The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-06-02
CRASH!
The Buckeye Collision a
Grand Success.

was grand success Is putting II
very mild. We will say that those
who were unfortunate enough tC
miss this grand aud unique enter.
tainment, let slide by compulsion
or otherwise, an opportunity that
will probably never in another cen
tury present itself.
The morning of the 30th dawned
with natures tears, but determin.
ed people to accept chance Of a
life time with the expenditure of
little money cared nothing for
weeping nature, but boarded the
first train north until each coach
trcmhled with the burden of its
platform and step.crowded cargo
of human freight. Five long trains
passed north through Logan with
the changing on" position of each
coach occupied. One hundred and
ninety-tight of such burdened
coaches were unloaded at Buckeye
Park with an average Of 1876 peo-
pie to Il coach, aggregating near
$4,000 people, besides the thousands
Of country people that drove and
walked, and cycled to the scene of
attraction, blacking the fields for
miles around with rigs and horses
For timid one like us from the
Hooking hills to have ventured in.
TO such throng, we were surpris-
ed at our selves, and experienced
that pulling down feeling, instant
to the small boy who heard with
regret his rear suspender nail rat.
tie down the back of his chair, and
the agony forth coming, knowing
that should he rise, perhaps his
trousers should not. We felt pulled
down, jostled and bumped but all
these were pleasure. We smiled
continuously that we. should be so
fortunate as to be permitted to live
in this fading nineteenth century
and attend the opening of Buckeye
Park on this memorable day.
AS the mid hour Of the afternoon
approached many conjectures were
floating from all lips as to the COM
pleteness of the proposed wreck;
which way the pieces should fly
and would any body be hurt. AT
about $3.50 O'Clock Engineer Pat
Clancy climbed TO the throttle Of
the "Fisher" and John Loomis to
the "Streeter" The human look
ing iron horses backed off 5000 feet
apart and at the signal given rush.
ed forward to their own awful de-
struction. The engineers threw
them wide open and dropped off
and on they came faster and faster
until reaching the siding upon |
which they should meet, the drive
rods dipped up and down like the
needle OF a sewing machine. An
engineer near US said he would
vouch for their travelling 45 or 80
miles an hour. The great crowd
serged like mighty lake, in their
eagerness and expectancy, and
in their wild endeavor to follow
both trains with single pair OF
eyes. A few rods apart we turned
TO the multitude and there
beheld as wonderful sight as a mo-
ment later the awful collision.
Twenty-Five thousand people stood
motionless with nbated breath,
with twenty-five thousand mouths
wide open, and twenty-five thous-
and pairs Of eyes sticking out like
stops on an organ. The air seem
I'd to abate and become oppressed,
md the hur anI wall stilled with
that painful hush that the sexton
tells OF in"the midnight cemetery. :"
A moment more aud it was differ
mt. The fybng trains that had
seemed sure ta..pass as so often
ieen, met inshriesting embrace. A
rash, a kissing Of escaping steam,
settling down; a mad rush OF
thousands, tells the story. The
beautifully decorated engines were
Ugh in air, staring each other 10
he face, complete wrecks. Strip:
'ed Of every possibleaia at4earGDce.
# locOmoti0n; the cabs and tanks s
nd coal cars were telescoped until |
could not be determined where 4
me left Off and the other began,
MI more ghastly soon by the 9
warm OF souvenir gatherers ham :,
1ering for trophies. : Z
Mr.. Streeter mounted a caboose
ct standing and asked the people [
they were satisfied with the ex. I
ibition and big 'Yes" went up
'Om n thousand thrOats. 1t was n
omplete success and nothing mar I
I'd the pleasure save tile unf6rtun. $
te blow received by Chief CLERK a
0m Peek Of the G. III. V. & II. Ry. :,
lie had worked for months with y
ne general passenger agent w. II. I
Usher, to make the exhibition 4 4
mi hn n H.