Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-07-06

back yard, which kept him from being
burned.
C. e. Bryan. superintendent of
maintenance of way and structures,
was with Hamilton and his party, but
in some manner escaped with only
two hands slightly burned and his
face scorched. Vice President and
General Manager Geo. "a. Burt had a
narrow escape from the same fate the
other officials met He had been noti-
fed of the fire and started for the
scene, but Mrs. Burt called after him
that must not go up until he had TAX
en- a cup of coffee. He stopped to get
the coffee and while he was drinking
1t the explosion occurred. But for his
wife he would no doubt have also have
been among those killed
Parties searching through the corn
field for remains discovered all that
was left of Mr. Hamilton's watch, an
hour after the accident. 1t was almost
demolished and the works were entire
ly gone, but on the case could still be
seen the inscription showing that the
watch had been presented to Mr.. Ham
ilton by the X. & B. H. road, August
23, 1892.
Several sums of money were found
by searching parties, scattered about
the cornfields and over the tracks.
One roll of bills contained $50, another
$40 and there were some smaller
sums. 1t was all turned over to the Of
ficials OF the road.
NJ. l.. Barringer was landing beside
Jim Ruth, his son-in-law, and several
Cured. He had his back to the car
and was thrown thirty feet into a
cornfield, escaping injury, while three
of the party werekilled.
"Dick" Shannon, one of the dead,
is the third son that Mrs. Shannon has
lost in railroad accidents. She knew
nothing of her last bereavement until
they came bearing poor Dicks charred
and mutilated body to her home.
Bradley Reeves, one of the dead was
out last evening marching with the A
B. White club. of which he was a
member, and was making great prep
arations for his anticipated trip tC
Charleston.
When the news of the terrible ca.
lamity became generally circulated
through the city the season of festivi-
ty was changed to one of sadness. AL
forms of celebration were abandoned
The bands were not permitted to play
on the streets, picnics and oscial gath
erings were given up, the Mayor ISSUED
a proclamation referring to the fright
full calamity which had overtaken thu
city, resulting in the death of seven o
our most prominent citizens, and call
ing on the people to abandon all th
ordinary festivities of independence
Day, to suspend the shooting of fir
works and the making of unusua
noises of the usual demonstrations in
cident to the Fourth of July. Flag
were flying in honor of the Fourth an,
were lowered to half mast and tn
stores were closed throughout the city
AS soon as possible the more ser
; iously injured persons were remove'
to st. Luke's Hospital, where DR.. c. b
! Blubaugh, the Ohio River railroat
chief surgeon, and others assisted il
caring for the injured. 1t was ther.
that John Chalk died shortly befor
noon He was the only one of tn
dead who was not instantly killed. II
was horribly burned about the fac
and breast. When he was taken to tn
hospital his eyes were almost burne,
out and his face and breast were char
red too crisp.
This afternoon General Manage
Burt issued orders appointing his pri
vate secretary and general PURCHASING
agent, E. e. Blaser, superintendent
and w. w. Lyman acting master me
chanic.
]. H. Hamilton, the general superin
tendent of the road, was native o
Fisherville, Va, being born there A
years ago. He was a graduate o
Washington and Lee University, Vir
ginia, in both the law and engineer
ing departments, and OF Columbia Law
school in New York. He practiced Law
for a while in New York City, ant
also practiced civil engineering, bu
drifted into railroad work.
He was superintendent OF construc
ton and president of the Kearney q
Black Hills railroad in Nebraska ant
was for two years president of tn
Northern Adirondack road in New
York
He came here in June, 1897, as su
perintendent and was later made gen
eral superintendent. His mother live
here and is boarding at Mrs. Haven
ner's. Mr.. Hamilton was never mar
ried
Z. Laline, master mechanic, was
French Canadian by birth, So year
of age. ell leaves a wife, four daugh
ters and one son. who reside on Muir
doch avenue. He came here from Ma
lone, N. Y, in December 1897. H
was master mechanic and superinten