Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-14
Oars Wiped out Of Existence by
Fire.
TRAIN GETS AWAY FROM ENGINEER
Rushes Down Mountain Side at Rate
of seventy-Five Miles an Hour and
Finally Lands in Heap in the
Ditch.
Washington bureau of the Courier.

washington bureau OF the Courier.
Washington, Jan. 11-That Senator
Dolliver is today visible in the
flesh is attributable to an apparent
dispensation of Providence, amounting
almost to a miracle. That he stands
at the threshold of the new and high
er sphere of public usefulness, about
to receive well-deserved and appreciat-
ed honors at the hands of the people
of Iowa, through their representatives,
rather than having been brought to
Iowa as the subject for the final honors
of earth, was the result of a combina-
ton Of fortunate circumstances such
as would not occur once in a thousand
times.
DoIliver Passenger.
Senator Dolliver was passenger up
on the B & o train New Years day
which was wrecked and then complete
ly wiped out of existence by fire near
Glencoe, Pa. about $50 miles west of
Washington. The story of this wreck
which probably equals if not surpasses
anything in the accident line In the
history of railroading in America, is
sufficiently hair-raising to cause the
average man to take to the ties.
Occurs in Mountains.
The accident occurred in the noun
tains twenty miles west of Cumber-
land, about noon. 1t was noticed by
the passengers that the speed of the
train increased rapidly until the pace
was something appalling. The heavy
train, consisting of seven coaches, was
tearing around curves and through de-
files at speed Of seventy-five miles
per hour The train crew were fran
tic passengers could see them rushing
about endeavoring to discover the
cause of the frightful pace under such
conditions, and seeking to hold up the
train. 1t was. learned that in some
manner the locomotive had taken the
bit in its mouth and that the engineer
had lose control.
Jumps from Rails.
For miles the route lay close up to
4 the ragged sides of the mountains, with
out an opening. On down grade,
with the mad pace increasing. a clear
space could be seen ahead at the point
Of sharp curve. AS the reading ma,
chine struck the bend, like live in.
sane thing, glad of a chance to breathe
it jumped from the rails and plunged
over the embankment, thee terrific
force of the rush being sufficient to
carry the huge mass some distance.
This was fortunate circumstance mum.
Der one. The baggage car left the
track and struck the engine broadside
there being left but mass of kindling
The mail coach followed close after
it's fate being but little less violent
The entire train had left the rail and
was blowing along the right-of-W the
forward smoker and day coach ct
ing the partially annihilated mail /
piled up in such way as to affol :
partial buffer, the impact being S,
cient to shove along the entire ma
In this way the last three coaches,ta
sleepers and Pullman observation
car were brought to stop right side
up, within a train length. 1t was a
violently sudden stop, yet not sufh
icently abrupt to telescope the coaches
Valley Filled With Steam.
The engine was roaring, kissing
mass Of iron, hot water and steam