those who escaped and those
who could DO moved reached this city
soon after midnight.