The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1905-06-27
NINETEEN LIVES LOST
In the Wreck of the Twentieth Century Limited at
Mentor Stories Told by Survivors. s.--Pr0b-
ing Mystery of Accident.
ROAD ABANDONSl8-H HOUR SCHEDULE

" uO VII VIII ~ - u
criminal tampering with this switch.
p. B. Carr, the man whose duty II
is to place the light, AYERS it was
burning when he placed it in posi-
ton. The safe passage of train TO-
just As minutes before the Twenti
eth Century testifies that the switch
was closed at that time.
The railroad men on duty in the
vicinity are positive that the east
bound track was not used after this
train passed until the flyer came.
The work of clearing the wreckage
vas completed by noon.
Thousands of sightseers from
Cleveland, Painesville, Willoughby
and other neighboring towns, made
holiday at the scene of the wreck.
The railroad had big gang of men at
work raking the ashes and searching
! the wreckage for valuable articles
from the bodies or luggage of vic.
! Tins. Many watches and a quantity
of jewelry, much damaged by the
heat were recovered. In spite of the
efforts of the railroad detectives to
, keep the crowd back, the searchers
were much bothered by the attempts
of sightseers to steal bits of wreck
| age or more valuable articles for sou
venirs.
The currency recovered amounted
to about $4,000.
On the train were a dozen sacks or
more of foreign mail which was very
important. This has been totally de.
stroyed.
ABANDON FAST SCHEDULE.
New York, June 22.-One effect of
the fearful wreck of the Twentieth
Century limited train in Ohio last
night is the decision of the New Yorl;
Central officials to Immediately re-
sumo the 20-hour schedule abandoned
when the present 1S-hour train was
put in service. The officials. declare
however, that the wreck was in no
way due to the speed of the train
and they go back from Is to 20 hours
because such action is considered
conducive to greater safety. The Of
fetal announcement as made tonight
is as follows:
New York, June 22.
"To the Press and public: Since
the sad accident which has happened
on the Lake Shore railroad | have
had consultation with the operating
department officials who have ex.
planned that the accident was caused
by a misplaced switch and was not
due to the speed of the train and
they assure me that the present
schedule can be safely and easily
maintained. While | agree with the
operating officials that there is no
physical reason why the schedule
should not be continued nevertheless
in my judgment the time of the Twen-
tieth Century limited should be re-
stored to 20 hours and it will be done
at once.
Until the new schedule can be
arranged the Twentieth Century lin
tied will leave New York at $3.50 and
Chicago at 2:30 p. m, as at present
running on a 20-hour schedule and ar.
irving at both terminals two hours
later than at present.
(Signed) "W. H. Newman, Presi.
dent N. Y. C. & II. r. r. and L. S. &
NJ. S. r. r."
About 20 passengers who were on
the Twentieth Century limited when
it was wrecked, at Mentor, reached
the Grand Central station this even
ing on the first section of the South.
western limited which was nearly
three hours late All Of them shower
the effects of the experience they
passed through and several described
the awful scenes which followed the
ditching of the flyer and the subs2-
quent fire in the coaches. One of the
passengers who arrived on the limit
ed was William Barclay Parsons, tho
engineer who built the New York
subway. Mr. Parsons had narrow
escape from death in the wreck
When he got off the train he said he
was in too great a hurry to get home
to his family to talk at length about
his experience.
STORIES OF SURVIVORS.
"All can say is that had a very
narrow escape but got of without
scratch" he said. Il was just prepar-
ing to go to bed when the crash came.
and in an instant all was confusion.
was in the third car had left the
accommodation car only few min
utes before. With other passengers
did all could to rescue the unfor-
tunates who were pinned in the
wreck. 1t was an awful sight and
one shall never forget"