The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-07-12
FATAL HEAD-ON COLLISION
Worst Accident in History Of West
ern Maryland Railroad.
Over a Score of Train Hands Killed and
as Many More G~rierous1y Injured-
Cause: Disobedience of Orders.

Baltimore, Md.-By far the worst
wreck in the history of the Western
Maryland Railroad occurred at a point
about a quarter of a mile from Pataps-
co, a small station between Westmins-
ter and Finksburg. The death roll now
foots up twenty-three, anG this number
is likely to be increased from among
the list CT those %grievously injured.
About twenty persons were badly hurt.
The identified dead are: George b.
Covell, of Hagerstown, engine driver
on passenger train; Shoemaker, of
Hagerstown, fireman on passenger
train; john Grouse, of T~lneytoWn,
Md, engine driver of one OF the frelgnt
engines; - Dorr, conductor of freight
train; James erosion. Charles Kelly,
William Sweeny, Mcclellan Sweeny.
Frank Sweeny. Harry Sweeny, Charles
r.. Miller, all of Thurmond, Nd, and
Guy Linn, of M%iddleburg, Md.
All the dead were employees of the
railroad, returning to their homes in
the small towns to spend Sunday.
With the exception of the train crews
they had been at work repairing the
damage done to the roadbed ten days
ago by 4 minor freight wreck at Mount
Hope station near this city.
The passenger train, west bound.
carried a large number of passengers,
| all the cars being filed. Consequently
as many of the workmen as could do
so went into the baggage car, the re-
! mainder of the gang finding places on
the platforms between the baggage
and mail cars.
In the neighborhood Of P%atapsco sta
ton the Western Maryland has many
curves, and just west Of the bridge
crossing the Patapsco River is one. A
freight train, made up Of heavy coal
and provision cars, vas running east.
1t should have taken q siding to allow
the passenger train to pass Why the
orders to this effect were discegarded
cannot be learned, for all who should
have seen that they were obeyed are
dead.
The passenger train vas running at
q speed of thirty miles an hour, and
the freight trai was making good
time, with it's two engines. Just west
Of the bridge they came together with
terrific force. The three engines were
piled one upon another, but in such a
manner that sufficient steam connec.
tons were broken to relieve the boil
ers, and thus prevent explosions.
The impact drove the passenger en-.
CINE tender into the baggage car, and
demolished it and the mail car. Those
who had been in the baggage car and
on the engines were pinioned in the
wreckage out Of immediate reach. The
damage to the other cars of the passel.
ger train was confined almost entirely
to broken windows and doors and the
injuries to their occupants to bruises
and minor cuts.
Shrieks from the injured quickly
brought to the scene the inhabitants
of all the f%armhouses within a consid-
cradle radius, and these Immediately
set to work to do what they could.
Farmers wives and their daughters
made bandages of their clothing and
household linen and worked heroically.
Some physicians who had been passen.
gers on the wrecked train directed
their efforts.
A messenger was hurried to the near
est telegraph station to summon help
from Westminster. All the physicians
in the town were gathered at the sta.
ton when the fast mail from Blue
Ridge Summit. bound for Baltimore,
pulled in. The passengers left the
cars, the medical men hurried aboard,
| and the train made record time to the
| scene of the wreck. Another relief
train ran from Baltimore, bearing more
| physicians and supplies.