The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-10-01
DISASTROUS WRECK
Eight Persons Killed and a
Score Inj0Ted
ANUNBEROF THEM FATALLY
Caused by Failure of Operator to
Throw Switch
Exnress Train on Baltimore Railroad
Crashes Into F'reight-IWo Ehsih-
es Observation-Disclosures Burned
to a Crisp-Every occupant OF
Smoker Badly Injured

wheeling. West Va, Sept, 28-
Tight men were killed and score
,riured 2. number fatally, at Bellalre'
ohio at 315 this afternoon when the
Chicago and Wheeling express tram
on the Baltimore and ONO rahlroao
crashed into a freight train which was
moving sloly on a siding
The wreck was due, it is said, to the
failure of an operator to throw the
su,;tch The west bound freight mao
received orders to meet the passenger
at the western limits of the Beliairs
ward. and was moving slowly aiohs
the siding At the point Where 'he
wreck occurred there is very snarp
curve which prevents the engineers OF
the east bound trains from seeing
more than a few feet ahead. Ihe pas
senger train swung around the curve
very rapidly, being three hours 'ate'
and should have gone on in safety on
i, Ae main line. The switch TO the slo-
ing however. had not been turned ana
tho train shot on to rhe siding ano
into the freight There was scarcel!
Time TO Apply LuC pA CIhNNo SNAAN' 49, "
for the enginemen to jump The tWC
big engines were reduced TO JUNK pS
the impact, but the worst damage was
done to the smoker which was feles
coped so completely py the baggage
car that every seat was thrown out o1
the coach.
Every occupant of the smoker wa
badly injured. The passengers in tn
other day coach and the two Pull
mans were tumbied from their seat
but not seriously injured.
Engineer Galbraith was burned t
a crisp by escaping steam. The in
iured were taken to the Glendale
West Virginia and Belliare hospitals
General Manager FITZGERALD, VIII
g2s IN the neighborhood on an In
sYectVm tour, and General Super
tendent w. G. LOree. OF Wheellnt
personally superintended the rescu
work. Great difficulty was experlene
ed in removing the injured passenger
from the wrecked smoker. Work WE
slow because every movement OF IN
debris caused some one to. Shrek Wit
pain as the victims were entangled
a mass of timbers and twisted iron
Among the passengers on the tra1
were the members of Richard Carl'
Spring Chicken comic opera whic
was to have played at Wheeling tn
afternoon and evening. All the men
bers Of the company escaped ser1o
iaSuries except Alfred Bobby. the m
sical director 1t was found necessa
to ampatate his right arm thus en-
sse his career in his profession. /
was riding IN the smoker and W
found with heavy timber tight
binding him 10y the arms.
The wrecked passenger train Il
Chicago for Pittsburg and Wheel
~ $50 last night. The train is diVid
at Chicago junction, part going
to Pittsburg by way OF Akron a
the other part coming through
Wheeling via Newark. The Wheel
end of the train consisted OF
coaches.
1sa the office of Superintend
I.o Sse tonight it was said that Il
were not yet certain which opera
is to blame for the accident bu
thorough investigation was under "
The property damage will amo
to about 100000. curious feat
Of the wreck is that the baggage
and the smoker were the only cars
the passenger train damaged.