The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-08-23
EDITION.
THE FIREMAN KILLED.
The Norfolk Express Runs Down An
Extra Freight.


The Norfolk Express Runs Down An
Extra Freight.
Norfolk express No. OF, goInr aoutb
over the Delaware II. r., about IL. as
o'clock this morning, ran into an extra
freight train as 1t was pulling of the
siding on to tho main truck lust below
Porters. a small station fourteen mics
from this city.
Fireman William b. wheatley Of tho
express, ard living at No. 935 Elm
street. Is dead.
Engineer James A, Grub, living at
No. so4 Chestnut street, hnd his back
badly injured beside being badly
bruised. He will recover.
Brakeman Carey. of the freight
train, received Il crushed foot, which
was amputated. lie 10 also badly
bruised, but Will recover
HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
The Norfolk express arrived In this
city at 10 o'clock. Thelrdln consisted
OF six cars-one baggage. one express,
TWO day coiches, anu two Pullman
coaches. She was heavily loaded and
drawn by locomotive No. SO, in charge
of Engineer Grub and Fireman
Wheatlay and conductor Thomas Lew
10. The express pulled out of the Sta
behind time, ON arriving at Porter's
Engineer Grub was running on time.
I just below Porters there are sldlngs.
Extra freight train drawn by engine
No. 80. and in charge OF Engineer
Richard Harrison, left tho west Yard q
few hours before the express train
was due here. Shn arrived at Porter's
about IL. 40 and bad received orders to
isldetrack there to allow the express a
lrlAnI trank What "a
sent out to flag Grubb. OF the express.
or not is not known, or II he was tho
engineer failed to SEQ tho signal.
When he passed under the block at
lPorters the signal gave him the right
OF way.
As ho was within fifty yards OF the
freight train Engineer Harrison had
side-tracked nearly oil the ears. Four
box cars and tho locomotive were still
on the main track. Engineer Grub
seeing that collision was unavoida-
bic shut OF his locomotive and let her
run as lightly against the train as pos
si6le. There was no time to jump for
their lives, as tho big locomotive was
upon tho cars in n second, throwing
them from the track and breaking In
her own pilot.
1t WIS u scene of confusion and ona
mover to be forgotten by those who
witnessed 1t. The freight cars and
baggage car wero laying to the side of
the tracks mashed Into klndiinH wood.
The shock awakened tho passengers In
the express. who rushed from thelf
Iberths. fearing that the wreck would
take ire.
Attention was Immediately turned
toward the enginemen. Engineer
i,irubb was found lying to tho side OF
the track no having been thrown
through the locomotive window. He
was able to walk.
Fireman Wheatley was thrown from
his seat into the wreckage. When
found he was unable to speak. His
head had been crushed.
Y Brakeman Carey was riding on the
fourth car OF the freight train and the
one Into which the express locomotive
plunged. lie had n narrow escape, tho
err being smashed into kindiing wood
beneath him. Ills only injuries con.
sisted OF a badly crushed foot and Sc
vcro bruises.
Before attending to tho wants of the
injured word WAS telegruphed here to
send relief train to the scene of the
collision. Tho message was received
shortly before o'clock. II came from
Clayton.
4 The special train was made up and
,at 10 o'clock company of railroad
Officials and Drs. Shortlllge and Ogle
boarded her, and the run was begun to
the scene OF the wreck. No newspaper
men were allowed on tho special.
In tho meantime tho passengers on
tha Ill Inted express were making 1t as
comfortable as possible fer the Injured
men, Many gave their outer garments
for covering, while near by nelghbore
Kindly loaned hedclothes for their use.
| The physicians arrived at the scene
about LIB, and at once directed their
attention to the men. From the fret
II WINS seen that Fireman Whoatley was
the most dangerously injured, aud TO
Linn was paid the most careful alton.
Ition. Ho uttered n few words, bat
they were not audible, he had been
fatally injnrad. Probably ho never
knew any thing after the collision oo-
Cured,
After receiving proper medlca, care
the injured men were brought hero on
tho special, arriving here at $50 O'Clock.
At tho depot the ambulance was in
readiness and WGeatey and Carey
wore carried in il to tho hospital.
by this time Fireman Wheatley had
partly regained CONSEQUENCES, but
about 9o'clock this morning lie sank
again. lie lay i'll ti.is state until $50
o'clock, when he expired.
brakeman Carey's left foot was SO
badly crushed that 1t had to be ampu-
tated
Instead of removing Engineer Grubb
TO the hospital, he was removed to his
home. Although suffering consider
able pain across the bnck tho physi.
clans think 10 is not injured nternal-
y and will recover.
PLACING TINE nLAafE
just on whom the responsibility for
tho disaster can bcplaced is not known
but il is said that the end brakeman
ON tho freight train should have sig.
nailed tho engineer of tho express
train. Whether lie was at his post OF
duty Is unknown or whether he mis-.
understood tho orders is a!so un.
known, but II he had displayed the
: red signal Engineer Gruhb failed
; 10 SEQ II, and therefore con!!i ued on
with his train.
The particulars OF the wreck were
very hard to learn, as no ont who had
been in the vicinity at the time could
DO seen. Some say .that the brdke-
man must have been called in by the
whistle of his train.
CLEARING Up THE DEBRIS.
After the injured had heen removed
to tho hospital, the work OF clearing
up the debris was begun byn section
, OF men from this city. Tue work oc-
, runied about two hours time ami tuis
e IubTnlDR All the lrbltlS We're running
! on schedule time over tie division.
< The trucks OF the wrecked cars were
brought here. as also was tho engine
,, of tho Freight Train. the tender of
which Was damaged. The engine it.
, sell WAS not damaged. The engine of
| tic express ID almost total wreck,
the entire front oil her being stove in.
! Iho railroad com Dany has begun an
, investigation of tho wreck, but no par
tlCulars can be learned up to 2 O'Clock.
. The body of Fireman WEeatley has
been taken to tho mOrRue. Coroner
Kirk Will not hold an inquest until it
is determined who ii to blame for the
accident.
A PEACH TRAIN wREeKED.
!, About s o'elork yesterday afternoon.
there was another wreck Oh the Dola.
ware Railroad. but not So serious as
The preceding Incident. Engineer
! Joseph BARLEY was the only one in
| jurcd, anG he bad his right arm badly
: bruised. He resides in this city.
Q This wreck was caused Ivy II rear end
collision and occurred on the curve in
! tho cut at st. Annc's crossing short
distance below MiddletOwn. A special
freight tram loaded with peaches was
going down tho road when IL was run
into from the end by regular freight
train. Seven cars loaded with peaches
wore thrown from the trucks and the
contents strewn about the Il acks.
The engine OF the colliains train wa,
-ial Il IOd A