Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-09-10
TWO LIVES WERE LOST
IN GLOVERS GAP WRECK
ON THE N. n q. BUT y OF THE
PASSENGERS ESCAPED WITH
OF INJURY.
PASSENGER TRAIN DERAILED
And the Wreck Caught Fire, Three
Coaches Being Destroy ed-Accident
Victims Were Well known In
Cny-supposed Cause of the
Wreck.

An unusual accident occurred on the
b. a o., near Glover's Gap at 9:tS
o'clock yesterday morning. which re-
suited in the death OF i've extremely
popular employees OF the d. & O. The
dead and injured are:
NJ. b. Slower, engineer, lived in Me
Meehen, body dead and badly burned
when 1t Vas taken out.
t. w. Marlowe, fireman, lived at
Benwood. was alive when taken out but
died later.
w. Frank Riley. baggagemaster,
slightly injured.
T.. l.. Ross, postal clerk. slightly In
jured.
The exact cause of the accident will
not be known until an Investigation is
made. 1t was probably caused by the
engnie truck leaving the rails. The
accident occurred about 1 200 feet west
of the Glover's Gap tunnel.
1t was train No. s, made up at Graf
ton, due In Wheeling at 1t:10 a. m,
drawn by engine No. 1913. The train
was moving at n speed of about 20
miles an hour. The engine left the
track without any warning. struck the
side of an embankment and turned
over.
Behind was the baggage car, n COM
bined car, and two coaches crowded
with passengers. The coaches left the
tracks. and ran along the rails. For
tunately they were not teleseoped. Elk
perienced railroad men say that the es-
cape of the passengers was little short
of remarkable. Not one of them was
| seriously hurt, several being slightly
| burned. or cut by flying glass.
The sudden stop and jar threw the
passengers together, and caused al
most a, panic for a time. but all got
| out of the coaches without any ass.s-
| lance, and before they were burned.
The burning engine ignited the ears
In the rear, and II was not long until
all were a mass of flames, burning
| fercely until they were entirely con
sumed. A search was at once made FOR
| engineer Slower, who was found un-
der the engine. His clothing was
burned off, and the flesh upon his body
was literally burned to a crisp. He
was dead when found, and his features
were almost unacceptable.
Fireman Marlowe was beneath the
engine cab, pinned to the ground. and
In the midst of escaping steam, which
was scalding him. He was alive
when taken out, and was removed to
a house nearby where medical aid was
summoned. but he died within a short
time.
Baggage master Riley and postal
| clerk Ross were at work in their cars,
and were badly shaken up, but they
got out and worked with the wreck
until both were almost exhausted.
A wreck crew was sent out from
Cameron, and succeeded In having the
track cleared within a few hours. An
other train was sent out for the passen-
gers. many Of whom were en- route to
the State Fair and the G. A. II. en-
campment. The special brought them
to Wheeling at 800 p. M, and the body
of engineer Slower was Gr0u6ht back
on the same train. The remains OF
fireman Marlowe were brought in on
No. II, arriving at 4:50 p. m.
The news Of the accident caused con-
siderable excitement in this city, and
wild rumors were circulated as usual.
Railroad employees felt depressed over
the news that two very popular en-
ployes had given up their lives.
The Victims.
Engineer NJ. b. Slower was mi Of the
best known and most popular rail-
road men in this section of the country.
He was about SIS years of age, and is
survived by a wife. He has been in the
b. & o. service for many years. He
was a resident of Wheeling. until
about ten years ago, since which time
he has made his home in McMechen.
About 1875. Mr.. Slower, together
with Matt Carpenter, Edward Dwyer
and James Askew, all engineers, Joined
Wheeling Union Chapter of Masons.
All were close friends, and all have
lost their lives in accidents in the Or
der named. Carpenter died with his
hand on the throttle of his engine, and
when found had not a mark upon him.
Fireman Marlowe was about rs years
Of age,a and was married. He was also
we'll known for a man of his years,
and held in high esteem.
Resolutions of