The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-12-30

mia officials u the accident. Relief
trains with surgeons and wrecking cars
were on their way to the scene from
both ends of the division in the shortest
possible time. While they were steam
ing at ereate2t speed. the VIC k of rescue
was carried on ty the u%ninjured pas
sengers. They delved into the heap of
debris and guided by the means n
cries found tn. sufferers. pried n
chopped them out ana carried them to
the two Pullman cars which were trans
formed into temporary hospitals.
Tenderly the wounded forms were
carried to the nOspitai cars and given
what attention vas possible before the
surgeons arrived. There was scarcely
any water to be had and the unIe
nurses melted quantities of snow with
which they Stacked the ~feverish thirst
OF the stuff ering. The surgeons on board
the wrecking train from Sarnia were tn
first to reach the scene. They fastened
around the wrerk through a snow COW
cred field to the temporary hospital and
hogan making emergency dressings OF
the most seriou; wounds The men OF
the w~recking cIaw o up the work OF
rescue. With their appliances they
were able to penetrate deeper into the
tangle Of the wood and steel and extract
those whom the passengers had been
unable to reach. While they were at
work, the wrecking train arrived from
London with surgeons. AS soCh as t
was positively known that all the in
jured had been found an engine was
coupled to the hospital Pullman and
the pitiful journey to London forty
miles away was begun.
OpiateS were administered to lessen
the agonies, and aggravated as they
were by the unavoidable Earring and
jerking of the car. AS soon as news of
the wreck was received in London, the
Grand Trunk officials began arrange
ments for caring for the injured at
Victoria hospital on South street. The
tracks of the Detroit n Lake Erie
railroad are within a block and a half
from the hospital and the hospital car
was transferred to them and u as
closely as possible to the hospital.
Twenty extemporized ambulances were
in waiting. Strong arms carried the
wounded and torn people tenderly out
of the car and they were hurried to the
hospital. 1t was $50 o'clock when they
to bed, temporarily awaiting examina-
ton and surgical treatment. Until
noon the surgeons worked over them.
When the second Pullman car arrived
in the city at 10 o'clock it was met with
undertakerS wagons instead of ambu
lances. Twenty five bodies were in the
berths beside closed curtains. The dead
| lOTInS were pldC'u Ill COllllS III tlS llSue
| sheds and then removed to the morgue
where the WORK of Identification was
begun. At 10 o'clock tonight only one
unclaimed and unknown body still re-
manned at the Ferguson morgue.
Tonight at Watford, DR.. A. E.. Har-
vey, county oroner, ~impaneled a jury
to investigate the wreck n decide il
possible on it's cause. After electing a
foreman. the Jury adjourned until Mon.
day, When the Investigation will be be-
gun. Up to a la:e hour tonight, Andrew
i Carson the operator aC Watford, whose
mistake Train Master Price. says
caused the wreck. had not been placed
under arrest.
Conductor McAuliffe, of the expires:
said today that the freight train crew
had opened the Wanstead switch anC
the train had started 20 move into i
when the collision occurred. A minute
or two more aQd the freight train wou.t
nave been safely side-tracked. Train
master Price says that $40, 600 will cove
the loss to rolling stock and equipment
The line was cleared soon after moor
and tonight the shell of the bag
gage car lies on one side Of thu
track, surrounded by the w~reckage o
the teiescoped day coach On the othe
side, the two engines are piled in j;
I heap.