The
passenger car in the picture
is 2nd class Pullman-built coach 300, in which most of the passengers
died, due to scalding steam from the locomotive boiler. The remaining
three (not five) passenger cars are still upright
behind the coach. The express-baggage car has run past the inverted
tender and derailed behind the photographer, without fatalities.
Although
the papers reported that eight died in this wreck, the
total subsequently appears to have risen to ten. This
was effectively the end of racing between the CPR and CAR,
although on 17 July 1901, the largest 4-4-2 Atlantic was tested
over a measured mile at 92.75 mph. However the benefits of this speed
were apparently never reflected in running time to Montreal.
It
also may have been the last service for the almost brand new
Pullman-built car 300, which, although repaired, was
apparently destroyed in the Elgin Street car shop fire of 21
March 1902 and never again appeared on the roster.
Here is a newspaper account:
Eight dead in wreck.
Ottawa Aug. 9. The
Canada Atlantic
fast
train, which should have arrived here at noon today, jumped the track
at
St. Polycarpe Junction and Fireman Geo. McCuaig and a sectionman and a
second
class passenger, whose name cannot be ascertained, were killed.
It is supposed that the train jumped the track at the switch.
Engineer Orr was slightly injured and five passengers more or less
injured.
The accident was the first since the inception of the road and General
Manager Chamberlain was at a loss to imagine the cause of it.
The track at St. Polycarpe is as level as a floor and there are no
ditches. The track is
said to be about the best piece of road on the system and is
constructed with 73 pound steel rails. The fast express from Ottawa
to Montreal, which leaves the Central Depot at 8.40 passed over
the same track ten minutes before the ill fated express, crossing the
Montreal train at Coteau Junction.
The wreck train left Montreal at 9.40 o'clock and was due at Ottawa at
12.10. It was the fast express and was made up of a baggage
car,
a second class, a first class, two parlour cars, a sleeper and the
Intercolonial parlour car.
Five of the cars left the track, the Intercolonial car and the sleeper
being the two rear cars remained on the rails.
So far as learned, the baggage car, the second class and the engine
were piled together in a heap. All the passengers that were
injured were in the
second class car.
The news spread around town with wonderful rapidity, and the most
exaggerated reports were prevalent.
Hundreds of people kept the telephones ringing and called at the
station to get news.
Friends of the excursionists, who went to Ste. Ann de Beaupre, were
especially anxious as it was
feared that some of the victims were on the train.
The special train with pilgrims to
Ste. Anne de Beaupre was shortly behind the regular at the
time of the wreck. It was due about two o'clock, but
it will not likely reach here before six o'clock.
Within an hour after the wreck, six doctors were on the scene attending
to the injured.
As the news of the accident spread
around the city people flocked down to the Central Depot
to await the arrival of the special train sent out to convey the
passengers to the city. Many had friends on board and were
extremely anxious to hear whatever news was going. Very
little
satisfactory, however, could be obtained, as the operators
at the wires were, according to the rules, forbidden to impart any
information.
The killed so far as identified are O'Connor, Rochleau and Roach.
Later - the identified so far are:
Joseph Rochleau and daughter, of Champlain Street, Montreal.
Ned
Stairs, Ottawa. Wilson O'Connor, Ottawa.
The fatally injured are Nellie Ryan, Aridget Ryan and Ellen McDougall
of Maniwaki and Mrs. Jos Rochleau of Montreal.
Most of the dead and injured were pilgrims returning from Ste. Anne de
Beaupre.
Ottawa Citizen 9 August 1899
C.A R. FAST EXPRESS JUMPS THE TRACK
Five People Are Dead and Three Injured as a Result of a Wreck at St Polycarpe.
Two Were Instantly Killed and Three Died Shortly After Being Taken From the Wreck.
The Dead.
GEORGE McCUAIG, fireman, Ottawa East.
EDWARD STARRS. Bay street, Ottawa.
WILSON O'CONNOR, in company with Starrs.
JOSEPH ROCHETEAU, Champlain street, Montreal.
MISS ROCHETEAU. Champlain street, Montreal.
The Injured,
ELLEN MeDOUGALL, Maniwaki, burned, will recover.
ELLEN RYAN, Maniwaki, burned, hands and face.
BRIDGET RYAN, Maniwaki, burned.
The above is a list of the dead and injured in an appalling accident which occurred on the Canada Atlantic railway this morning.
The
express train leaving Montreal at 9.40 and due in Ottawa at 12.10,
jumped the track at St. Polycarpe, near Coteau, with the above painful
result.
George McCuaig, of Canal road, Ottawa East, locomotive
fireman, was crushed to death beneath his engine, and one of the
passengers killed outright. Three other passengers died shortly
after the accident.
The train was composed of an engine, baggage
car, second class car, one first class car, two parlor cars and an
I.C.R. coach and a sleeper. Only the last two cars remained on the
track the others being piled in the wreck.
The train was a through
express and one of the fastest run by the road. It left Montreal as
usual at 9.40 this morning with a heavy passenger list including, it is
presumed, several Ottawa people. It was in charge of Conductor James
Clark. The other hands were Engineer Robert Orr, George McCuaig,
fireman; Jno. Clarke, brakeman; Wm. A. McQuestion, baggageman, and
Alexander Milne, express agent. The engineer was only slightly injured,
while, with the exception of McCuaig, the other train hands were
fortunate enough to escape.
The part of the road where the
accident happened is perfectly level, without ditches, and covered with
72 pound rails. Ten minutes before the accident occurred the express
which left Ottawa at 8.45 this morning passed over the spot.
Only
meagre details were obtainable this afternoon, and officials of the
road here are unable to account for the most fearful calamity that has
ever happened on their line.
In addition to the wrecking train
from Ottawa, two crews were ordered out from Coteau and the line is
expected to be cleared in a few hours. The passengers, as well as those
injured, will be brought to Ottawa as soon as possible.
Six doctors were on hand from the neighborhood.
The Dead Fireman.
George
McCuaig. the fireman killed at St. Polycarpe this morning, was a young
man about twenty-two years of age. He resided on the canal road, Ottawa
East, and is a son of Mr. McCuaig. employed with Bryson, Graham &
Co. He had been employed on the road as fireman for over a year and was
a steady and industrious young man. McCuaig left Ottawa at 4.20 last
night.
News of young McCuaig'a death was quickly conveyed to his parents, who were nearly hysterical with grief over the shocking new.
Edward
Starrs, one of the victims ot the wreck, was an express man residing
with his mother, Mr. Mary Starrs, at 259 Bay street. He had been out of
the city for a few days and was returning home from a vacation.
Wrecking Train Sent.
As
soon as intelligence of the accident was received a wrecking train was
quickly made up and left for the scene of the disaster, followed
immediately by a number of passenger cars to convey the injured and
others to Ottawa. Dr. Powell was quickly summoned and went to St.
Polycarpe at 11.30 a.m. in company with Mr. Morley Donaldson,
superintendent of the road; J. E. Walsh, passenger agent, and Mr. F. H.
Chrysler, the company's solicitor.
Passed Over the Switch.
The
crew of the Boston express, due In Ottawa at 11.20 a.m. and which left
Montreal 90 minutes ahead of the wrecked train, knew nothing of the
disaster till their train arrived in Ottawa. Everything was in good
shape when this train passed through St. Polycarpe Junction. The
junction had recently been fitted with a new style of switch, which
heretofore had given entire satisfaction.
Returning From the Shrine
The
list of passengers included several pilgrims returning from Ste. Anne
de Beaupre, who went on the excursion from Ottawa to that place on
Monday. None of these, as far as can be learned, were injured. Every
one on the train was more or less severely shaken up. but the above is
an accurate list of the dead or those who sustained injuries of any
account.
How It Happened
The accident, it is said, was due to the
switch being open, and again it is supposed the cause was the spreading
of the rails or a broken rail. As yet no word has been received from
the wrecking train sent to he scene of the disaster.
The train
with the dead and injured and the passengers is expected to arrive in
Ottawa at 5.30 this afternoin. Until then full details of the accident
and how it happened cannot be obtainable.
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