Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-07-13
PILGRIMS MEET DEATH.
Terrible Accident on a Canadian
Railroad.
THIRTEEN OF THE VICTIMS DEAD.
Twenty five Others Seriously Injured, and
Some of These May Die-The Accident
Probably Due to the Carelcssness Of an
Engineer Who Is Dead.

Some of These Nay Die-The Accident
Probably Due to the Carclcssness Of an
Engineer Who Is Dead.
QUEBEC, July 10.-A terrible accident
occurred on the Crank Trunk railway at
Crags Roads Station. about fourteeen
miles west of Lewis at 8 o'clock in the
morning, as the result of which thirteen
persons were killed and twenty five others
more or less seriously injured, two Of
whom may die
A large pilgrimage from Sherbrooke,
Windsor Mills and Richmond had left
the latter town for the famous Catholic
| shrine of st. Anne de Beaupre The train
carrying the pilgrims was divided into
two sections, one running few minutes
behind the other The first section reached
Crags Road about 3 o'clock, and stopped
at the tank to take water. Due prccau-
tions were taken, and the scmaphore was
thrown to mark danger" against the fol-
lowing train
Only the trainmen were astir The Pull
man in the rear was wrapped in silence,
the sleepers all unconscious of the ter
rible fate that was rushing upon them.
Suddenly the second section, which had
passed the semaphore at full speed, dashed
into the rear Pullman of the first section
The engine embedded itself in the sleeper
and the latter plunged forward and par
TALLY tclescoped the next car in front.
Every berth in the sleeper was filled,
and many Of the occupants were killed as
they slept. Others awoke to their horri-
bic surroundings manned, bleeding and
bruised, conscious of little else but the
agony that raclsed them. 1t was a terri
BILE scene The cries and means of the
wounded and dying pierced the air on
all sides, while as canopy that served as
veil to the tragedy the steam from the
shattered engine rose in clouds that
blinded all observation for the time being
The reason why the second section did
not observe the danger signal will proba-
bly, never be known, as both the engineer
and firemen were killed. 1t is believed,
however. that the engineer, Mcleod, had
fallen asleep at his post. No other expla-
nation see@s possible, as there evidently
had been no attempt to stop the speed of
the onrushiag train.
The Pullman conductor, Mr. Moore
Wood, had narrow escape. He had luck
lily stepped out on the rear platform Just
In time to see the oncoming train and
Jump lie thus escaped injury. The en-
CINE of the colliding train seemed to rear
up, then turned completely over. The rest
of the second train was derailed and badly
smashed up. In an instant after the crash
the air was filed with the shricks and
groans of the injured and imprisoned pas
sengers. The few train hands and station
employees on the spot set to work manfully
and extrieated the passengers rs quickly
as possible.
The dead are: Charles Bedart, mail
clerk, Richmond; Miss Bcdart, Rich
mond; Hector Mcleod, engineer. Rich
mond; Richard L. Perkins, fireman,
Richmond; Rev J. T. Mercier, Richmond;
Rev. f. p Diguan. Windsor Mills; Mr..
Cogan. Richmond Miss Vain, ST. Joseph
de Lewis; aunt of Miss yalin name I'M
known; Miss Phaneuf, ST. Joseph de
Lewis; Mrs. J. B. Cayer, Danville; Miss
Delacourte, Sheffield; John O'Farrell,
Capleton.