The Washington times., 1902-12-27
Fire Adds to Terror of Pas
sengers Penned in Wreck
age-Heroic Rescues by
a Brigade of Uniniured
Iravelers-The Engineer
Among Victims.
Smoking Car Telescoped by
Baggage CaTS-Few Es-
cape Death or Injury in
Demolished Coach-Ac-
cident Ascribed to Station
Agents Negligence.

HSClil LNGSllgSnCS-
LONDON. Ont. Dec. 27.-An appalling
railroad accident occurred at 1910
O'Clock last night at Wanstead. a sta
ton oD the Ssrnia branch OF the Grand
Trunk Railway. It was a head-on col
lision between the Pacific express No.
and an eastbozHd freight. Twenty
four persons are said to have been
killed and over a score injured.
The express was proceeding west at
its usual high rate OF speed The freight
was under slow beadway, and was to
nave taken the switch at wanstead to
allow the passenger train to pass. Ap-
parently neither engineer saw the dan
ger ahead in time to avoid the accident
for the two engines came together. near
the west switch with a frightfui crash.
overturning into the ditch.
The Smoker Telescoped.
The baggage anu express cars te.e-
scoped into the smoker with awful re-
suits. The wreck was complete. and II
is thought that hardly single passen-
ger in the smoker escaped injury. The
other cars Of the passenger train re-
mained on the track
As soon Al the accident oc. 1rred word
was sent TO this city. Doctors wee
soon on the scene. The work OF remov-
ing the dead was then proceeded with.
Engineer Gillies. Of Sarnia Tunnel. and
the fireman on engine $50 Of the express
are among the killed The remainder
are passengers.
The dead 50 FAR as identified arc:
H P. Lawrence. OF Watford.
Mr.. Lamont, night operator OF Wat
ford
Edward Debeau. died since being taken
to the hosnitai.
A. B. Burwell. Sarnia
Wilson Martin. Chicago.
Mrs Trotter. PetroIia.
Nicholas jeffrey, London
j. H. Brock. Bruceheld Ont
Or. Penn Warden. Grand Rapids. Mich.
Glen Ridley. Port Huron.
W. Lawrence. Sarnia.
Fireman Riggs London.
Kelly. or F. F. Freeman. Oil Springs.
or Hensar
Alex Stewart. PetroIia.
Edward BOyce. Prescott. died in hos
pitaL
Engineer GlIies.
The express consisted Of two baggage
cars. a smoker two Hrst-elass coaches.
and two Pullmans- The smoker, which
was telescope4 Sy Jne coach behind. had
the sides knocked out OF it. and the
roof STAYED in, imprisoning the pas
sengers. It was in this car that most
OF the awful havoc ana loss OF life
occurred.
The wreck, shortly after the collision,
caught fire. The heroic efforts OF
brigade Of passengers organized and led
by an old man. who was himself a pas
senger on tho train, rescued from death
those penned down In the wreck.
Fire Put Out With Snow.
This brigade put out the fire by throw
ing snow on the flames with their hands
and hats. The rescuers then turned their
efforts to getting out the wounded,
whose suHerings were increased by &
binding snowstorm, with the thermom-
eter near zero.
-AGeTA N.lNApcl to1Als OF EoFN r1lFous
Mich. was imprisoned under the wreck
two hours. but was not seriously in
jured.
The wreck was due. it is said 70 negli-
gence on the part of the station agent
at Wanstead. who is charged with fall
ing to switch the freight 10 allow the
express to pass. There is no certainty
on this point.
The express was proceeding west at fits
usual speed. The freight was under slow
headway. and was to have taken tbs
switch at Wanstead to allow the passen-
ger to pass. Apparently neither engineer
saw the danger ahead in time to avoid
the accident. for the two engines came
together near the west switch with \
frightul crash OyertUrning into the
ditch
Few Escane Tn1rfrv