The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-08-31
TRAINMBN TELL
THEIR STORIES
OF the Bad Lake Erie Wreck at
COShOctOn.
NO ONE IS HELD RESPONSIVE
by the Members Of the Inflated 1S3-Thres
Members of the Crew Were
From Canton-The
Inquest.

Three Canton men, members Of the
train crew on the illfated "1S3" which
had such a disastrous wreck on the w.
& L. +. at Coshocton last Friday,
| testified at the inquest held at Coshoc-
ton by Coroner Hannel. They were
Conductor H. Berg and Brakemen Will
liam Burrows and w. G. Ehman.
The inquest was conducted very
quietly. No one knew 1t was in pro-
gress. Conductor Berg was the first
witness. He testified that he was 81
years Of age and lived in Canton. He
said:
| "All that I know about the wreck is
| that the fireman and engineer were
killed. / saw them at Morgan run that
morning, and did not see them after
ward until they were taken out dead.
I helped take the fireman out, and saw
them find the engineer. I have been
conductor Of the train about six months.
and always considered this portion of
| the track safe. We never had trouble
with water there, and I have been on
| the road seven years. There was a
drizzling rain when the wreck occurred
and we were running with extra eau
tion, eight or nine miles an hour.
when 1 went forward I found the
cars piled on top Of the engine and
steam was escaping with a roar.
looked for the fellows and listened to
hear if they were calling for help.
When 1 found I could do nothing to
help them / went to the office. The
wreck occurred at $3.50 by my watch
Yes, we were going slow. I knew the
engineer had a message to look out fol-
mud in the Baltic cut, and washouts
on the south end on account of heavy
rains. l didn't see the papers but
know he received them. They were
signed Miller, the conductor of 1S2.
DON'T SEE HOW
| the wreck could have been avoided
Railroad companies usually have track
walkers on bad nights, but that Is left
to the discretion Of section bosses. We
always ran along this section without
fear of accident, but this time extra
precautions were used because of the
rain. The accident could not have been
avoided had we had an old engineer"
II am 23 years old and I live in Can
ton," said William Burrows. II was
brakeman on the head end Of 1873 when
the wreck occurred last Friday morning
at $3.50. I was between the caboose
and next car. and was getting ready
to set brakes, we had q car for CO.
shocton and wanted to stop at Hill
station. This portion of the track was
considered safe. l don't think the
wreck could have been avoided. The
train was running between eight and
nine miles an hour. and all necessary
precautions were used to prevent a
wreck. The fiagman yelled to me
and l was scared and jumped"
w. G. Ehman, brakeman, and when
necessary, fiagman of 1873, said his homo
i was in Canton and he had been on the
road eight year,. I'VE were making
eight or nine miles an hour, and the
engineer had whistled in for the station
when he slackened. looked ahead and
seeing the cars piled up told the brake
man something had happened. / never
saw a washout at this point before, and
the track
| WAS CONSIDERED SAFE.
IT think the accident would never
have happened IL the gravel pit was not
80 close to our road. That gravel IL
easily washed by water. / didn't SEE
the bodies of the persons killed, but
the engineer and fireman were missing
and saw parts of bodies. In my opin-
ion both were killed. Had Doyle reach
ed GAINESVILLE he would have been max
ing his second round trip. The fireman
was put on about March II. If thor
oughly acquainted with the track the
engineer could not have prevented it.
We had messages to look out for wash
outs. / have seen water along the
IN k6a linz v,.tll hut
it was never high enough to interfere
with the operation of the road"
IT was called to the wreck" said
w. Edward Rose after he had testi-
fed he was an undertaken. "and look
ed after the bodies that were turned
over to me-, took them to our room