Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 August 1878 — WHAT A STOPPED WATCH DIP. [ARTICLE]

WHAT A STOPPED WATCH DIP.

The Keeent Aeeldent on the Pltuburgli, Cincinnati A hi. Louie Haallroad Terrible instruction to Life and Limb. A special telepram from Pittsburgh, ]>a., to the Chicago Tribune of the Bth, gives the following details respecting the fearful railroad slaughter at Mingo Junction, Ohio: Rlngo Junction, a straggling village of fifteen or twenty house*, is situated on the Ohio River, Just below the mouth of Cross Creek, and about four miles west from Steubenville, Ohio. Three year* ago it was the scene of a frightful railroad accident, In which J. N. McCullough, General Manager of the Pennsylvania Railroad, and several others, lost their lives. A year later another smash-up occurred, within a iew rods of the former one, which sent half a dozen mangled and bleeding victims to their graves. Another horror wns added to the list this morning, far surpassing either of the preceding in the number of killed and Injured. Most of the victims were English and German immigrants who were on their way lo the West. The accident took place Just licfore daybreak. A dense fog prevailed at the time, which obscured the view and added to the misery of the situation. The cause ot the calamity Is attributed to Sterling, conductor of the irelght train, who acknowledges that his watch stopped twenty minutes before the collision, but without his knowledge. This caused an error In his calculation of time, and -fifty or more’ mangled bodies, many of them lifeless, Is the horrible result. The details are as follows:

The fast line going weston the Pan-Handle Railroad, which left Pittsburgh about midnight, arrived at Steubenville a little late, and left there seven minutes behind time. It was composed of two postal-cars—one for Cincinnati and one for St. Louis—a baggagecar, an emigrant car, two ordinary cars and a sleeper. This train was In charge of Conductor Edward Morrill, of Columbus, and, being behind time, was running unusually fast. At Mingo Junction, at 1:50 a. m., just after Sassing Cross Creek, where the road leaves ic Ohio River, and while rounding a sharp curve on the west bank of the creek, the train dashed with fearful velocity into freight train No. 13, Conductor Sterling, which was off her time, the conductor’s watch, it is said, having stopped twenty minutes w ithout his knowledge. The trains rushed together, and a fearful wreck ensued. Both engines were demolished and thrown down an enbankment thirty feet. The first postal-car was completely wrecked, three ot the four Inmates killed snd the other’s leg broken. The second postal-car was more iortunate, being only thrown down the embankment, w here it stands on end. All the inmates escaped with slight wounds. The baggage-car was a total wreck, the baggage being strewn in all directions The emigrant car, In which the greatest loss of life occurred, was completely demolished. A large crowd soon gathered from the country for miles around, coming in buggies, wagons, on horseback and afoot. The people set to work with & will to extricate the wounded, dead and dying. Everything was done that could be done to alleviate the sufferings of the injured, who were placed on a special train and taken to Steubenville. Both of the engines were broken, twisted and wrecked so completely as to resemble a mass of old iron. Very few in the emigrant car escaped death or injury. The scene is Indescribable. The moans of the dying and sobs and screams of the living rose above every other sound. Dead and mangled bodies were seen in all directions, and in every every degree of mutilation. The injured added their cries to the dreadful din, which pierced the soiil like a prolonged wail from the region of lost spirits. Up to this time (nine p. m.) fifteen have died, and several more cannot survive till morning. Among the killed are tfie following: T. D. Graham, Head Postal Clerk on the Fast Line, of Cincinnati; \V. R. Johnson, Assistant Postal Clerk, Cincinnati; August Andrews, Local Mail Agent on the postal car, Clarksburg, W. Va.; ’Mrs. Anna Cullen, of Bridgeport, Conn, (her son, daughter in-law and grand daughter were badly injured); Patrick Gannon, Barren Hill, Montgomery County, Pa.; Bernard Miller, an emigrant from Bremen, Germany; an unknown woman, large, fleshy and with the appearance of being a German; Fred Gross, Manheim, Germany; John Curry, Tyrone, Ireland: an unknown woman, upon whom was found the address of Miss Flenken, No. 353 Sheridan street, Allegheny; an unknown German, with a ticket from New York to Cincinnati; John Dugan, engineer of the passenger train, Burgettstown; Mary McDonald, London, EDg.