Details of Railway Accidents in the Ottawa Area

1935, November 18 - Crossing collision, Franktown road, CPR, Chalk River sub., one fatality

Ottawa Citizen 19 November 1935 Donald Edwards In Serious State 11-Year-OId Boy Hurt in Train Crash at Franktown Crossing on Monday. The condition of Donald Edwards, aged eleven years, who is at the Ottawa Civic Hospital suffering from serious injuries received in a train-automobile crash at the Franktown C.P.R. crossing on Monday, remains critical today, hospital authorities stated. His sister. Miss Dorcas Edwards, has progressed considerably since her admission to the hospital yesterday, and is believed to be out of immediate danger. Rev. Mr. Edwards and a daughter, Emily, who received cuts in the accident, are able to be about at the family home in Carleton Place. Yesterday afternoon the preliminary inquiry was opened by Dr. Albert Downing, coroner, in Carleton Place into the death of Mrs. J.W. Edwards, who was fatally injured in the crash. The inquiry was adjourned until Friday evening at eight o'clock in the town hall. Ottawa Citizen 23  November, 1935 Recommend Gates at Train Crossing Coroner's Jury Brings in Verdict on Death of Mrs. J. W. Edwards. Carleton Place, Nov. 22. - at the adjourned inquest this evening into the death of Edna May Edwards, wife of Rev. J.W. Edwards, Baptist Minister here, who died as a result of a fractured skull received in a car accident here on Monday last, the following verdict was arrived at after deliberating 35 minutes: We the jury enrolled to inquire into the death of Mrs. Edna Mat [sic] Edward's, beg to report, we find that Mrs. Edwards died about 10 a.m. On Monday, November 18th, 1935, from a fracture of the skull, the injury being received when the automobile of which she was an occupant was struck by the locomotive of incoming Brockville C.P.R. train at the Franktown road crossing. We find that the driver of the automobile, Rev. J.W. Edwards failed to see the incoming train in time to avoid the accident. Your jury would very strongly recommend that this crossing be protected with gates as it is a Highway Crossing and dangerous. Signed, M. D. McCallum, Foreman; R.J. McLaren, Walter Kingston, Narcisse Guerard, Robert Burrows, William Taman, James Cram. The accident occurred last Monday morning at the Frankown road crossing on the arrival of the Brockville local train. Those in the car with Rev. and Mrs. Edwards were three of their children, Dorcas and Donald, who are now in the Ottawa Civic Hospital, and Emily at home, as well as Mrs. W. A. Sherry, patient in the Chambers Hospital, Smiths Falls. Those giving evidence at the inquest were; Theodore McFadden, conductor; Warner Brian, engineer, both of Smiths Falls; George Hyndman, fireman; P. A. Miron, station baggageman and J.T. Farrell, C.P.R. operator. Cuthbert Scott of Ottawa appeared for the C.P.R., W. W. Pollock, Carleton Place, Crown attorney,. A. Patchell, Carleton Place, held a watching brief for Rev. W.J. Edwards.

Return to Main Page of Railway Accidents

Updated 17 April 2021