Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1920, July 27 - Crossing collision Maxville, GTR, Alexandria sub., two dead three injured

Ottawa Citizen 28 July 1920 MAXVILLE FARMER AND SON ARE DEAD; ACCIDENT RESULT WHEN GRAND TRUNK TRAIN HITS AUTO Thomas Blaney Instantly Killed, Younger Succumbs in Ottawa Hospital, While Wife, Another Son and Nephew Were Rushed to the Capital. Those Injured Will Likely Recover. Death Trap at Cameron's Crossing Near Maxville. THE DEAD. Thomas Blaney, aged 55, farmer, Maxville, Out. William Blaney, aged 14. INJURED. Mrs. Margaret Blaney, cut about hands and badly bruised. Suison Blaney, seed 18, Iijuries to head. Basil Rone, aged 21, Ricevllle, hip dislocated. Thomaa Blaney, a prosperous farmer living near Maxville, Ont., was instantly killed, his son William, aged 14 died in St. Luke's hospital, this city shortly after midnight, and his wife, another son and a nephew, seriously injured, when a motor car in which they were driving was hit by the Montreal-Ottawa C. N. R. flier two miles east of Maxville, at Donald Allan Cameron's crossing at eight o'clock last evening. The aurvivors were brought to Ottawa on the train whjch hit them, and are now In St. Luke's hospital, young Blaney dying soon afterwards. While the others are seriously in-, jured, it is expected they will recover. Mr. Blaney, accompanied by his wife Margaret, his son, Suison. aged 18, another son William, aged 14, and a nephew, Basil Rowe, of Riceville. aged 21, started out from the Blaney farm to attend an Orange social a few mile away at Dunvegan. Another son Harold, aged 16, was driving ahead of the motor party to the social.  According to Dr. W. B. McDiarmid, of Maxville, who was called to the scene of the accident, the Cameron crossing is one of the worst in the country. It has a stone fence on one side, and the tracks are hidden from approaching traffic by large trees. Eyewitness' Story. One eyewitness of the accident was Mr. J. A. McLeod. of Maxville. who, accompanied by his wife, was approaching the crossing from the west just as the Blaney car reached the tracks. It was evident that none of the Blaney party saw the train until it was too late. Mr. McLeod said that the engine struck the automobile a tremendous blow. Two of the boys were thrown a distance of fifty feet . Mrs. Bianey was thrown considerable distance, while the body of Mr. Blaney was picked up close beside the tracks. The car itself was turned completely around and was lying on its side a total wreck, close to the crossing. The car was an old one. with a right hand drive, but Mr. McLeod does not believe that it broke, down at the crossing, for it was travelling at a fair rate of speed. Mr. and Mrs. Blaney were seated in the front of the car, with Mr. Blaney at the wheel. The three boys were in the rear seat. The son Harold who drove with a horse and buggy to the social at Dunvegan, was so far ahead that he did not witness the accident, and had to be sent for. He accompanied his mother and brothers and cousin to Ottawa. Another Yard to Safety. A somewhat different story of the accident was told by Harry Connelly, a farm laborer, whose home is in North Adams, Mass. He stated he was looking out of a window of one of the coaches. It was just getting dusk when he noticed the car heading for the crossing. He distinctly felt the engineer apply the brakes and sound shrill blasts from his whistle. The engine tender struck the rear end of the auto. The train was stopped and backed up Mr. Blaney was dying when Conley along with others rushed to his aid Conley thought it was a case of the driver believing he could get safely across the track. . ." Another yard and he would have made it, was Conley's comment." More Winchester Press 29 July 1920 Thomas Blaney, a prosperous farmer near Maxville, and his son William, aged 10, were killed, and his wife, one son and a nephew seriously injured, when a motor car in which they were driving was hit by the Montreal-Ottawa C.N.R. train two miles east of Maxville at Donald Allan Cameron's crossing at eight o'clock Tuesday evening. The three survivors were brought to Ottawa on the train which hit them and are now in St. Luke's Hospital. While seriously injured, it is expected that they will recover. Ottawa Citizen 19 August 1920 INQUIRY INTO THE DEATH OF LATE WM. BLANEY (Special to The Citizen) MAXVILLE, Aug. 17 No comment was made tonight concerning Cameron's crossing, by the jury in their verdict into the death of the late William Blaney who died in an Ottawa hospital from injuries he received when the auto in which he was driving was hit by G. T. R. Montreal- Ottawa train number 1, on July 27. At the inquest into his father's death, held on August 11, this crossing was condemned by the jury as being a very dangerous one. The verdict returned was that William Blaney, died in Ottawa July 27, 1920, as a result of several fractures and shock which were caused as a result of his being struck by G. T. R. westbound train number 1, when he was seated in an auto driven by his father, the late Thomas Blaney. The above accident happened on the above date at Cameron's crossing in the county of Glengarry, one a half miles from Maxville at the intersection of the G. T. R right of way and the public highway. The jury was out about ten minutes. The inquest was presided over by Coroner H. Munro, of Maxville.

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Updated 11 August 2021