Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

Ottawa Journal 1 March 1898 THEIR LAST RUN Engineer and Fireman Killed in a C.P.R. Collision CHAS. SIMS, OTTAWA, WAS ONE OF THE VICTIMS One Freight Crashes into Another Telescoping it Bodies Pinned Under the Wreck - Cars Take Fire and are Destroyed - Cause of the Accident Smith's Falls. Ont, March 1. -  A terrible collision with loss of life occurred on the C.P.R. three miles east of here between 3 and 4 o'clock this morning. As near as can be learned, it occurred in this way : A freight was coming west, followed by an engine running light, which in turn was followed at the usual distance by another freight train. A number of cars broke loose from the front train and after some little delay were picked up by the light engine, and ere warning could be given the rear train came round a curve in the road and dashed at full speed into the light engine and runaway cars, doing great damage to both engines and telescoping the cars, which then took fire and several were totally consumed. Two Killed. Driver Chas. Sims, of Ottawa, and Fireman Wm. Wilson, of Carleton Place, and both on the rear train, were killed. An auxiliary train from Smith's Falls with C.P.R. Surgeon McCallum was soon on the spot. Driver Sims was dead before its arrival, but his body was so caught in the wreck that he could not be got out. Fireman Wilson was taken to Smith's Falls, but was so badly hurt that he died a few minutes after his arrival there. An inquest will be held at once. Supt. Leonard happened to be at Smith's Falls and visited the wreck on the auxiliary train. The 3.4S train for Montreal proceeded by way of Ottawa. The local for Montreal was delayed three or four hours, while the line was being cleared of the wreck. The Late Mr. Sims. Engineer Charles Sims, who was killed on the C. P. R. at Smith's Falls this morning, had only been appointed an engineer a short time ago. He resided on Spruce street, where his young widow now is. They had no children. Also carried in the Almonte Gazette 4 March 1898. Ottawa Citizen 1 March 1898 also verbatim in the  Chesterville Record 1 March 1898 A terrible collision with loss of life occurred three miles east of Smiths Falls between three and four o'clock Tuesday morning.  As near as can be learned it occurred in this way.  A freight was going west, followed by an engine running light, which, in turn, was followed at the normal distance by another freight train.  A number of cars broke loose from the first train, and, after some delay, were picked up by the light engine, and ere warning could be given the rear train came round a curve in the road and dashed at full speed into the light engine and runaway cars doing great damage to both engines and telescoping the cars, which then took fire and several were totally consumed.  The driver, Charlie Sims and the Fireman, William Wilson, both of Carleton Place, and both on the rear train were killed.  An auxiliary train from Smiths Falls with doctor McCallum, CPR surgeon was soon on the spot.  Sims was dead before his arrival, but his body was so caught in the wreck that it could not be got out.  Wilson was taken to Smiths Falls but was so badly hurt that he dies a few minutes after his arrival there.   It is understood that an inquest will be held at once.  Superintendent Leonard happened to be at Smiths Falls and visited the wreck on the auxilliary train. The 3.45 train for Montreal proceeded by way of Ottawa.  The local for Montreal was delayed three or four hours while the line was being cleared of the wreck. Lanark Era 2 March 1898 A serious accident is reported to have occurred on the C.P.R. between Smith's Falls and Carleton Place [sic] early yesterday morning. An express and freight train collided, and in the collision Mr. William Wilson, of Carleton Place, son of the late Alex. Wilson, of that town, and a man named Sims, of Ottawa, both C.P.R. employees, lost their lives. Ottawa Citizen 3 March 1898 THE LATE CHARLES SIMS. Body of the Engineer Killed on the C. P. R. Brought Home. The body of the late Charles Sims, the engineer killed in the railway accident at Smith's Falls on Tuesday, was brought to the city by the Toronto express last evening, and taken to S. M. Rogers' morgue, where it was prepared for burial, and then removed to the late residence of the deceased, 90 Spruce street. The body was frightfully scalded by escaping steam, and was crushed in between the engine and tender. The deceased was the only son of Charles Sims, of Montreal, and was 30 years of age. He was a member of Dalhousie Lodge, No.53, A. F. and A. M., Master of Lawrence Lodge No. 172, Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen, a member of Carleton Lodge, A.O.U.W., of Carleton Place, and ot the A.O.F. of Montreal. The deceased leaves a sorrowing widow to mourn her loss. The fraternal societies with which he was connected, will attend the funeral tomorrow in a body to Beechwood cemetery. Lanark Era 9 March 1898 Railway Accident. Brief mention was made in our last issue of a railway accident near Smiths Falls on Tuesday morning. The following particulars regarding the same are taken from the C.P. Herald : "Another terrible accident, in which two Carleton Place men lost their lives, occurred about three miles east of Smith's Falls early Tuesday morning. As far as we can learn a freight train broke in two, and before the rear section coukl he taken up again a light engine following the freight pitched into it and blocked the road. The fast train known as the Prescott freight came next and dashed into the debris at full speed, the engineer and fireman being killed and one of tho brakemen injured. Wilson was held down by the throttle bar, and was conscious when released, but lived only a short time. Sims was under the debris and was not recovered for some hours. Willie Wilson was a son id the late Alex. Wilson, of this town and was twenty-two years of age. Charles Sims came here from Ottawa a few months ago, was a young man of splendid physique and good character and was hold in high esteem. Almonte Gazette 11 March 1898 The jury appointed to investigate the death of Wm, Wilson and Charles Sims, at Smith's Falls returned the following verdict: "We find that they came to their death by accident on the morning of march 1st, 1898, by train called "Irvine Special" running into engine No. 3. We find the cause of the accident was due to the fact that Irvine's special train was not p[roperly flagged by engine No. 3 to prevent a collision.