Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-06-16

A bad freight wreck occurred at
Benwood Junction at seven o'clock
last night. One life was lost, consider
able property vas damaged and oe-
stroyed, and freight and passenger
traffic was delayed until this morning.
At the hour mentioned a long freight
train, consisting Of 81 cars, nearly all
loaded with coal or merchandise. was
being transferred from the yards to the
track leading to the Bellaire bridge.
One engine was attached to the front
OF the train, and two in the real were
assisting it up the steep grade to the
bridge. Part of the train was on the
track leading to the bridge and the re-
mainder was on the main tracks.
Just what caused the accident is a
matter for conjecture purely, as the B.
& 0. officials at the junction could as
sign no definite reason, but denied the
report that a broken rail was respon-
sible. "A coal hopper car about the mid
die of the train, left the rails and about
ten more cars followed. The train was
moving at a good rate Of speed, and the
force of the rear engines crushed the
cars in such a manner that a half doz-
en- were completely demolished, while
the others which left the tracks were
more or less damaged.
The cars were overturned, and piled
up across the rails, completely block
ing them, and interfering with both
freight and passenger traffic.
Harry Albaugh, who lives in Nc
iMechen, and is employed in the trans
fer shed of the B. & o. at Bellaire,
had taken his supper at home, and
jumped on the hopper car to ride across
the bridge. When the car was over
turned he was thrown beneath 1t. The
accident happened without warning,
and he had no time to get out of the way.
The weight of the car crushed his body,
particularly the lower portion, in a
shocking manner. Death must have
been instantaneous. Employees who
saw Albaugh's plight Immediately made
plans to get his body out of the wreck.
The car was lifted, and the body re-
moved. Life was extinct.
The unfortunate young man was but
10 years of age, a son of William AL
baugh, of McMechen. He was exceed
ingly popular among his associates, and
his death will be deeply ddplored. The
body was taken to an undertaking es-
Enlistment and prepared for burial,
and later removed to Mr.. AIbaugh's
home In McMechen.
1t was reported that a tramp was
also under the wreck, but this report
was discredited. There were two other
men riding on the cars which were
thrown from the track, but they man
aged to escape by jumping.
The wrecked cars blockaded the road,
and prevented traffic. The passenger
train from the East. due at 10:45 o'clock
last evening, stopped below the wreck
and discharged its passengers. They
were compelled to stand in the open
air for forty-five minutes waiting for
an electric car to Wheeling. There
were men, women and children among
the passengers.
The wrecking crews were put to work
Immediately, and at midnight it was re-
ported that the track would be cleared
within a few hours. The 1910 a. m.
train was not sent to the Junction -
meet the train from the West, but the
western train came UP to this city,
where passengers and baggage were
transferred to the Ohio River Road.
The train went down over the Ohio
River road to Moundsville, and was
transferred at that point to the B. &
0. tracks.