The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-10-04
ANOTHER RAIL HORROR.
Eight Killed and Score Injured in
Crash of Express and Freight on
Baltimore and ohio.

Eight men were killed, four fatally
injured and seventeen more or less
injured late Saturday when the Chi
cago and Wheeling express train No.
IA, on the Baltimore and Ohio rail
road, was wrecked in the yards at
Bellaire, Ohio. A freight train had
just taken a s!diag for the express.
The passenger train. however, failed
to pass over the switch and crashed
into the freight
The wreck was due, it is said, to
the failure Of an operator to throw
a switch. The west-bound freight had
received orders to meet the passenger
at the limits Of the Bellaire yard, and
was moving slowly along the siding,
At the point where the wreck occur
red there is very sharp curve, which
prevents the engineers of the east
bound trains from seeing more than a
few feet ahead.
The passenger train swung around
the curve very rapidly, being three
hours late, and should have gone on
In safety on the main line. The switch
to the siding, however, had not been
turned, and the train shot on to the
siding and into the freight. There was
scarcely time to apply the brakes, and
no time for the enginemen to jump.
The two big engines were reduced to
Junk by the impact, but the worst
damage was done to the smoker, which
was telescoped so completely by the
baggage car that every seat was
thrown out OF the coach. Every occu'
pant Of the smoker was badly injured.
The passengers in the other dag
coach and the two Pullman cars were
tumbled from their seats. but not Sc
riously injured.
Engineer Galbraith was burned to
crisp by escaping steam. The injured
were taken to the Glendale, West Vir'
ginia, and Bellaire hospitals.
General Manager Fitzgerald, who
was in the neighborhood on an In
spection tour, and General Superin'
tendent w. c. Loree of Wheeling per
sonally superintended the rescue work
Great difficulty was experienced in re-
moving the injured passengers from
the wrecked smoker. Work was SLOW
because every movement Of the debris
caused someone to shrek with pain
as the victims were sntangled in q
mass of timbers and twisted irons.
Among the passengers on the wreck.
ed train were the members OF Richard
Carries Spring Chicken" comic opera,
which was to have played at Wheel
ing Saturday afternoon and evening
All the members OF the company es.
capped serious injury except Alfred
Bobby, the musical director. 1t was
found necessary to amputate his right
arm, thus ending his career in his
profession. He was riding in the smo'
ker, and was found with heavy tim
Der binding him by the arms.
AT the Office Of Superintendent Lores
1t was said that they were not yet
certain which operator is to blame for
the accident, but a thorough investi'
cation was under way
A curious feature of the wreck Is
that the baggage car and the smoker
were the only cars on the passenger
train damaged.
Engineer II. A. Llpscomb, on the
passenger train, underwent probably
the most heroic surgical operation in
modern times. Caught beneath his en-
CINE. it was found impossible to re-
move the broken iron from his body
on account Of the way in which one
Of his legs was entangled. Escaping
steam across his face made it impos-
sibla to administer an anaesthetic and
as a result physicians amputated the
leg as he lay there conscious. 1t is /
feared that he will die.
Thanksgiving services were held
Saturday night by eveT member OF
"The Spring Chicken company Of Is
people. from Richard earle himself
down to the humblest chorus man.