Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area



1898, June 10 - Ottawa and New York Railway work train derailed at Embrun, 4 killed.





This accident occurred before the Ottawa and New York Railway was opened to traffic.  It turned out to be the most serious accident in the entire life of the line.

Ottawa Journal  11 June 1898

Dashed Into an Open Switch
O. & N.Y. CONSTRUCTION TRAIN DERAILED AND FOUR LIVES LOST
A Terriblr Fatality on the New Line at Embrum
CONDUCTOR, FIREMAN AND TWO LABORERS BURIED IN THE WRECK
Engineer Murray Tells How the Accident Happened -  An Inquest Being Held This Afternoon - Names of the Victims

(Special to the Journal)
Russell, Ont., June 11. - Four men were instantly killed and two injured last evening in a railway accident on the Ottawa and New York railway at Embrum, four miles distant from this place, by the derailing of a gravel train.
The victims are:
W. GREENLESS. conductor, Detroit, Mich.
F. CHRYSLER, fireman, of Chrysler. Ont.
- ROMBOUGH, laborer, Newlngton. Ont.
- BROWN, laborer, Newlngton, Ont.,
Shortly after six o'clock last evening the construction train, in charge of Conductor Greenless and Engineer Murray, was approaching Embrum station, travelling at a moderate speed. Immediately after crossing the Castor river bridge, near the station, the train ran into an open switch leading to a temporary siding, with the result that the locomotive and ten cars loaded with gravel were piled in one mass of destruction, crushing out at least four lives beneath them. Twelve other cars loaded with gravel, composing the train, remained on the track.
Engineer's Story.
Engineer Murray's story of the wreck is that Greenless, Rombough; Brown, and another man were sitting together on top of a car load of gravel on the car behind the locomotive as the train neared Embrum. After crossings the bridge he noticed that the switch was open. He was then only about two hundred yards from the switch, and seeing he could not stop the train, reversed his engine and shouted to the men behind, warning them of their danger. He also told the fireman, Chrysler, to jump for his life. The fireman did so before the train reached the switch, the engineer remaining at his post till the locomotive left the track, and then jumped, escaping with slight bruises. The fireman and three men on the gravel car were buried In the wreck.
Recovering the Bodies.
Immediately the work of removing the debris with the hope that some of the victims might be rescued alive, was begun. Within a few hours the bodies of Chrysler, Rombongh and Green [sic] were found, but it was not until daybreak this morning, after the men had worked all night, that the body of Conductor Greenless was discovered.
To-day the wreck is being cleared and it is considered possible that more bodies may be found, as occasionally laborers who had formerly worked on the new road, stole a ride on the construction trains.
An Inquest
Dr. Ferguson, coroner of Cumberland, will hold an inquest at two o'clock this afternoon.
The bodies of the four victims lie in Embrum station until the coroner's jury examine them
The remains of Fireman Chrysler will be buried Monday forenoon with Masonic honors.
Two Injured.
There were eight persons on the train when the accident took place. Two men were injured, one having his hand jammed and the other his head badly out.
It is supposed that boys opened the switch in mischief.
The locomotive and cars are a complete wreck. The locomotive destroyed was No. 3.
Mrs. Greenlees, wife of the deceased conductor, is in Ottawa where she arrived only a few days ago from Detroit. The O. & N.Y. officials to-day notified her of her husband's death.
Rombough and Brown were "cable-men" on the construction train, their duty being to arrange the cable by which the gravel is unloadad from the cars.

Ottawa Citizen 11 June 1898

OPEN SWITCH
Causes a Serious Accident on O. & N.Y. Ry.
FOUR MEN WERE KILLED
The Accident Occurres Last Evening near Russell - The Casualties
IT WAS A GRAVEL TRAIN
The Engine Turned Completely Over on its Side and Ten Cars Were Piled Up

Russell, Ont., June 11. - At 6.30 last night a construction train on the New York and Ottawa railroad, with 23 cars loaded with gravel, left the track at Embrum station, supposed to have been caused by an open switch. The engine turned over on its side  and ten  cars were piled up and smashed into tinder. Four bodies were got out of the wreck, Mr. Greenleese, conductor, F. Crysler, the fireman, and Rombough and Greene, cablemen. It is not known if any more are under the wreck, which is now being removed.

Ottawa Citizen 13 June 1898

FOUR KILLED THREE INJURED
In the Accident on the O. and N. Y. Road
CAUSE, OPEN SWITCH
One of the Men Killed Had Only But Just Come To Reside in Ottawa

The new Ottawa & New York Railway has had its first accident, and it was a serious one. Shortly after 6:00 on Friday evening a train ran through an open switch and pitched down an embankment, resulting in four being instantly killed and three injured. The names of the killed are; H. M. Greenley, conductor; F Chrysler, fireman; W. Rambough, laborer, and Jas. Green, laborer.
Conductor Greenley lately moved to Ottawa from Detroit, and lived on Waverley street. He was a married man, and leaves a wife and two children. The man Rambough belonged to Newington. The death of Chrysler is particularly sad. He was once a fireman on the C.P.R. But had abandoned the work at the instance of his father, who was afraid he would get injured. The railway company, however, bought the right of way through his father's farm at Chrysler, and the young man asked for a position as fireman. His father consented, and the young man had been at his work for only a few weeks.
The train consisted of twenty flat cars loaded with gravel and was running about twenty miles an hour when the accident happened. It was making the last trip of the day on the return from the gravel pit to Longstreet. Approaching Sunburn [sic] (Embrum?) station after crossing the Castor River bridge, the train ran into an open switch leading to a temporary siding. The locomotive turned over on its side and rolled down the embankment, which is quite high at this point, dragging ten cars with it. When about two hundred yards from the switch, engineer Murray saw that it was open, and jumped from his engine and escaped with a few cuts and bruises. On the first car back of the engine conductor Greenley and Rambough were sitting, and before jumping, engineer Murray called to them to jump for their lives and reversed the engine. This, however, could not stop the train which crashed into the switch. The fireman, Chrysler jumped before the switch was reached, but too late to save his life. After the engine turned over, the cars loaded with gravel piled up on one another, burying the three men in the first car under the gravel and broken cars.
The work of clearing away the wreckage was at once begun with the hope of finding some of the men alive. In a few hours the bodies of Chrysler, Rambough and Green were found, but it was nearly morning before the body of conductor Greenley was discovered. The unfortunate men were buried under the gravel, and two or three car loads had to be shoveled away before the bodies were reached. All the bodies were badly crushed.
The injured men are Jacob Brown, Manson, Hollister, and engineer Murray. Brown's hands are badly crushed, and Hollister has an ugly scalp wound. Their condition is regarded as serious.
The bodies of the dead men were removed to Sunburn [sic] station, where they were viewed by Dr. Ferguson, of Cumberland, the coroner, and a jury. The inquest will be held later. The fireman, Chrysler, will be buried with Masonic orders today.
How the switch happened to be open is not known. The line is not regularly open for traffic, and switches are opened and closed by the train men. The train was in charge of the contractors Balch & Peppard, and the railway company is in no way responsible for the accident

Ottawa Citizen 14 June 1898

BROWN NOT KILLED
Citizen Correct When It Stated Green Was the Fourth Victim of the Big Accident.

Russell, June 13 - The accident on the N.Y. & O. Railway at the little village of St. Onge has cast a gloom over the community. A sad sight, indeed,  was that which met the eye on  visiting the scene. The corpses of the four victims were lying in the station house waiting the arrival of the coroner,
The four man killed were Mr. Greenly, the conductor; the fireman, F. Chrysler, and two of the cable gang, Wm. Rambough and a man named Green. It is supposed the accident was caused by someone tampering with the switch and not properly closing it.
Brown safe, not dead.
Brakeman E. Brown was on top of the tender. He jumped and escaped without a scratch. There were two others slightly injured. J. Brown, who was riding with the men on one of the gravel cars, received a cut on his hand and another a slight scalp wound.
As soon as Engineer Murray had regained his feet after his leap for life, and saw three of his companions dead, and could not find his conductor, too, he got a horse and drove to Russell to the nearest telegraph office wired to South Finch to Mr. Mothy, the superintendent of the road. The latter had to send eight miles for an engine and train.
The Jury.
Dr. Macdougall, of Russell, was on hand in a very short time and dressed the wounds of the injured men. He immediately telegraphed to Coroner Ferguson, of Cumberland, who arrived here at 3 p.m. and without delay empaneled a jury. The jury men were D. McDairmid, foreman; Joseph Britt, John Liney, John Rambough, G. Craig, S. Black, S. Seyen, M. Hebert, A. Latroumouille, T. Emard, O.  Nadeau, N. Lemieux.
The jury viewed the bodies of the dead, and adjourned until 6:30. p.m.
Coroner Ferguson then gave permission to remove the bodies.
They were placed in caskets by the undertaker. Mr. Balch, the contractor, had brought everything necessary from Cornwall by special train.
The Deceased
The body of Mr. F. Chrysler was taken to his father's home at Chrysler. Deceased was the only son of Ralph Chrysler, of Chrysler.
W. Rambough's body was removed to his late home at South Finch. His is a case of particular sadness, as he leaves a widow and small, helpless children. His wife had been very ill for some time, and it is feared the shock may be too much for her.
The body of Mr Green was taken to Newington. It is said he was the only support of a widowed mother. It was his first day on the gravel train. He had been loading at the pit, and was sent to replace another man.
Conductor Greenly's former home was in Minneapolis. He came here last year when the work of construction commenced, and decided to remain in Canada and take the position of conductor on a passenger train when the road would be in operation. He brought his family here in April. His wife and daughter went to Ottawa two weeks ago and rented a house on Waverly street, and intended becoming permanent residents of Ottawa. They just left him at South Finch the day before the accident, in the fond hope that he would spend the following Sunday with them in their own home at Ottawa. Instead of expected message of homecoming, it became the painful duty of their friend, Mr. G. Eddy, to break to his wife and family the news of his terrible death. He made many warm friends during his short stay in the country, and his family have their most heartfelt sympathy in their trouble.
Evidence at the Inquest.
The inquest was resumed at 6:30 p.m. in the town hall, Embrun. The jury heard the evidence of Mr. Murray, the engineer, who escaped, and the two brakemen who were on tbe train. They could not account for the accident in any way, except that the switch had been opened by some person and not properly closed again. They had passed over the road going south with an empty train about 1 1-2 hours before, and it was all right. The jury also heard Mr. F.D. Anthoney, the chief engineer of the road, who showed that the road was in good condition and well built, and the switches of tbe most modern pattern.
The brakemen testified that they were not running over twenty miles an bour.
The inquest was then adjourned, to meet in the town hall in the village of Russell next Thursday, the 16th inst., at 10 a.m.
Comment as to the cause of tbe accident would be out of place until the investigation is closed. The coroner promises a most searching investigation. So far there appears to be no blame attached to any of those in charge of the train. Engineer Murray stood bravely to his post until the last - W H.L.

From the Lanark Era 15 June 1898

Four young men were instantly killed and two injured on Friday evening in a railway accident on the Ottawa and New York railway by derailing of a gravel train four miles from Russell. The conductor, fireman and two laborers were killed.

From the Chesterville Record of  16 June 1898:

Four men killed.
Gravel train derailed with terrible results.
Accident occurred near St. Onge in Russell county.
Twenty five cars reduced to splinters.
Russell June 11.  At 6 o'clock last night a construction train on the New York and Ottawa Railroad, with 22 cars loaded with gravel, left the track at Embrun station. 
The accident is supposed to have been caused by an open switch.  The engine turned over on its side and ten cars piled up and were smashed into tinder.
Four bodies were taken out of the wreck.  They are Mr. Greenley, conductor, Mr. Crysler, fireman, and J.W. Rombough and Greenley carmen.
At 8 o'clock this morning it was impossible to say if any more are under the wreck.
Ottawa June 11.  The accident caused quite a stir around the city and was discussed on all sides, although no authentic particulars can be obtained.  The Free press sent a representative to the scene and at a late hour this morning he telephoned that the accident was most appalling  Only the four bodies had been removed from the wreck and it was not thought any others met death, although an escape after the sudden pitch in occurred would have been impossible to any on the ill-fated train.
From information received, the train was ditched by an open switch near St. Onge, which is about seven miles from Russell village.  The train was known as No. 3 and was returning from the pit to Longfield on the last run of the day at the rate of nearly 20 miles an hour.  The train consisted of an engine and 25 heavily laden cars.  Just where the switch is situated there is a steep embankment and down this the engine plunged at full steam with the unfortunate victims.  There was no chance for escape.  In a twinkling the cars crashed together and went on top of the locomotive and the poor fellows who were in the cab.  The three nearest cars were reduced to splinters and all piled up in a miscellaneous mass on top of the wrecked engine.  The scene which followed was frightful.  No assistance could be rendered the helpless ones.
Work of rescue started at once by the railway hands, but it was hours before the bodies were recovered.
The bodies of William Rombough, the cable man on the train, and Fireman Crysler were recovered about 8 o'clock but that of Conductor Greenley could not be found until 2 o'clock this morning and by that time two car loads of gravel had been shovelled away.  The man's head was badly smashed and his legs broken, Fireman Crysler's body was found near that of Rombough.  It was frightfully bruised.  A brother of Greenley's who was also on the train was hurled head first into the ditch and one of the cars crushed him.  He was killed instantly.
Engineer Murray, as the train approached the switch, notices something was wrong and quickly reversing the brakes, jumped for his life.  He escaped with a few bruises and a scalp wound.  Jacob Brown, one of the train hands, had one of his hands frightfully crushed and Manson Hollister an ugly scalp wound.  Both are in serious condition and fears are entertained for their recovery.
Greenley, a short time ago, moved from the east to Ottawa, and has a wife and two sons here. 

Crysler was a resident of Crysler and was a single man.

President Hibbard, when seen in referrence to the accident said ""I know very little of the details.  There is no telegraph office at Embrun and the nearest telephone is three miles away, so that particulars are meagre.  It appears that a construction train belonging to the contractors Messrs. Balch and Peppard was going south.  It consisted of an engine and some twenty empty flat cars.  The switch at the north end of Embrun siding had been tampered with, possibly by someone who knew very little about it.  The wheels of the engine caught in the opening, with the result that the engine was derailed and ten flat cars piled upon one another.  The cars were entirely demolished and the engine partially disabled.  Fireman Crysler of Crysler; Conductor Greenley, of Ottawa and two brakemen, whose names I do not know, were killed.  This was the contractors train, the company had nothing to do with the accident and we are in no way responsible for it.  As I said before it was purely on account of some one tampering with the switch.
An inquest into the cause of the wreck on the Ottawa and New York road was held at Embrun.  Dr. Ferguson, of Cumberland, presided as coroner, and Duncan McDiarmid was foreman of the jury.  There was quite an array of legal talent, R.A. Pringle representing the contractors, and C.H. Cline of Cornwall and C.B. Rae of Chesterville, the friends of the victims.  After hearing all the evidence the inquest was adjourned to meet again on 16th instant in the village of Russell. An order was issued for the interment of the bodies.
There was also a piece on the death of Frank Crysler, the only son of the reeve of Crysler and a description of the funeral.

Ottawa Journal 17 June 1898

SWITCHES SHOULD BE LOCKED
So Say the Coroner's Jury in the Embrum Accident
(Special to The Journal)
Cornwall, June 17. Very little new evidence was adduced at the adjourned inquest on the bodies of the four men killed last week in the O. & N.Y. accident at Embrum. The inquest was. continued yesterday at Russell, Coroner Ferguson, of Cumberland, presiding. The verdict brought in by the jury attached no particular blame to anybody, stating that the accident was caused by an open switch, but the jury recommended that the government pass legislation to compel the locking of all switches both during operation and construction of all railway lines. Mr. Balch one of the contractors, says that all trains were instructed to slow down to six miles an hour passing switches.

Ottawa Citizen 17 June 1898

A RATHER ODD VERDICT
The Jury in the Russell Accident Finds That the Deaths Were Accidental.

The adjourned inquest into the cause of the accident on the) Ottawa and New York road was held yesterday at Russell. Coroner Ferguson presided, but no new evidence was adduced. He made a lengthy and able charge to the jury, who were not long out. Tbey returned a verdict of accidental death, the switch being left open through negligence. They have addressed a memorial to the government asking that all switches on roads under construction be locked In future.
The contractor was represented by Mr. Pringle, of Cornwall, Mr. Cline, of Cornwall, acted for the Chrysler family, Mr. C. Ray, of Chesterville, for the Rambough family, and Mr. Gagnon, of Cornwall, represented the Green family. County Crown Attorney Maxville of L'Orignal was present for the crown.

Eastern Ontario Review, Vankleek Hill, Friday 17 June 1898

W. Greenless, conductor, F. Chrysler, fireman; and two men named Rombiriugh and Brown, laborers, were killed on a railway wreck near Russell village on Friday night last. They were on a construction train on the O. & N.Y. and ran into an open switch.

Almonte Gazette 17 June 1898

Four Men killed.
A terrible accident happened on the Ottawa and New York Railway at Embrum, about four miles from Russell village, on Friday. Some mischievous boys, it is supposed, opened the switch, and the train running into it, was derailed. The conductor, the fireman and two laborers were buried in the wreck and killed. The engineer noticed the open switch, but too late to avoid it. He reversed his engine and shouted to the men to save themselves, but it was too sudden. He stuck to his engine till it left the track, when he leaped and saved himself, escaping with slight bruises.

Ottawa Citizen 2 December 1898

THE EMBRUN ACCIDENT
Friends of the Two Young Men Killed Given Damages

Cornwall Dec 1.  The cases brought against the Ottawa and New York Construction Company and Balch and Peppard by the friends of J.W. Rombough and George W. Greene, two of the men who were killed in the Embrun accident in June last, were completed here this evening.  The cases have occupied the court all week and it was not until a very late hour tonight that the jury were ready with their verdict.  The verdict was for $4,000 damages, allowing $2,500 for the plaintiffs in the Rombough case and $1,500 for the plaintiffs in the Green [sic] case.  Although the actions were brought against the two companies, Balch & Peppard and the New York and Ottawa Co., the jury exonerated the N.Y. & O. Co. from any blame and placed all the damages on the shoulders of Balch & Peppard.  The friends of the young man Crysler, who was killed in the same accident, brought an action also but it was thrown out yesterday morning, the judge holding that they had no cause of action, whatever.  There are several legal complications between the two companies and the case will, in all probability, be appealed.  MacClennan, Q.C. and Cline for Rombough.  Mogo and Beatty fro Greene. Caeselle, Q.C. and Anglin for Balch & Peppard.  Leith, Q.C. and Pringle for N.Y. & O. Co.

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Updated  26 December 2023