Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-07-02
WRECK T
At Botzum Station.
Head-0n Collision on the
Valley.
Joseph Farsi Of Mans
field, Injured.
Nearly 800 Excursionists on
the Train.
Number Thirteen Proved to be a Bad
Omen.

A nortll-bound excursion train return
ing TO Cleveland and the regular south
bound Valley train came together in a
head-on collision n few hundred feet
north of the Botzum station, seven
miles north of this city at o'clock
Sunday evening.
On the regular train were a number
of people from this city. but fortunate
ly no one was seriously hurt.
On the excursion train there were $50
excursionists from Cleveland. who had
spent the day at Cottage Grove. The
excursion had been conducted under
the auspices of the Hungarian Benev-
olent and Social Union of Cleveland.
The excursion train was made ND of
IL coaches including one baggage car.
The regular train consisted of two pas.
scnger coaches and stock car.
Fortunately, when the two trains
came together, one-the excursion
train-was almost at standstill, and
the regular train had slowed down TO
q comparatively low rate of speed. In
the stock car on the regular train there
were several horses and stockkecper
Joseph Farsi, of Mansfield. He was
the only person badly injured He
was thrown to the floor of the car and
the frightened horses tramplcd him I'm.
der foot, breaking three of his ribs.
The only other person in any way in
jured was the engineer of the regular
train, r. Oldham, and his Injuries
were slight.
The excursion train was TO stop at a
siding just south Of the Botzum sta
tion to wait for the regular train TO
pass. There is another siding OH the
north side of the station, and instead
of stopping at the first switch the train
proceeded to the second siding. Just
as II was about to turn into the switch
the regular train was seen.
Tho engineer of the regular succeed
ed In slowing his train down to n rate
of ~ or T. miles an hour when it
struck tho engine of the excursion
train. The regular engine was badly
wrecked and the excursion engine was
more or less damaged, although neither
left the tracks
There was u frightened lot OF pusscn.
gers on the excursion train when IL
was seen that II collision was inoyita-
bic, When the trains met terrible con
fusion rclgncd in every car. Men and
boys shouted and women scrcamed;
many of the women tainted and had To
be carried from the cars. Many of the
boys and men who had been looking
OUT Of the windows when the collision
occurred received bad knocksand bruis.
es. For several minutes there was a
strong likelihood of little children and
babies being crushed TO death in the
frantic rush of the frightened passeu.
gers 10 get out of the cars.
Some Of the more supcrstitlous OF the
passengers. In commenting on the
wreck, called attention to the fact that
there were IL coaches Oh the excursion
train, and that the number of the reg.
ular engine was IL,
Seven years ago au excursion was
given TO some resort ON the Valley
road by the Hungarian Benevolent and
Social Union, and in returning TO Cleye.
land the train was wrecked at Botzulu,
aud almost AT The same spot where the
collision occurred la' night
The railroad authorities of this city
were notified of the wreck last night.
and in u short time wrccking train
was on the scene OF the trouble. After
A DELAY of abOuf tWa hours iha >yrncl