Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1894, November 19 - Accident on an O A & PS construction train near Egan Estate, one killed, one injured.

From the Ottawa Journal 20 November 1894 THE WHEELS CRUSHED OVER HIM FATAL ACCIDENT IN A "STEEL TRAIN" ON THE O. A & PS. It occurred to a construction party near Eganville - an inquest on the dead, and the wounded brought to Ottawa. A very sad accident, the first with fatal results that has happened on the O, A & P S Ry, occurred yesterday near the Egan Estate Depot above Eganville. The "steel train" was conveying a gang of men from camp to work after dinner. The men were seated on the platform cars as the train moved along to the spot where the gang had been working in the forenoon. Four men were riding at the rear of the tender, sitting on the toolbox with their feet supported on the coupling of the flat car next to the tender. The roughness of the road caused the coupling pin to drop out unnoticed by the men and the engine and cars separated. The separation caused the four men to lose their balance and they tumbled off the tender. The two men nearest each side rolled off at the side of the track. The other two were not so fortunate. ON TO THE RAILS One of them fell directly on the rails, and was instantly run over and killed. The other fell between the rails underneath the train. He miraculously escaped death but received a dreadful shaking up. The name of the man killed was Wm. J. Chugg. He lived with his mother in this city on Preston Street, south of the railway bridge. The man injured, whose name is James McGowan, is also a resident of this city. E J Chamberlin, general manager of the O, A & PS Ry, from whom THE JOURNAL gleaned the particulars of the accident happened to be at the upper end of the line yesterday when the accident occurred. He arrived at the scene of the accident about four hours after it took place and at once wired to Pembroke to have the coroner, Dr. Dixon, hold an inquest. The boy [sic] of Chugg was brought down to Barry's Bay to await the coroner's arrival and a coffin was sent up in which to place the body. Mr. Chamberlain brought the injured man down to Ottawa on his special train, and on the train's arrive at the Elgin street depot the ambulance was in waiting to convey McGowan to the Protestant Hospital. BADLY SHAKEN UP. Inquiry at the hospital today finds that none of McGowan's bones were broken but he is very sore from the severe shaking up he received. Mr. Chamberlin states that this is the first fatal accident on the line since the road left Ottawa. Ottawa Citizen 21 November 1894 FELL UNDER THE CARS An Ottawa man killed on the railway work of the Parry Sound. The body of William J. Chugg, who was accidentally killed near the Egan estate, on the O., A. & P. S. Railway, on Monday, was brought to the city yesterday evening and taken to the residence of deceased mother, 117 Pamilla street, from where the funeral will take place tomorrow afternoon. Deceased leaves three brothers and a sister besides his mother to mourn his untimely demise. He was a member of the Orange Young Britons, and members of the order will attend the funeral in a body. Chugg met his death in a simple manner. He was employed on railway construction work near the Egan estate as J. R. Booth's Depot on the Madawaska, is still called, which is 24 miles beyond Barry's Bay. With others he was being taken from camp, after having had dinner, to their working place on Heald's contract. Four men including Chugg and James McGowan of this city, were sitting on the tender with their feet on the coupling of the flat car next to the tender. The coupling pin between the tender and the flatcar fell out somehow, and before they could save themselves the men were precipitated in front of the oncoming cars. Two fell outside the track, McGowan fell lengthwise in the centre and Chugg across the rails. The cars went over Chugg killing him instantly. McGowan was badly bruised but managed to escape serious injury. General manager Chamberlin hastened to the scene and had the body of Chugg taken to Barry's Bay, where an inquest was held. Late at night he brought McGowan home on his train, the city being reached early yesterday morning. McGowan was taken to the Protestant hospital, where it was learned that he had no bones broken. He will be confined to bed for some days, however.

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Updated 23 March 2022