The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1893-10-26
FAlLEp TO onrY ORDERS.

Direct disObpdi pnCp Of orders on the part
of "A Chicago and Grand Trunk engineer
and conductor, both of whom have seen
long service with tue company and were
regarded as model employee was the cause
OF lie tragedy. a Ray mond and Whit
comb special tram of eight palace cars filed
with Eastern fox. VINO had been taking in
the sights Of the Worlds Fair left the Six.
ticth street station uf the road at Chicago
at ID y. IN. rs the first section of the mig lit
express, known as No o. The train was IN
charge of Conductor Burt y. Scott and En-
sinecr Harry Woolley.
All went well until Battle Creek der a
was reached. This was at 3:3I n. m. Prom
here 10 the railroad Yards. distance OF "A
mile and bali. there Is double ira, X.
When the Wi'comb special came 10 tlll
stop ~ the depot. the night uperalors Md
ed to Conductor scott two &c II an orier
Tor the train TO proceed to ,ne double track
east of Main street, about a.half mie dis
tant. and there await the Passing of the
wcstbound Pacific rxuress known as No. -
This train which was nearly three hours
late, WAS com posed at i3 day coaches aud
two baggage ears. Most OF the day coacnes
had seen many years service and were in
poor condition 10 withstand collision.
Everyone of the fated number was packed
with Eastern people. the majority OF whom
taking advantage ut the low rates were on
tier way To take IN the last week of tie
Exposition.
The Pacific express was in charge OF Con.
ductur John Bid and Engineer Gilbert
transhaw, both of wnom had received or
defs at Llus'nk to lookout for the eastbuund
tian on the double track and were accord.
iuglY ON the alert.
After receiving orders at the Battle Creek
station Engineer Woolley proceeded up the
double traCH, but Instead Of stopping In ac-
| tordance VI h his instructions until the
Neslbonnd express had passed he continued
On and entered again on the single track. lie
| hardly gone more than an eight of "A mile
when the headlight OF the Pacific express
| va, s,en 'oming around the slight curve
| lchind the telegraph office OF the railroad
! yards. IL vas speeding westward ut the rate
| Of 10 miles hour
Ihc-e WAS no time to apply air brakes or
| reverse levers The engineers and tiTempn
! IF both trains jumped tor their lives, aud
! second later the giant locomotives came
! together with a crash that could be heard a
Eaif mile away.
WITH fearful lorco the engine of the spec nj
| p'owcd, nearly half way into that of the ex-
| piess, driving y backward into the baggage
! ar, ana The latter in turn into the day
| coaches behind. The shock was so terrific
| that the first four OF these were completely
| ,elescOpcd, the tirst coach cutting throprh
he second and the second into the third
Ike - flash 81 lightning, the roof OF eeeh
| HhNSillk hstI luN ntdus OF lIle Sleeping DIS
,engers and sweeping them in mass TO the
north end OF the cars
! 10 add 10 the horror the wreck took fire
| from lhe.sioves or lamps, and as the flame,
mounted up, the grosns and shrieks OF the
MANNED and injured were succeeded by
heartrending, agonizing cries and a. peali
for help from the scores imprisoned by the
heavy timbers, or held down by the seat
| and iron frame work.
| The travellers on the special nearly all o
| whom had been shaken out of their BERTH
| BY the SHOCK, poured out OF the cars, bu
before the fury Of the Ham they were oil
most poweress To render any assistance
except to the injured nIhe fourth car.
The City fireman promptly responded 70
the alarm and after extinguishing the
flames commenced the gruesome work o
recovering what remained of the victims
the police taking care of the valuables anC
keeping the crowd at distance
After a thorough search of the debris was
made and IL was certain that no more bottles
remained the freight car cOn'ainBinS the
charred remains was backed down 10 th'
city depot and its contents transferred 10 al
undertaken, q wtecking crew set 10 work
the debris again sorted aud burned and lei
nothing but heap OF ashes TO tell tn
story of one of the most awful holocaust
in the history OF Tailroading.
BLAME 1T oS ZACH orHfR
Engineer Woolsy and Conductor SEQ,
of lhe special kain, were arrested at Battl
| creek, Mich, on warrants sworn out 10y
Prosecuting Attorney Clark. clargng man
slaughter Scott was released dn f3.OOO oall
Noollev could not secure bondsmen AM
was locked up.
Scott SAYS ne gave the engineer dup'i-
CAFE of the order he received and suppose'
Misunderstood il; that he If erwaris wen
into the baggage car AMI did not know a
the engineer had gone over lhe sidini an