The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1903-11-17
PASSENGER CRASHES
/. into Open SWITCH
ENGINEER AND FIREMAN
JUMP FOR LIFE
Latter is Scalded by
~ Steam.

Cleveland Express is Wrecked at Kent,
Engine Overturning and Two Cars
Being Smashed -Cantonians Among
Passengers Who Escaped.
Running 40 miles an hour, north
bound passenger train No. 21, known
as the Cleveland Express" ON the w.
4 L. E. railroad, ran into an open
switch in the Kent yards at noon
Sunday Engineer William Patterson,
of Cleveland, and Fireman James e.
Burris, of GAINESVILLE, formerly of Can
ton, jumped from the swiftly moving
train. Patterson escaped with slight
bruises but Burris was badly scalded
about the face by escaping steam. The
locomotive after blowing through the
ground for about rs feet, fell over on
its side. The baggage car was smash
ed and the baggageman, James Green
wood, of Cleveland, a former Canton
ian, received serious injuries to his
right knee. The front end Of the smok-
ing car was badly damaged. All the
coaches excepting the parlor car, which
was in the rear, left the track. The
passengers were badly shaken up but
none were seriously injured
Train No. q left Canton at 1885 a.
m. and wa, due at Kent at 11:45
o'clock. The siding where the accident
occurred Is just south of the Kent de-
pot and could not be seen by the engi-
Deer of the north bound train until
almost reached, owing to a curve When
Patterson felt the engine bounding oyer
the ties he instantly applied the air
brakes and with word of warning to
his fireman, jumped. He landed some
distance away from the track and after
jured. Burris was not so fortunate.
He also jumped but was burned by es-
Gaping steam from the overturned loco
motive. The application of the brakes
caused a sudden jolt. The engine
ploughed through the ground up to the
drivers and then toppled over. The
baggage car dashed headlong into a
telegraph pole, breaking it in twain,
and the car then swung around across
the main track. The smoking car
smashed into the baggage car, the two
forming "V" on the main track. The
day coach left the track but stayed on
the ties.
Throughout the accident the passen-
gers .4mained unusually cool and 1t
was not until the train was brought
to standstill that they left their
seats. Among the Cantonians on the
train were, DR.. A. c. Brant, ]. H. Had
ley, Grover Viliet and Mr. and Mrs.
w. A. Beaumont. They were conveyed
to Cleveland in a special train after
delay of about an hour
Fireman Burris was also sent to
Cleveland but later was brought to the
home of his parents, 111S East Eighth
street, Canton. His injuries are not
dangerous.
1t Is thought that the switch was
left open through the carelessness of
member OF the yard crew, which
had used the siding a short time be-
fore the accident. The officials OF the
road will make rigid Investigation
into the affair with q view to placing
the blame. Delay In traffic was avoid
ed through the use of siding in the
Kent yards. The main track is torn
up and the PROSTATE engine will not
be raised until some time today
'Wrecking crews from Cleveland and
Canton were called Immediately after
The accident and are at work clearing
up the wreckage and repairing the
damage.