The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-11-04
HOW THE WRECK MAppENED.
A broken FlanEe Caused It-First Fatal
Wreck on the Division.

HOW THE WltECk hAPpENED,
A Broken FlanEe Caused It-First Fatal
Wreck on the Division.
The disaster was one OF tho most re.
marEable on record, Tor several reasons.
In tho entiro history Of the "HOmp.
field" division Of the baltimore 4 Ohio
road, It never had a fatal wreck Of any
kind before. The caule OF this ono was
also almoIt unique.
Tho Pittsburgh < CIneinuati express
train, no. l03, commonly known along
tho limo IS "the Cannon Ball." due In
Wheeling at 1910 a. To-, passed West
Alexander twenty.iour minutes late. 1t
was drawn by engine s43, in charge Of
Engineer Lynch. Capt Charles Ball
was the conductor. The train made
only about Its average speed, as Is evi.
dsnced by tho fact that when II whistled
for Elm Grove 1t was slill tweuty.iour
minutes late. There isa pretty sharp
curve at the eastern approach to tue
bridge over Little Wheeling creek, just
east OF tho Elm Grove coal works, 1t
was just rs the train came upon the
bridge that one truck OF the smoking
car left tho rail.
The engine, tonder aud baggage car
kept the rails. Conductor Ball had
Just stepped into the baggage car. Tho
brakeman, r. r. Howell, of West Alex.
auder, was passing from the day coach
to tho parlor car when the accident hap
puned. Nobody connected with the
train crow except Conductor Goorgp
Perkins, OF the Pullman parlor car, was
injured to an extent worth mentioning,
and ho not seriously. Tho colorod por.
tor, Perry Parker, was shaken up and
bruised little, but was ablo 10 holp get
those who could not help themselves
out Of the car, aud then stood on guard
over II during the day.
As usual, tho mail agent was among
the Injured. James u. Stanton, OF this
city, was In charge OF tho car. Hla
right shoulder was bruised. his right leg
crushed and bruised, and he was other
wise hurt painfully, but not dangerous.
ly. Ho was able 10 20 his home on tho
South Side.
CAUSE OF IT ALL
Examination showed that the cause
OF tho wreck was q bad break in the
tlange OF a wheel on tho rear truck Of
the smoking car. This break was unRc.
counlable to everybody. It very owl.
IDENTITY occurred just o short distance
before tho bridge was reached, aud ius!
on the curve. The piocO ot broken
ilaugo was picked up thoro after the &C.
cident. Tho mark OF the broken wheel
was plainly visible at tho east end OF
tho bridge, whore II loft the rail aud
began to cut tho ties. Tho rail on tho
north aido was cut by tho Jagged hauge,
aud after tho train ran on tho ties for
sone distance tho ties were mashed and
crushed. aud tho wooden guard rail
splinterod.
Tho smoking car evidently left tho
track Hst Its momentum pulled oil
the mai. car, In front. and tho two
coaches which followed. The smoker
wa, turned over on iIs top and so badly
mashed that II was SCARCELY four foot
high As 1t lay with tho trucks OH top.
How anybody escaped alivo from II Is o
marvel. Tho mail car lRY on its aide.
Sir. Stanton's assistant Aud Snperitii0n.
dent Of Mails John CoWl, Of tho local
poslonicO, took caro- oil tho large pllo oil
mail aboard, and II was brought to
town in tho afternoon.
The day coach aud chair parlor car
woro laid flat OH their aides ln tho
parlor car tho porter said thore WorO
probably twolve or fifteen paSsnngera.
lto SAW ono lady alttlng nOar tho front
dnd lust before tho disaster, and aItor.
ward, ho found her lying near tho roar
ond. lla could not understand how
sho was thfoRn 80 lar.
FIRE WAS STARTED.
Tho common comment after tho nccl.
don't was that Il was fortunate that tho
cars did not catch FRO. Tho tOcG Ia that
nfs did start In tho wrecked rnrlor cnr,
In two plaC-u Tho Btoyo IN tho bulTot
cot nf1 to tho wood work about II, and
lRnp a. tho olhor 0nd started blA1s
In soiup curtains a passenger whose
nHmp could not bo lcNrnni had tho
nrcsoncs Of mind 10 pull down tho cur.
ialny and throw thOm out Of thO car,
NhiIs POrry Pafkur, tho poflor, put out
tho llane1 at tho other aud.
Doors woro torn from lhoir hinges,
cushions tnkcn from lcals, and tho
work Of carrying tho Injured out was
begun In nn incredibly short tlno.
RpiIdonis Of Elm Grove, many oi whom
Haw tho accident or heard tho noIsO II
made, wOfo on tho GconO In a very Tow
mlnulOs. 'lhoy united with tho trnln'a
crow Ia assisting tho Injured. A
message was nj once Sonl 10 tho city,
and Ly noon tOliri train had ROUo
out and totutnri With n grcat many oil
those who had beon wounded.
This pfomptnuaI was one reason !.
was laLor impossible to secure tho names
Of nll tho'O WHO wOrs hurt Thoy scat
lofnd IN hotels. lluincB ni itlends tioy
hnd started Ia WhCnling TO visit, OF wont
IN other lfnlnA or olnCtrIC cars to towns
uulsiiB " Wheeling
Tho train blto many pahaOngOrs, ~
n,nal on Sunday morning, who nd
tnkon advantage oil lllc cllenp oSclltAlon
fY,,iIu,i,J nu Tbird puts |