The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-04-08
A CATASTROPHE
NARROWLY AvERTED
Passenger. Train Sped on to
Certain Destruction Pur-
sued BY PIueky Engineer
in an Old Shiftes.

With whistle screaming wildly and
the throttle open to the last notch,
q yard engine of the Wheeling and
Lake Erie road made a wild race in
pursuit of passenger train for over
two miles in an effort to save the lives
of more than hundred persons who
were threatened with destruction
through the failure of an operator to
deliye.' proper orders.
Passenger train No. "a pulled out OF
Canton Friday evening for GAINESVILLE
and was travelling south at great rate
with the certainty of crashing head-on
with northbound freight south of
Kemerly. No instructions were given
the engineer to meet the freight, but
the operator realized in moment his
in pursuit in what seemed an almost
useless endeavor to overhaul it. With
q big handicap to overtake, the yard
engine was started with leap. The
short wheels bumped over the rails
and the engine swayed like ship at
sea as the engineer pulled the throt-
tie to it's limit.
EXCITING CHASE.
Curve after curve the smaller en-
gine swung around and each time the
crew craned forward in an effort to
catch sight of the quarry. Little by
little, the pursuer gained, louder and
louder the whistle blew, until with a
sigh of relief the men on the engine
came in sight of the passenger train
and attracted attention in time to cause
the engineer in front to slow up.
There was an exchange of orders, the
two machines steamed apart, and the
horrible disaster was averted, without
the passengers having known of their
danger.
ORDERS FORGOTTEN.
Operator McDermott at the Wheel
ing yard Office forgot to deliver time
order for meeting between No. "a
and extra freight No. 152 at Kimberly,
five miles this side of Navarro, and
tic passenger train went through with
out the order which had been deliv-
cred to the freight crew at Navarro.
The passenger Is due at Kemerly at
G:04 p. m. and the order which It's
crew failed to receive should have
held It there until 6:10, giving the
freight six minutes to make the meet
ing point Otherwise the two trains
would meet in a head-on collision be-
tween Kemerly and Navarro.
REALIZED MISTAKE.
When the operator at the Canton
yard discovered his mistake the pas
senger train was flying by the office
and was through the yards on its way
to certain destruction. With presence
of mind McDermott explained the sit
uation to Yardmaster Jack DAILY. Yard
engine "a with full head of steam
was standing near and at an order
from DAILY was placed upon the main
track and sent speeding in pursuit OF
the passenger train. which had already
gained a good start.
Though the yard engine is low
wheeled and not built for speed, under
the guidance of Engineer Wise it was
sent down the track at terrific rate.
with the whistle screeching wildly to
attract the passenger engineers atten-
ton.
THROTTLE WIDE OPEN.
The chase was most thrilling one
and the yard engine tearing along with
wide-open throttle and an excited crew
straining every nerve for view of the
train ahead brought the inhabitants
along the line to wonder to their doors.
For over two miles the. terrific
speed was maintained. when some dis
tance beyond the works Of the Ameri-
can Bridge company the passenger en-
gineer caught sight of the pursuing en-
gine and realizing that something was
wrong brought his train to stand
still. The situation was quickly ex-
planned to the crew and the passenger
train was backed up to the yard, where
the order was properly acknowledged
A CHATTANOOGA DRUGGISTS
STATEMENT.