Connellsville, Pennsylvania

Train Wreck

March 1, 1907

ONE KILLED, 40 INJURED

Passengers in Wreck See Engineer Die in Fire.

DERAILED COACHES BURNED

Fireman Fatally and Ten Persons Seriously Hurt—Had Plunge Been to Right of Track Instead of Left Coaches Would Have Gone Over 50-foot Embankment Into Creek.

Connellsville, Pa., Feb. 28.—Baltimore and Ohio train No. 14, westbound, running eighteen minutes late and forty miles an hour, was wrecked to-night near Indian Creek, seven miles east of here. The entire train, consisting of a combination smoking and baggage car, two day coaches, and the private car of Robert J. Finney, superintendent of the Pittsburg division of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, left the rails and, after running for 200 feet along the ties, was thrown into a ditch at the foot of the mountains, where the wreckage was completely burned. Had the train gone over the side, it would have plunged down a fifty-foot embankment into the water.

The engineer was killed, the fireman fatally injured, and the baggagemaster, express messenger, conductor, and thirty-seven passengers injured seriously.

Wylie Irwin, Pittsburg, Pa., the engineer, was caught under the wrecked engine and burned to death before the eyes of the passengers, who were powerless to liberate him.

Fireman Fatally Hurt.

The seriously injured:
T. D. Frederick, Pittsburg, fireman; fatally.
P. R. Burton, Pittsburg, baggagemaster
J. M. Smith, Cumberland, Md., express messenger
Thomas McGovern, Pittsburg, conductor.
C. S. Shipley, Charleroi, Pa.
B. O. Hull, Garrettsville, Ohio.
Mrs. J. W. Tissue, Morgantown, W. Va.
J. A. Roman, Baltimore
Miss Jessie Cochran, Dawson, Pa
A. Lape, Dawson, Pa.

There were forty-one passengers on the train, including a party of Baltimore and Ohio Railroad officials, who were on a tour of inspection. When the train was three miles east of Indian Creek the engineer began to speed in an endeavor to make up eighteen minutes lost early in the trip. The train was making about forty miles an hour.

Train Leaves the Rails.

Suddenly the whole train swayed and, with much jarring and cracking, left the rails. Fortunately, the train took a course northwest from the track, and after running over 100 feet along the ties, plunged into a ditch at the foot of the mountains. The four cars piled in a heap almost directly over the engine. The passengers were thrown and tossed about like packages. Screaming and fighting desperately, they managed to break the windows of the cars and gain places of safety just as all the cars became ignited from the engine and commenced to burn fiercely. Within a few seconds all had gotten out. While they stood about in a dazed condition, hardly realizing their miraculous escape, they were attracted by the cries of Engineer Irwin. Several of the passengers, accompanied by Supt. Finney and the other railroad officials, ran to the engineer’s rescue. Their efforts were accelerated by Irwin’s pathetic pleading, and every possible attempt was made to liberate the engineer, who was tightly wedged under the wrecked engine, but without success.

Flames Reach Doomed Man

The flames quickly burned their way toward the doomed man, and soon it was apparent that he would be cremated.

Within a short time the flames reached the engineer. There were a few piercing screams and it was all over.

Relief trains were dispatched from this city, and the injured brought to the hospitals here.

Train 49 is the Cumberland-Pittsburg accommodation, leaving Cumberland at 3 p.m. It was due here at 6.30. The wreck occurred shortly after 6 o’clock.

Regarding the cause of the wreck Supt. Finney said:

“The wreck was caused by some part of the engine mechanism becoming loosened and dropping to the track, throwing the train from the rails. It would be hard to prove this now, as everything is broken or burned.

“It was the most remarkable wreck I have ever known. It is even more marvelous than the wreck of the Pennsylvania special at Mineral Point, Pa., last Saturday morning. Had the train taken a southwest course after leaving the rails it would have gone over a fifty-foot embankment.”

The Washington Post, Washington, DC 1 Mar 1907

Transcribed by Dorcas Moseley. Thanks Dorcas!

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