The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-04
COLLISION FOR TUN.
Anticipated Locomotives Turned
Lose to Meet Each other.

Lose to Meet Euch Other.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
Columbus, May 30.-An audience of $1,000
people at Buckeye Park. twenty miles
from this city, witnessed a sight this af-
ternoon. the first Of its kind in the history
of the world and what was meant to
make a scientific holiday, may yet result
in the death Of one OF the chief officials
of the Columbus, Hooking Valley and To-
For DAYS The railroad advertised gem
uine railroad collision as the chief feature
of memorial day holiday az Buckeye park.
pleasure ground owned by the com
pany, and the announcement caught the
eye of scientists and newspaper men all
through the east. Such thing as rail-
road collision that could be Witnessed by
thousands of people from start TO finish,
had never before been presented, though
an attempt that resulted In iascO was
attempted at Canton last year.
The Hooking Valley railroad took two
of its Oldest engines, decorated them all
over with star and stripes, attached lhree
gOndOla cars and a caboose 70 each, htted
them up with full crews OF dummies ana
announced that the locomotives would
start a mile apart and come together
Representatives and artists Of news
papers of the Edison kaleidoscope and or
numerous scientlhc pupHcatl9n5 came on
to witness the smashup Az day IRAN.
poured into Buckeye Park, gathering on
a slope commanding view OF the track
for miles and at a safe distance from the
point Of collision. Nearly lO.QU0 people
were present from Columbus alone.
special track had been laid for the
colliding trains. The gaiy decorated en-
gines, named the a. J.. Streeter, from the
man who had the collision in charge and
| the w II. Fisher, from the general pas
senger agent OF the Hooking NaHey ran
road, were backed mp the road by En-
| gineers John LOOMS and Pat Clancy TIL
| they were mile apari.
At a signal the engineers pulled open
| the throttles of the LOGON olives till a
speed of ten miles an hour was attained,
then the throttles were pulled wide open
and the engineers jumped, while the
trains rushd on to destruction.
Going at the rate OF fOrty-nVe miles an
hour, they came together directly IN 'front.'
of the park with a crash that could nave
been heard for miles and the air was
filled with debris. Both engines sprans
into the air and held each other by the
nose, while the cars piled up benlnd thefn.
The wreck was perfect. The locomotives
remained forming a perfect W ana all
the cars were telescoped. The air was
flied with steam and not water and $4,000
people were panc-stricken. When the air
cleared and the wreck could be seen, q
cheer went up from $4,000 threats that
might have been heard IN Columbus
The cheer soon hushed, however, VAN
it was learned that one Of the Hooking
Valley officials had been struck by a fly
ing bolt and probably fatally Injured The
injured official was Thomas G. Peek chicf
clerk In the passenger department, who
failed to stand far enough from the madiy
rushing engines. A flying bolt from one
| Of the locomotives struck him below tho
right knee. breaking the leg IN two places
and decorating the thigh 50 badly THAI
amputation may be necessary. Peck was
thrown several feet and rendered uncon.
scious, while the railroad officials stood
aghast. as they had not apprehended the
least danger.
The presidents private car was sent
down from Columbus and the injured or
fetal was removed at once. No less than
100 cameras were on the scene and the
wreck was nearly torn to pieces by relic
hunters.