New-York tribune., 1903-04-13
SEVERAL DEAD In WRECK
TRAIN CREWS KILLED.
Freight DriUer Disobeys Orders
Thought to Haze Been Insane.

II Il
Halifax. N s. April 12-Four persons dead
ruo fatally hurt at least one missing and sew
eral others slightly injured. is the record of a
head-on collision the Intercolonial Railway,
which occurred just before midnight last night
near windsor Junction. seventeen miles from
Halifax The wreck prostrated the poles and
telegraph lines along the roadside. and cut this
city of from communication with the outside
world for hours.
The trains that were in collision the
Canadian Pacific Railway express. No. &C. from
Montreal for Halifax, and fast freight from
Halifax for Montreal. The conductor and driver
Of the freight had orders to take the siding at
windsor Junction and let the express pass, but
for some unknown reason Copeland. driver Of
the freight ran past the junction on the main
line and met the express without an instant's
warning two miles beyond. The freight was
running twenty five miles an hour, and the
press two hours late and travelling about
forty-fve miles hour at the time Of the COL
lision. William Wall and Michael Oakley. driver
and fireman Of the express; Hill, the fireman
Of the freight, and Thorp. freight brakeman,
were killed. Copeland, the freight driver, was
fatally hurt, was q tramp named McCready,
Of Antagonist.
The express consisted of postal and baggage
cars and three passenger coaches in charge OF
Conductor McClaferty. The freight was
usually heavy train Of seventy-five cars; it
N charge Of Conductor Haynes Both trains
were hauled by new and powerful locomotives,
and they crashed together level piece OF
road skirting a lake The trainmen named
above were instantly killed. The brakeman of
the freight who was killed in the cab. hav-
Ing gone forward prior to reaching Windsor
Junction. TO be in readiness to drop off the train
when Il slowed up, and open the switch let the
he si5 he Of ? he
freight was not reduced approaching the juno
ton Conductor Haynes says that he realized
that nothing short Of a miracle could prevent
collision. There bell cord to send
warning TO the driver. and the conductor Or
dered brakeman named Thompson to drop off
the rear end Of the freight and telegraph the
next station. Wellington, to hold the express
The message was too late The express sped
past wellington station the operator there
received the warning signal. He dashed out on
the platform wildly waving a lantern. but the
train disappeared down the line in the darkness.
A few minutes later the collision occurred. Soon
afterward the driver Of the express blew the
whistle once, and Immediately after the pas
sengers felt the crash and shock.
The locomotives locked together and remained
on me track The postal and baggage
went ever the ernbankment down into the lake.
TWO railway mail clerks in the postal car were
shaken up. Their car landed right side up and
began TO fill with water, but they escaped by
climbing through q window IN the roof and
wading ashore. The men in the baggage and
express car had & like experience, except that
2 heavy safe broke loose and smashed through
the side Of the car The passenger coaches were
considera bly, damaged. but remained on the
track Several passengers were thrown down
F7v the shock or cut by flying glass. The hop
ners and box cars on, the other train were scat
tered about and those nearest the engine were
crushed into kindIing wood The locomotives
ara one mass Of metallic debris, in which to-
night could he seen the half burned body of
Hill fireman of the freight. 1t may be neces-
sarv to dismember the body to extricate 1t.
Wall the driver of the express. lived for some
minutes after the collision but he was firmly
caught in the mass of twisted iron and was
scalded 10 death by escaping steam. Oakley,
the fireman, was thrown or jumped from the
cab and was drowned in the lake. where his
body was found in six feet of water. Hill was
burned 10 death, and the brakeman. Thorp was
killed outright. Another brakeman OF the
freight train is missing and the lake is being
dragged for his body.
a coroner's jury has been empanelled to IN
vestigate the accident There is no one who can
tell why the driver, Copeland. disobeyed the
orders received in Halifax and ran past Windsor
Junction The semaphore was also against him
at the Junction The wreck still blocks the road
II the mean time passengers arriving at the
scene on other trains are transferred past the
wreck by boats on the lake, and are forwarded
10 their destination by trains in waiting on the
other side The engine crews were all veterans
and knew every inch Of the road. Copeland had
q reputation on fast running, but had never
had 2 charge Of an accident against him 10
disobey orders, as he is alleged TO have done IN
This instance, is held by railway olIclaLS 70 lIul
ra-a rFar his mind was temporarily unbalanced
and that the fast freight left Halifax with
nadman at the throttle.
! Price general superintendent of the In
tarrolonfal accompanied by General Passenger
Agent J. N. Lyons, and other off1cials. came
from Noncton, to the scene OF the coiilsloh ano
beeay, an investigation into the cause Of the
disaster They stated that Copeland had re
lived explicit orders TO stop at WINDSOR Juhc.
tion. and that nobody knew better tnan ne Iid' I9
"a rasS that pofnt meant almost certain death.