Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-23

cut from under the mass of wreckaSc
that they could not even reveal their
own identity. Search or their effects
furnished the means for Identifying
them.
The eastern general superintendent.
j. c. Moon. of the Lake Shore, gave
out the following statement:
So far as can be learned, the switch
was opered and left open by some
party unknown, probably crank and
evidently for malicious purposes. Train
No. TO- Il fast dashboard train, passed
through the same switch As minutes
ahead of No. &c and 1t was all right at
that time. 1t is positive that no other
train or engine, either freight or pas
senger passed through the switch be-
tween No. 10 and No. 70.
Travelling at Il rate Of more than Il
mile IL minute, the heavy train was
hurled to it's doom with Il momentum
that was appalling. The switch that
caused the trouble Is located about 100
yards west of the Mentor depot. AS
the heavy engine struck the switch it
| left the main track and swung violent
| ly to the left.
For distance of 20 yards the engine
ran on the rails and then leapiny from
the track turned on it's side just to the
east of the depot. Tho heavy tender
was hurled entirely over the engine ana
was buried in the depot. The COM
bination car was hurled with terrific
violence on top of the engine and ten
der and in moment was enveloped i'll
flames from the engine.
The Chicago sleeper, Immediately DO
mind the combination car, crashed into
the depot which collapsed On top OF the
coach. The passengers in this car were
crushed and manned and then conf
pletely buried in the debris.
The next sleeper following left the
track and remained upright. A moment
after the crash of the wreck the boiler
of the great engine burst with terrihc
force, scattering fire and steam in Il
manner that made escape for the I'M
prsOned passengers impossible. Inc
combination car was at once envelopei
| in flames and steam The cries of the
passengers were heard tor II moment
above the awful roar but they were be-
yond all aid and the car tccame a fun
eral pyrc.
More than a score of physicians from
Cleveland, Collinwood, Ashtabula and
gainesville hurried to the scene. After
| they had treated the injured, the latter
were placed aboard a special train and
brought to this city where they We're
hurried in ambulanceS to the several
hospitals.
The scene after the wreck was one
that bcgEars description.
Save for the light from the blazing
wreckage there was no light on the
scene. There was a small water supply
and the means at hand for fighting the
flames were slight, but the zeal of the
rcscucrS wrought great things i'll the
first few minutes. Several persons were
bragg from the jaws of terrible
death. Then the flames gradually drove
| the rcSCuers back and after 10 minutes
of awful battle those remaining in the
WrcckaGe were incinerated. The fire
burned until after midnight when it
was finally extinguished by the depart
mcnt, but the last blackened corpscs
was not recovered until O'Clock.
Meanwhile passengers and trainmen
/
berths of the four Pullman coaches and
did all they could to succor the injured.
The bodies of some were in such con-
dition as to make identification impos-
siblc. The clothing was burned from
some bodies. The bodies We're placed on
| IL special train and hurried to Cleve-
land.
At o'clock the body taken from the
wreck was thought to be that of New
| ton Walters of Hamburg, n. Y, who
WIS baggagemaster of the train. The
identification was not complete.
Arthur L. johnson, of COmcy & John
son, Cleveland manufacturers. was a
passenger on the train and was riding
i'm the smoker at the time of the wreck
and with n companion is believed to
have persisted.
The wreck occurred close to the sum-
mcr home of Horace Andrews. presi-
dent of the Cleveland Electric Railway
Go. One of the fatally injured was his
| life long friend and bosom companion
| G. II. Welnan. Knowing that he was
near the home of his friend. Welman
called fccbly for Mr.. Andrews. BY
ISLANDERS learned of the wish and they
hurricdly carried it out. Mr.. Andrews
was led to the spot where Welman lay
| in agony.
KTeclins by the side of the sufferer
he spoke a few words Of comfort.
I'm terribly hurt, Horace" whis-
pered Wclman.
'Yes; I'm dying. So I want you to
/ take this message to my wife"
Doctors. nurses and bystanders I'M
consciously turned away for a moment
Will" the last tender words were ut
tered.
While there is no reason known why
any one should tamper with the switch,
the officials do not believe the accident
could have taken place with the switch
properly set and in position. The train
was making IS miles an hour when the
accident occurred according to the fire.
man. Aaron Gorham of Norfolk, VIII
miracuiously escaped death and was
brought to the Cleveland general hos
rital eve were speeding like the
wind" said he. "when the engine left
the track. 1t occurred so quickly that 1
little knew what happened until we
crashed into the Mentor freight house
The engine overturned and somehow the