Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area
1903, September 27 - Canadian Pacific collision between Soo express and a freight train at Hurdman
 From the Ottawa Citizen 28 September 1903  Caption to picture in the Ottawa Journal 28 September 1903 Showing Roof of Baggage Car on Top of Engine and Coal Tender of the Sault Train. The Platform of the Car Went Between the Tender Box and Trucks Tilting the Box as Seen in the Cut. The Freight Engine is in Front of the Engine in Cut. Ottawa Citizen 28 September 1903 AN EXPENSIVE ACCIDENT ON THE C.P.R. NEAR OTTAWA. Soo Train Crashed into Freight near Hurdmans Bridge Yesterday Morning - Four Men Injured but No Loss of Life. Collision Cost Company About $20,000 - C.P.R. Officials Say That There Was No Excuse for the Accident. Four people were injured but not seriously, two engines were badly smashed and three cars telescoped in a head-on collision on the C.P.R. Short Line a short distance north of Hurdmans bridge at one o'clock yesterday morning. The loss to the company will be $20,000. Coming into Ottawa and traveling at a good rate of speed, the Soo train collided with a special freight which, contrary to the rules, had got on the main line while the right of way belonged to the express. The four persons injured were train hands. Engineer M. J. Doherty, Ottawa. Express Messenger R. Thompson. Baggageman Ed. King, of Montreal. Brakeman George Gobey, of Hintonburg. Of that number King was not seriously hurt; the others getting away with minor injuries. None of the passengers was injured although the escape of some was narrow and that none of the train hands was killed outright in such a tremendous impact, is regarded as nothing short of miraculous. The telescoped cars were those used for express and baggage with the exception of one colonist car of which the front only was demolished. It was just five minutes to one when the accident happened. No. 7, the westbound Soo train had left Montreal on time and was in charge of Conductor McIntosh, with Engineer M. J. Doherty and Fireman J. Walsh. It is customary for freight trains to be moving back and forth between the Chaudiere and Sussex street and the freight in question had arrived a short time before from Prescott and was to be taken down to Sussex street. It consisted of an engine, several cars with coal and other freight and was in charge of Conductor Horan, with Engineer John Dolman and Brakeman Major, of Hull. From what could be learned yesterday it appears that at the tower the freight hands had got orders to do some shunting up to 12.50 and then to go on a siding and allow the express to pass. They mistook the time or forgot the order from the tower man and remained on the main line till it was too late. CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT
As to the cause of the
accident, the C.P.R. authorities say there was no reason nor excuse for
the freight being on the main line on the time of another regular
train, for, knowing that the Soo express was due, the freight should
have taken a siding. The hands in charge of it, however, had evidently
forgotten the approach of the express and their thoughtlessness, while
imperiling a lot of lives, will incidentally cost the company a tidy
sum.Sharp on time the Soo express rounded the curve near the locomotive sheds and then it was that the engineers of both trains saw what was going to happen. The express was traveling at a pretty quick pace although at the time it was slowing up for the yard, while the freight was barely moving. The engineers and firemen of both trains, seeing the inevitable jumped for their lives and fortunately escaped. An instant later with an awful crash which could be heard for a mile, the two trains came together. Engine no. 303 on the Soo is of a large type and it simply plowed through the smalled [sic] locomotive. Though the air brakes were applied they were unable to arrest the velocity of the swiftly moving coaches and in less time that it takes to tell it the express and baggage cars and a part of a colonist sleeper were telescoped. AFTER THE CRASH
It was a hideous looking
sight yesterday and thousands of people went out to see it. The one
object of wonder was as to how the train hands escaped with their
lives. Locked together with the smaller one underneath and partly
obscured, were the two locomotives. The tender of No. 303 was mounted
right over the rear portion of the cab supported underneath by the
baggage car. The roof of the latter had been torn off of plowed forward
in the wreck and it extended like a canopy over the whole while in the
rear was an express car almost as badly smashed and then the colonist
car with its end stove in. Only one car on the freight train was
smashed. In the express section there was a conglomeration of smashed
trunks, valises, parcels and mail bags all mixed together while the
cars with piled up in splinters.PASSENGERS SHAKEN UP
The passengers got a
severe shaking up although fortunately none was hurt. In the colonist
car just behind the express car, was a number of Swedish immigrants and
when the crash came and threw them from their bunks they had a rude
awakening. In the smoking, first-class and Pullman cars people were
thrown about in the impact but not hurt and it was remarkable that none
of the cars left the track nor did they take fire. This is attributable
to the fact that the yard is very level where the collision occurred.
The accident of course caused great excitement but there was one who
was praised for his cool-headedness - Conductor McIntosh, one of the
old and most reliable employees of the road. When the crash came he
knew what had happened and after quieting down the passengers and
seeing that no one of them was hurt he went ahead to look after the
engineer and fireman and baggage man, while messengers were despatched
to telephone for doctors. A THRILLING ESCAPE
It was found that the
engineer had escaped but less fortunate was the lot of the express
messenger, baggageman and brakeman. King and Thompson had a
particularly thrilling experience. When the collision occurred the cars
they were working in, bumped into the engine with frightful momentum
and in an instant the men found themselves lifted up to the ceilings,
removed from any doorway and unable to escape. Fortunately, however,
they were not pinioned down or buried under any heavy weight. One with
his spine injured and the other with a broken nose, they clung to
anything they could get hold of and called for help. It was not long in
arriving for the company has shops nearby and no time was lost in
calling for assistance from the city. They hung on for about twenty
minutes when they were released from their uncomfortable positions. The
men were quite exhausted and King was suffering considerable pain but
was able to walk. Brakeman Gobey, who had been lying down in one of the
cars, was seriously shaken up but escaped with a slight wound on the
head. By that time, Dr. Kidd, the company's physician had arrived, and along with Dr. Arthur, of Sudbury, who was on the train, and Drs. Scott and Birkett, who came later, he attended to the injured ones. Ambulances were summoned and King and Thompson were taken to St. Luke's hospital. It was found that Thompson's nose was broken, while he had an ugly wound in the face. King, who belongs to Montreal, was injured about the spine, while his legs were badly bruised. Engineer Doherty sustained a scalp wound in jumping and Brakeman Gobey was only slightly cut. The rest of the train crew and the passengers escaped entirely. Doherty and Goby went home. CLEARING THE WRECK
No time was lost in
proceeding to clear up the line and a wrecking train was early at work.
With the exception of one car all the passenger coaches were intact and
these were hitched on to by another engine and taken around by
Chaudiere Junction to the Union station, where additional cars were put
on and the train proceeded to the Soo, the passengers being delayed
only a little over an hour. Then with jacks and hoists the wrecking
crew got to work to clear up the main line. The smashed freight car was
first lifted out, then the colonist sleeper, which with the others had
stuck to the rails, was backed down the line and afterwards a start was
made in clearing the debris caused by the telescoping of the express
and baggage cars, which were completely demolished, and the
interlocking of the two engines.General Superintendent Oborne, of Montreal, who was notified, came up on a special, and along with trainmaster Spaidal and other local officials superintended the work of clearing the track. It was Sunday and news of the accident having spread hundreds went out to the scene. Mr. Colin Isbester, of Ottawa was one of the passengers on the Soo train. "I was in the smoking car talking to the conductor at the time of the crash," he said, "and the first thing I knew I was jolted from one side of the car to the other, but managed to keep my feet. I looked out and from what I could see I judged that we had collided with the lumber piles, but afterwards I got out and went ahead and ascertained what had happened. What amazed everyone was that Thompson and King were not killed out right. The cars they were in were smashed almost to smithereens, while the two were shut in up near the roof. They seemed perfectly cool and collected when they got out. In fact the whole thing was a most remarkable occurrence." The car load of immigrants had never been up against such a thing before and did some grumbling about having their rest disturbed but an hour afterwards they were on another car and went off to sleep again to continue the journey as if nothing had happened. Undoubtedly the cause of the accident was the freight train getting in the path of the express which had the right of way. It was no fault of the despatcher, who knew nothing of what was happening and who supposed the line to be clear as it should have been. LOSS TO THE COMPANY
The loss to the C.P.R. is
estimated at about $20,000. The engine No. 303 attached to the Soo
train was of an expensive type and while not demolished was badly
damaged. The locomotive on the freight was entirely smashed up. Then
there were three cars which were almost completely telescoped and a
freight which was put out of business. In addition to that a lot of
express parcels and baggage were destroyed. The company did everything
to secure the comfort and convenience of the passengers and saw them on
the way to the destination before going ahead with the work of clearing
its line. The wreck necessarily caused a blockade of the line yesterday and none of the C.P.R. trains went through the Central depot. In place of that they were taken from the Union station around by Chaudiere junction to connect with the short line. The work of the wrecking crew was continued all day and excellent progress made so that the line will be clear today. In the afternoon there was an immense crowd out to the scene and what was considered to be the unique feature of the thing was that there was no loss of life or even serious injury. While the company is hit financially, the wreck was robbed of any gruesome details in the line of fatalities. Baggageman King was reported last night as doing well. Thompson left the hospital after his injuries were attended to and went home to Montreal yesterday afternoon. The others will be around to work in a day or so. An official statement issued by the general superintendent last evening stated that train No. 7 was running on its own time when it collided with the freight at the Rideau yard. The latter train should not have been on the main line. The crew of No. 7 was exonerated of blame. Engineer Doherty who is at his home on the Richmond road, has a rather hazy recollection of the accident. He said last evening, however, that he saw the headlight about three car lengths away. He threw back the lever and put on the emergency brakes, but he didn't remember whether he jumped or was thrown out. When he gained his senses he was lying beside the track with his head near the rail. Mr. Doherty has a cut on the head, his ankle wrenched and he complains of feeling sore. Engineer Dolman and conductor Horan were uncommunicative. Both have been on the line a long time. Superintendent H. B. Spencer, who was up the line on an inspection trip arrived in the city yesterday afternoon and that once got busy in getting the line in shape. Some startling rumors as to the extent of the accident were in circulation yesterday morning, it being stated that several lives had been lost. Dr. Kidd who was the first physician on the scene tells the story with a hint of humor. "I was on my way to the scene of the accident and was pretty near it," he said, "when I was stopped by a man who got out, 'don't go down there, mister, for God's sake; they're all dead.' I went ahead expecting to find a gruesome site and was naturally surprised when it was found out that no one had been killed." Ottawa Journal 28 September 1903 RAILWAY ACCIDENT IN THE RIDEAU YARD Sault Express in a Head-on Collision with Standing Freight Train Near City Limits. Miraculous Escape of Crews and Passengers. Only Four Injured, None Seriously. Includes a picture and caption The Sault express of the C.P.R. due in Ottawa at 1.15 on Sunday morning, collided head-on with a freight at Rideau yard about one and a quarter miles from the Central depot, and created one of the worst railway smash-ups that has occurred in the Ottawa district since the wreck of the Toronto train near Stittsville in 1897. No one was killed, although there were some miraculous escapes. Only four were injured. They were: R. Thompson, Dominion Express messenger, Montreal, cut about the head and nose broken. Edward King, C.P.R. baggage man, Montreal, spine injured and badly bruised. Michael J. Doherty, 69, Richmond road, Hintonburgh, near Ottawa, injury to head and sprained ankle, also badly bruised. G. Gohey, brakeman, Hintonburgh, slightly scratched about the head. The cause of the accident is said to be due to the neglect of the conductor and engineer of the freight, who were on the main line, when, according to the officials, they should have been on the siding. General Superintendent J. Osborne, who came up from Montreal yesterday at noon, gave out the statement that: "No. 7, the Soo express, was running on her own time when she collided with a freight standing on the main line at Rideau yard. The freight crew had exhausted their orders and should not have been on the main line. The crew of the Sault express are exonerated." The collision that took place at 1.06 on Sunday morning, and the escape of the passengers and train crews was nothing short of marvelous. The baggage and express car was completely demolished and ten feet knocked off the end of a colonist car which was full of Swedish immigrants. None of the immigrants were injured, although the timbers were thrown clean to the back end of the car. The passengers in the four last cars beyond being badly jarred were not injured. The escape of Express Messenger Thompson and Baggageman King with their lives was the most miraculous feature of the wreck. They were asleep when the trains struck and in different apartments. When found after the wreck they were piled in together under the tender of the express engine amongst the baggage, express goods and broken timbers of the car. The baggage car telescoped on the engine, leaving the roof on top of the tender and the two engines. Both locomotives stood straight on their wheels. The tender of the express engine was hoisted on end, while the tender of the freight engine was thrown off the track completely on its side. The cab of the freight engine was torn off and the smoke stack and valves stripped. It is only fit for the scrap heap now. The other engine will likely be repaired. The loss to the company will be $1.17,000. THE COLLISION
When the express struck
the freight it was running at about 25 miles an hour. The freight was
standing still. The crew of the express train was made up as follows,
Engineer, M. J. Doherty; fireman, J. Welsh; Conductor, W. A. Macintosh,
Montreal; baggageman, Ed. King, Montreal; express messenger,
R.Thompson, Montreal; brakeman, W. F. Galt, Division street, Ottawa;
and G. Gobey, Richmond Road, Hintonburgh.The freight crew were all Prescott men, as follows: Engineer, J. Dolman; fireman, A. Moser; Conductor, W. Horan; and brakemen, W. Hall and J. Wallace. TRAINMASTER'S STORY
The particulars of the
accident as given toThe Journal by Mr. F. M. Spaidal, trainmaster of
the C.P.R. at Ottawa, are as follows: "Conductor Horan and Engineer Dolman when they arrived at Chaudiere Junction from Prescott before eleven o'clock, were given an order to proceed to the Rideau yard and work there until 12.50, ten minutes before the Sault express was due. When this order expired they should have put their train on the siding and walked up to the tower house, about two hundred yards away, for more orders. There is a 'Y' at the tower house which takes them down to the Sussex Street yard, and before they come out from the Rideau siding they should get orders to let them out. This they did not do. But instead worked until 1.o05 when they were on the main line preparing to pull out to the 'Y'. They apparently forgot about the Sault express until they heard her whistle at the tower. "Conductor Horan says that when he heard the whistle he was halfway back to his train and turning he ran out and signaled by his lantern to the driver of the Sault express to stop. Driver Doherty as soon as he saw the lantern reversed and threw on the emergency brake. Spaidal also says that at that point the driver of the express could not distinguish by the headlight of the freight whether he was on the main line or the siding, and as the freight had no business on the siding and Driver Doherty of the express had a clearance for the Central depot he was justified in running ahead. The track should have been clear for him. THE TRAIN CREW
Driver Dolman and
Conductor Horan of the freight train were both seen by The Journal last
evening, but neither had a word to say.Driver Dolman has been in the employ of the C.P.R. for over thirty years, and this is his first accident. Conductor Horan is a much younger man, but has been on the road for twelve years without a mark against him. They were both considered trustworthy men. Driver Doherty of the Sault express is also an old-timer. When seen last evening he was in bed at his home. He said that he remembered very little about the accident except that he saw the lantern when about three car lengths away and threw back the lever and put on the emergency brake. He said that he did not know whether he jumped or was thrown out, at any rate he landed on his head and shoulder. His head is severely scratched and he complained of feeling sore and his ankle was sprained. He considered that he had a very lucky escape. He says he thinks his fireman jumped. He got away without a scratch. Express Messenger Thompson went back to Montreal yesterday afternoon and was not seen. Dr. J. F. Kid, who is attending Baggagemaster King, did not allow anyone to see his patient as he said it was better not. He is very badly shaken up. Conductor MacIntosh and his brakeman were in the train and did not know that there was anything doing until the brakes went on and there was a sudden jerk that threw them endways. HELP TO INJURED
As soon as possible after
the accident, in fact as soon as they could get to a telephone, the
C.P.R. officials called up Dr. J. F. Kidd, Dr. F. W. Burkett and Dr.
Scott, who went promptly to the scene. Dr. Arthurs of Sudbury, who was
on the train, also buckled in and looked after the needs of the injured
men. The first thing to be done was to look for the express man and the baggage man. They were found in the pile of debris as described before. Both were conscious when found, but complained that they were feeling sore. They were taken to St. Luke's hospital and attended to. Yesterday morning Thompson left the hospital and went back to his home in Montreal. King is still in the hospital and will be laid up for a week or so. Engineer Doherty will be around in a couple of days. The wreck was talk of the city yesterday and as early as six o'clock in the morning people were swarming out to the scene by the score. All day people went out to the scene which was about half a mile east of Ottawa East village. Everyone who saw the accident wondered how the people came out alive. The Swedes who were in the colonist car, the railway officials say, were very unconcerned. They tumbled out of the car and got into another in rear of it. Then the four last cars on the train we're taken around by Chaudiere Junction to the Union Depot, where three new cars were put on and the train went west just two hours late. CLEARING THE TRACK
The wrecking crews were
then got together and at once set to work to clean up the track. This
work went on all day and last night until the track was cleared. The
rails were not torn up in any way. During the day the trains that should have left the Central depot were made up at the Union Depot and sent by way of Chaudiere Junction to the short line from Montreal. The scene at the wreck was an interesting one. Pieces of trunks were scattered about while timbers from the wrecked cars were thown in all directions. Thousands were out from the city to watch the wrecking train at work. This was the first wreck within walking distance of the city since the one which took place near Hull many years ago. The people were much interested in it and as a result the Elgin Street line did about the largest business in its history. NOTES
The freight engine in the
wreck was No. 1. one of the oldest engines in the company's service.
The express engine was No. 303, and has also seen many years of
service. About three feet of the front of either boiler was smashed in. The engines were locked together. Where the accident happened was on level ground. Had it been half a mile near the city on the trestle work the result of the passengers would have been different. The track was cleared at 5:30 this morning. It was a big job. Engineer Dolman and Conductor Horan went home to Prescott this morning. They met with Superintendent Spencer last evening at his office in the Union Depot. Superintendent Spencer was west on the division when the accident occurred on a tour of inspection. He took the first train he could get and hustled to Ottawa. He reached the wreck at 5 o'clock yesterday evening and at once proceeded to look into the matter. Mr. Spencer said that personally he could not say anything about the wreck except that it was one of the luckiest accidents he had seen in his experience. Mr. Spencer thought it was a marvel that someone was not killed. For the particulars of the accident he referred The Journal to Mr. Spaidal whose statement appears above. Mr. Spaidal is in charge during the absence of the superintendent. Ottawa Citizen 29 September 1903 WAS CALLING STATIONS. Friends of Brakeman Gobey, who was on the "Soo" train, deny that he was lying down in the car when the collision occurred on Sunday morning. He was calling the stations as was his duty and was doing so in the second-class car when the collision took place. Ottawa Journal 29 September 1903 HOLDING INVESTIGATION Mr. H. B. Spencer, Superintendent C.P.R., was busy all this morning taking evidence of the engineer and conductor of the freight train which was in the collision with the Soo train Sunday morning. The baggage got out of the wrecked train on Sunday was handled yesterday by the local staff as far as it could be identified and the balance was shipped to Montreal to await any further claims to be made. The baggage principally belongs to the shantyman and the Swedes on the train. Chesterville Record 1 October 1903 Express train collides with freight train in Ottawa A despatch from Ottawa says:- Four people were injured, two engines were badly smashed, and three cars telescoped in a head on collision on the CPR Short Line at the Rideau Yard, just beyond Hurdman's bridge at 1 o'clock on Sunday morning. Coming into Ottawa and travelling at a good rate of speed, the ""Soo"" train collided with a special freight, which contrary to the rules, had got on to the main line while the right of way belonged to the express. The four persons injured were train hands Engineer J.M. Doherty, Ottawa; Express Messenger R. Thompson; Baggageman E, King of Montreal and brakeman Geo. Gobey of Hintonburg. As to the cause of the accident the CPR authorities say there was no reason nor excuse for the freight being on the main line on the time of another regular train, for, knowing that the ""Soo"" express was due, the freight should have taken a siding. The hands in charge of it however, had evidently forgotten the approach of the express and their thoughtlessness, while imperiling a lot of lives, will incidentally cost the company a tidy sum. The loss to the CPR is estimated at about $50,000. The engine, no. 303 attached to the ""Soo"" train was an expensive type and while not demolished, was badly damaged. The locomotive on the freight train was entirely smashed up. Then there were three cars which were almost entirely telescoped. In addition to that a lot of express parcels and baggage were destroyed. The company did everything to secure the comfort and convenience of the passengers and saw them on their way to their destinations before going ahead with the work of clearing the line. Eastern Ontario review (Vankleek Hill) Friday 2 October 1903 The "Soo" Train in Bad Smash The Sault express of the C.P.R. which passed here at 11.55 on Sunday morning, collided head-on with a freight at Rideau yard about one and a quarter miles from the Central depot, Ottawa, and created one of the worst railway smash ups that has occurred in the Ottawa district since the wreck of theToronto train near Stittsville in 1897. No one was killed although there were some miraculous escapes. Only four were injured. They were: R. Thompson, Dominion Express messenger, Montreal, cut about the head and nose broken. Edward King, C.P.R, baggageman, Montreal, spine injured and badly bruised. Michael J. Doherty, 69, Richmond road, Hintonburgh, near Ottawa, injury to head and sprained ankle, also badly bruised. G. Coley, brakeman, Hintonburgh, slightly scratched about the head. The cause of the accident is said to be the neglect of the conductor and engineer of the freight who were on the main line, when, according to the officials, they should have been on the siding. General Superintendent J. Oborne, gave out the statement that: "No. 7, the Soo express, was running on her own time when she collided with a freight standing on the main line at Rideau yard. The freight crew had exhausted their orders and should not have been on the main line. The crew of the Sault express are exonerated." The collision took place at 1.06 on Sunday morning, and the escape of the passengers and train crews was nothing short of marvellous. The baggage and express car was completely demolished and ten feet knocked off the end of a colonist car which was full of Swedish immigrants. None of the immigrants were injured, although they were thrown clean to the back end of the car. The passengers in the four last cars, beyond being badly jarred, were not injured. The escape of Express Messenger Thompson and Baggageman King with their lives was the most miraculous feature of the wreck. They were asleep when the train struck and in different apartments. When found after the wreck they were piled in together under the tender of the express engine amongst the baggage and broken timbers of the car. The baggage car telescoped on the engine, leaving the roof on top of the tender and the two engines. Both locomotives stood straight on their wheels. The tender of the express engine was hoisted on end, while the tender of the freight engine was thrown off the track completely on its side. The cab of the freight engine was torn off, and the smoke stack and valves stripped. It is only fit for the scrap heap now. The other engine will likely be repaired. The loss to the Company will be $17,000 When the express struck the freight it was running at about 25 miles an hour, The freight was standing still. The blame for Sunday's accident on the C.A.R. short line has been placed upon Conductor Horan and Engineer Dolman, as the result of an official enquiry held by the divisional supernitendent of the C.P.R., and the findings will go to the general superintendent for whatever further action is necessary. All of the train hands in the accident were examined by the superintendent and other officials, and it came out that the freight train was on the main line on the right of way of the express. The conductor and engineer were ordered to shunt up to 12.50 and then be clear on the siding. In place of doing that they worked ahead and were on the main line when the Soo express came along. It was a case of forgetting and the smash-up was the result. From the Ottawa Citizen 15 May 1936 (sic) Tale of a railway collision at Hurdman's Bridge in 1903. Soo train crashed into freight at midnight. Four men injured but no loss of life. Impact heard a mile away. Heavy express engine ploughed through lighter freight locomotive. Crew of both engines saved lives by jumping. Here is something hundreds of middle-aged Ottawans may recall. It happened in the early morning hours of September 27, 1903. Four people were injured, two engines were badly smashed and thee cars telescoped in a head-on collision on the C.P.R. short line, a little distance north of Hurdman's Bridge. Coming into Ottawa and travelling at a good rate of speed, the Soo train collided with a special freight which, contrary to the rules, had got on the main line while the right of way belonged to the express. The four persons injured were train hands: Engineer M.J. Doherty, Ottawa; Express messenger R. Thompson, Ottawa; Baggageman Ed. King, Montreal; Brakeman Geo. Gobey, Hintonburgh. None of the passengers were injured although some had very narrow escapes. That none of the train hands were killed outright was regarded as little short of miraculous. At Midnight
It was just five minutes to one when the accident occurred.
The
west bound Soo train had left Montreal on time and was in charge of
Conductor McIntosh with Engineer M.J. Doherty and Fireman M.J.
Walsh. It was customary for freight trains to be moving back
and
forth between the Chaudiere and Sussex street and the freight in
question had arrived a short time before from Prescott and was to be
taken down to Sussex street.From the account of the accident published at the time, it appears that at the tower the freight hands had received orders to do some shunting up to midnight and then go on a siding and allow the express to pass, They mistook the time or forgot the order from the towerman and remained on the main line until it was too late. Sharp on time the Soo express rounded the curve near the locomotive sheds. It was then that the engineers of both trains saw what was going to happen. The exprss was travelling at a good rate of speed while the freight was barely moving. The engineers and firemen of both trains, seeing the inevitable, jumped for their lives and escaped serious injury. Terrible impact
An instant later with an awful impact which could be heard a mile away,
the two trains came together. Engine No. 303 on the Soo was
of a
large type and it simply ploughed through the smaller
locomotive.
Though the brakes were applied they were unable to arrest the velocity
of the swiftly moving coaches and in less time than it takes to tell it
the express and baggage cars and part of a colonial sleeper were
telescoped.Thousands of people who went out the following morning witnessed a hideous sight. Locked together with the smaller one underneath and partly obscured were the two locomotives. In the rear was an express car badly smashed and then the colonist car with its end stove in. In the express section there was a conglomeration of smashed trunks, valises, parcels and mail bags all mixed together while the cars were piled up in splinters. |
Updated 5 February 2023