Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-09-23


shock no calamities are reported.
The work OF rescue was carried brave
ly forward and deeds of heroism were
performed by passengers and villagers.
On imprOvlsed stretchers the dead bod
les were carried 10 the depot, where
they were ranged side by side upon the
platform. The waiting rooms were con-
Verted into a hospital, and the surgeons
called to the scene of the wreck from
this ci ", labOred with untirinR energy.
The Wounded were made as comfort
able as pOsai BILE.
THE VILLAGE WOMEN
made capital nurses and they labored
as though some sudden bereavement
had visited their own homes. When
the undertakers arrived the bodies were
removed 10 the Masonic hall Ia the VIII
lage. This was the mOrgue and here
friends and bereaved ones wept over
bodies which had been cruelty man
gled.
The wounded, those not able to help
themselves were tenderly cared for.
Bedclothing had been brought from
houses near at hand aud one end Of the
platform was soon covered with beds.
Dispatches TO Chicago brought relief
train and shortly before noon the unin-
jured and those able TO be removed were
taken into the city, where better atten-
tion was given them.
James B. Wookey and party Of nine
/ boys we're passengers on the train from
| London, England. They were enroute
10 Chicago 70 give concert. One OF
the boys was instantly killed and two
others seriously injured.
Conductor Coulter, who died soon
after being taken from the wreck, dis
played true heTOlsm. When relief ar
rived, be entreated his rescuers to leave
| him alone and save the passengers. de
was az the moment Of that utterance In
the throes OF death.
The calamity is directly attributable
TO Brakeman Herbert ThOmpson's care
| lessness. He has disappeared and all
efforts to fnd him have thus far been
vain.
The story OF the wreck and the
cause leading to 1t is thus told by a
Wabash official, and is the only correct
version thus far published:
''Vestibuled limited train No. 55 from
Detroit 70 Chicago was running In two
sections and was due TO pass this
station at 4:4O a. N. Fast freight No.
% was lying on the siding here waiting
TO let No. 55 pass. The first section
OF No. IS about
ITnRTY-FIvE OR FORTY MINUTES LATE
passed at sos, and by whistle called
attention TO the flags they carried for
the second section. The engineer OF
the freight replied that the Sag was
seen, but it seems that Brakeman
Thompson did not notice either the
signal or the flag, and went ahead
TO open the switch for No. 90 TO
leave. be had hardly done this before
the second section OF No. 55 was seen
bearing down upon him at speed OF
perhaps fifty miles an hour. Thompson
seems 70 have been paralyZed. SwerY-
ing TO the left the ponderous mass OF
steel, drawing It's precious load, plunged
heavily into the waiting freight
train with q, horrible crash. Thomp-
son rushed up 70 his engineer wringing
his hands and crying bystericaIly.
/ For Gods sake, what have you done?'
asked the engineer. L don't know; l
turned tnat switch, said the brakeman,
and then recovering himself he dashed
hurriedly into the semi-darkness and
disappeared.
The result OF the crash was fearful.
/ The terrific impetus Of the two mighty
machines drove the tank and cab OF the
/ freight engine back into car load OF
dressed beef, the engineer and fireman
remaining in the CAB and by miracle
escaping with their lives.
Engine 473 OF the passenger train
was torn TO pieces, the smoker behind
\ 10 being forced through the tank on top
/ OF the engine. The splinters killed En-
gineer Green, and the escaping
steam badly scalded Fireman Baker.
/ In the smoker was where most Of the
\ fatalities occurred, and it's being a
/ smoker accounts for the majority of the
killed having been men. The scene
/ that ensued was awful. Nearly all the
passengers were asleep and the sudden
\ ness OF the crash 80 dazed the unfortu-
mates that for few minutsS
/ all WAS sill save the wheeling OF escap-
ling steam. But soon the agonized
| screams OF the wounded aDd dying rent
the air. Few OF those uninjured had
the presence of mind 70 make any ef-
/ fort for some minutes to rescue the I'm
prisoned victims but with the arrival OF
/ a number Of residents near by, the work
Iof releasing the hapless victims was
soon under way.