Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area
1900, January 28 - Brakeman Run Over in Ottawa East Yard, Canada Atlantic Railway
Ottawa Citizen 29 January 1900 A FATALITY John T. Miles Killed in the C.A.R. Yard TRAIN RAN OVER HIM It is Thought He Missed His Footing While Attempting to Board a Car John Thomas Miles, a brakeman employed in the yard of the Canada Atlantic railway, was the victim of a horrible accident yesterday morning, resulting in his instantaneous death. The accident happened about half past two in the morning. In company with Paul Brennan. yard foreman, and a number of the yardmen. Miles was engaged in shunting cars on the siding a short distance north of the Maria street bridge. The train was backing up, and he was the hind brakeman. No one saw the accident, but after giving the signal, it is supposed, that Miles attempted to board the car, missed his footing and fell. He was crushed to death, both arms and legs were cut off. the left side mutilated, and the body horribly bruised all over. A few minutes after the fatality happened the other yardmen discovered the body lying on the track over which the train had passed. An undertaker was at once called and the body removed to S.M. Rogers' morgue, where it was prepared for burial. The deceased young man was only 25 years of age. and was unmarried. He boarded at 125 Nicholas street, and for about two years had been employed in the yard of the C.A.R. He was sober, industrious, and popular among his fellow-employes. He was a member of St. Joseph's church. Miles came from Venosta. a village up the Gatineau, and is a son of John Miles, a prominent farmer residing in that place. He leaves several relatives, one sister, being Mrs. Brennan. wife of Paul Brennan, the yard foreman. Coroner Freeland was notified of the fatality, and decided that an inquest into the cause of the death was necessary. It will be commenced this morning at ten o'clock. The remains will likely be forwarded to Venosta. for interment. Ottawa Journal 29 January 1900 BOTH ARMS AND LEGS CUT OFF John T. Myles, a yard brakeman in the Canada Atlantic Railway met a terrible death early yesterday morning in which he was literally cut to pieces by a moving train. The scene of the accident is in the C.A.R. yard near the coal chutes at the head of Nicholas street, some distance north of the Maria street bridge, and the hour of the fatality was about three o'clock. The unfortunate man was at the time assisting some others in the shunting of cars. This duty called him to the rear of the train moving backwards, and a short time after the train had gone by he was found by his fellow workmen dead on the tracks. While as yet it is not known how the accident actually happened, it is thought that either his foot got caugnt in a frog, and he was unable to get out of the path of the train, or that he attempted to board the moving cars, failed, and fell under the train. He was instantly killed, and in addition to having, his body badly mutilated, both his arms, and both his legs were cut off. Coroner Freeland decided to hold an inquest today. The late Mr. Myles has been employed on the Canada Atlantic Railway for about two years. He had previously lived at Venosta with his fatner, who is a farmer in that place. The brakman was about 25 years of age, and unmarried. He has latterly been boarding with Mr. Redmond, 125 Nicholas street. He was regarded as a good-living young man, and was an attendant at St. Joseph's church. He leaves several relatives in Ottawa. Mrs. Paul Brennan of Concession street, Mrs. Patrick Brennan of Division street, and Misses H. and L. Myles are his sisters, and Mr. W. Myles is a brother. - - - AN INQUEST OPENED. An inquest was opened up this morning into the death .of John T. Myles, the Canada Atlantic Railway brakesman, who was killed yesterday. The following jury was empannelled: Martin Lynch. W. Gordon, John Thompson. A. Huckles, J. Purdy, D. Prindiville, G. McGregor, Michael Lynch, E. Ripley, J. Gruson, S. Carruthers, J. Randal, A. Morris. After the jury viewed the remains the inquest waa adjourned until to-morrow night. Ottawa Citizen 31 January 1900 WAS ACCIDENTAL Verdict Regarding the Death of John T. Myles on Sunday "We find that deceased John Myles came to his death by being run over by a C.A. railway shunting engine and cars on Sunday morning, such death being accidental. We recomend that in future, only one man, the conductor, standing nearest the engine be empowered to give the signals." Such was the verdict given after two hour's deliberation last evening by the jury empaneled to inquire into the circumstances surrounding the death of John T. Myles, the C.A.R. brakeman, who was run down by a shunting engine at the Ottawa East yard early Sunday morning. The evidence of deceased's fellow members of the crew was taken but little light could be thrown on the tragic affair, as there were no eye witnesses of the fatality. As can be seen by the rider added to the opinion that there is room for improvement in the method of signaling on such occasions. The evening's evidence was given by Thos. O'Neill, yard foreman, Brakeman Ellingsworth, Engineer Roblin and Fireman Davis. None of these saw Myles fall, but all were positive from the position the body was found in that deceased could not have been caught in the switch. Although It was not necessary for him to do so, he probably went in between the cars to pull the pin and was struck down and run over. Dr. Troy and Mr. Frank Hannum, also gave evidence, the latter describing the position of the body when found. Ottawa Journal 31 January 1900 ACCIDENTAL DEATH Jury Brings in a Verdict on ths Killing of Brakeman J. T. Myles. The jury empanelled to inquire into the death of John T. Myles, the brakeman who was killed in the Canada Atlantic railway yard Sunday morning by being run over by a shunting engine and cars, brought in a verdict last night to the effect that the death was accidental. They recommended also that in future, only one man, the conductor, standing nearest the engine, be empowered to give the signals. Among those who gave evidence were C. A. R. Yard Foreman T. O'Neil, Engineer Roblin, Fireman Davis and Brakeman Ellingsworth. No one had seen the accident happen, but from the testimony adduced it was believed that the late Mr. Myles, while in between the cars had been struck down and run over. It was not thought that he had had his foot caught in a frog. The jury considered that the present method of signalling on the railway has about it an element of danger, and attached a rider in this respect to the verdict of death. Almonte Gazette 2 February 1900 A brakeman named John J. Miles was killed in the C.A.R. yard at Ottawa on Sunday morning. It is supposed he slipped after giving a signal and fell between the cars. Both arms and legs were cut off, and the body was badly bruised. An inquest was held and a verdict of accidental death returned. |
Updated 9 March 2024