Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 April 1891 — NINE MEN MEET DEATH. [ARTICLE]

NINE MEN MEET DEATH.

DISREGARD OF ORDERSCAUSES THE CALAMITY. An Express and a Mail Train Crash Together, Almost In-tantly Killing Both Engineers and AU the Mail Clerks—The Kames. Edward Brown, engineer, Toledo, Ohio. Charles Topliff, engineer. Toledo. Ohio. F. J. Nugent, postal clerk, Toledo, Ohio. Charles Hammill, postal clerk, Elyria, Ohio. F. F. Clemens, postal clerk, Cleveland, Ohio. John J. Bowerfine, postal clerk, Elyria, Ohio. James McKinley, postal clerk, Conneaut. Ohio. C. H. McDowell, postal clerk, Elyria, Ohio. Staley, fireman. These men were instantly sent to eternity by the frightful carelessness of some one—of whom it is not known. At Kipton station, a little place on the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern road, forty miles west of Cleveland, Ohio, the fast mail bound east collided with the Toledo express just as the latter train was about to pull on the siding to let the fast mail pass. The latter was running at full speed, and the force of the collision was so great that both engines, three mail cars and one baggage-car were completely wrecked. None of the passenger cars left the track, and none of the passengers received serious injuries. It was the custom for these two trains to pass at Kipton, the Toledo express taking the side track for the fast mail, which usually went through Kipton without slackening its speed. The Toledo express was a few minutes late, and had just come to a stop at the switch when the fast mail came in sight. There is scarcely any curve at the station, but on one side of the track was a line of freight cars and on the other the station. These might have obstructed the vision of the engineer of the fast mail. He applied the air-brakes when he saw that a coll son was inevitable, but the speed of the tra n was not checked mater ally. The engine of the Toledo express was knocked squa/rely across the track, and that of the fast mail reared in the air, resting on top of the other. The fast mail consisted of three mail cars and two parlor cars, and the Toledo expiess of five coaches and two baggage cars. The first and second ma 1 cars were telescoped and smashed to kindling wood, and the third crashed into the first two and rolled over on the station platform, breaking the windows of the building. The two baggage ears of the Toledo express were knocked from the track, but did not turn over. The force of the collision was so great that of the sixty-foufi revolving-chairs in the two only four remained attached to the floods, all the others being broken and hurled about in confusion. The passengers were thrown to the floors and badly shaken. The passengers of the two trains at once began the work of rescue, and with a corps of physicians from the town ministered to the few who were injured. All but one of the dead were beyond human assistance as soon as the collision occurred. The bodies were all horribly crushed and mutilated, arms and legs being torn off, and the corpses were almost beyond recognition. Charles Topliff, the engineer of the fast mail, remained bravely at his post, and was found deaa with his hand on the throttle. His hands and face were so badly scalded that the blackened flesh dropped from the bones when his body was taken out. The poor postal clerks had not a chance to escape. They were caged like rats, and the telescoping of the car crushed the life out of them without a moment’s warning. When the passengers who were on the fast mail arrived at Cleveland they brought the first authentic account of the wreck, there being no correspondents or other facilities for getting the news from Kipton, which is a mere hamlet. These passengers say that the cars and locomotives were piled in a heap higher than the station. It is difficult to locate the blame fop the accident, as both of the engineers are dead. It is said, however, that the express was ordered to stop at Oberlin, but went on to Kipton, which is six miles farther west, and had not sufficient time to make the side track.