Another trainman dies from wreck injuries; Cargill man missing.
Leslie V. Savage of Toronto passes away in Parry Sound hospital—Frank Schmidt, Cargill, is known to have boarded the train, but no word comes from him.
Family at Galt all wiped out.
Identification is made by jewelry—Fate of Mr. And Mrs. Andrew Lockie and Two Children—Inquest to be held on Monday next.
Parry Sound, March 21.—More terrible even than the first intimation of the disaster are the details of one of the worst wrecks in Canadian railway history gradually being revealed.
Another name was added to the list of the dead when, at 4 o'clock this afternoon, in St. Joseph's Hospital here, Leslie V. Savage of Toronto, brakeman on train No. 3, died.
With his death the toll of known dead mounts to 12, while the ashes of at least six others are believed to be mingled with the charred embers of the burned colonist car. Only the bodies of those five—Brakeman Savage, Fireman Horace Smith, Express Messenger Edwin Strutt and Brakesman G. White—who died in the Parry Sound Hospital, have been identified.
And the bodies of seven others—Conductor Tom Barstead, News Agent G. Millar, Brakeman R. Ferguson, Robert Nelson, Andrew Lockie of Galt, his wife and two daughters—are known to have been burned in the blazing colonist car.
Watch bears initials.
From the remains of that coach, which formed a funeral pyre for an unknown number of men and women, parts of charred bodies have been removed, but definite identification has been impossible. From the position of one body and from recognizable personal articles it is believed to be that of Conductor Barstead, while all doubt as to whether or not Andrew Lockie and his family were in the doomer car dispelled when a watch bearing his initials was found beside human remains.
The from Cargill comes word which means that at least one more life was snuffed out in a terrible moment. Frank Schmidt, son of J. G. Schmidt of Car-
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.Another trainman dies.
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gill, was known to have boarded that train for Youngstown, Alberta, and up to a later hour tonight his father had received no news of him.
Light shed on cause.
And some explanation of the circumstances which allowed the two huge engines racing toward each other to meet head-on could be learned from further details disclosed today. Every night the two great trains—the pride of the C.N.R. system—slip past each other at Waubamik, just north of Parry Sound. Train No. 3, bound for Winnipeg, is—in railway parlance—the inferior train, and must pull into a siding while No. 4, from Winnipeg and headed for Toronto, goes by on the main line. If all had been as usual, the two trains would have passed at Waubamik, last night. But No. 4 was late. At Capreol is had been nearly two and a half hours late. No. 3 was on time.
And the train official whose business it is, sitting in some office, to guide the progress of these trains through his division knew of the unusual circumstances. He knew that valuable time could be saved by allowing No. 3 to continue on time and meet No. 4 farther north. So he issued two separate orders. One, a restraining order, issued to train No. 4, stated that No. 4 should proceed no farther than Drocourt, and should there await No. 3. The other was an advance order issued to train No. 3, allowing it to proceed as far—and only as far—as Drocourt, where it would pull into the passing track so that No. 4 might slip by on the main line.
Order apparently disregarded.
But some one apparently disregarded an order. Northbound train No. 3 advanced to Drocourt, but it did not stop there. The siding went by in a flash and No. 3 was racing onward toward No. 4 roaring south through the night in an effort to make up lost time.
If No. 3 has been a little faster or if No. 4 had been a little slower, perhaps then there would have been no disaster, for just north of the scene of the wreck there is a clear stretch of track for more than a mile, and both engineers might have seen the oncoming white headlights in time to stop. But fate had ordained otherwise.
Just about a mile north of Drocourt there is a rock cut, and as the track around the corner of the cut appeared within the vision of Engineer Gauvreau on No. 4, it was brilliantly lighted just a few hundred yards farther on by the flashing headlight of No. 3.
Just a moment—and then the crash. Mighty structures of iron and steel were crumbled, flimsy bodies of flesh and bone were crushed. The terrible toll was taken because some one had failed to carry out the order of an invisible official.
Inquest opened.
Magistrate J. D. Broughton, the Acting Coroner, opened an inquest this morning into the deaths of Horace Smith, Capreol, Edwin Strutt, New Dundee, and W. D. White, Orillia, who were killed in the collision between two trains on the Canadian National Railways near Drocourt yesterday.
Magistrate Broughton returned this morning from the scene of the wreck and following the empanelling of a jury the bodies were officially viewed. The inquest was then adjourned.
The bodies of the three men were released this morning for burial.
The inquest will be resumed here on the evening of March 25.
No news of his brother.
John Nelson, Madison, Wis., is still without news of his brother, Robert, who he believes lost his life in the head-on collision between two Canadian National Railways trains near Drocourt, Ont., yesterday. The two men were on a holiday jaunt to Cardston, Alta., and Robert was, at the time of the collision, in the colonist car, where death took a heavy toll.
The elder brother, who was in the day coach, received minor injuries when the train crashed, but, recovering, rushed to the car in which his brother was riding only to find it a mass of flames.
Railway records show that the colonist car in which passengers lost their lives in the wreck at Drocourt, Ont., yesterday morning was of modern steel type, with usual interior wood finish, according to the Canadian National Railways. The car had heavy steel underframe, and was built by the Pullman Company. This colonist car for a portion of its length was telescoped by the baggage car. The cause of the fire which followed this has not been determined, but in all probability it was caused by the coal-burning range which is a feature of colonist cars, being used for the preparation of passengers' food.
No passengers in either train 3 or train 4 other than those travelling in this colonist car were seriously injured. Identification of those who lost their lives has been rendered difficult by the fire which followed the accident, but every care is being taken by the railway officials in that connection.
Frank Frobe, Toronto, who is suffering from a fractured skull and other injuries, is reported to be in a grave condition.
The condition of Paul Gauvreau, Parry Sound, engineer on the eastbound train, is more encouraging, hospital authorities stated today. He had both legs broken and badly burned by steam.
Sergeant Creasy of the Province Police District Headquarters at Barrie is at Parry Sound working under the direction of Crown Attorney Haight, who will appear for the Crown at the inquest into the wreck at Drocourt. Constables Knight and Beattie or Parry Sound are also at work gathering evidence for the inquest. Sergeant Creasy will also make a repot to the Attorney-General's Department regarding the causes of the wreck.
Cargill man missing.
Cargill, March 21.—Frank Schmidt, son of S. G. Schmidt of Cargill, was a passenger on the westbound Canadian National transcontinental which collided with an eastbound train at Drocourt early yesterday morning. The young man's relatives here are anxiously awaiting word as to his safety, but up to a late hour tonight, no information had been received. It is thought that he may have been among the injured of the wreck. He was on his way to Youngstown, Alberta.
Four Galt people die.
Galt, March 21.—It was not until to-day [text missing] a family of four were among the unidentified dead cremated in the colonist car in the C.N.R. wreck at Drocout, that relatives began to fear that A. B. Lockie, his wife and two daughters, who left here Tuesday for Vandura, Sask., were among the dead.
Inquiries made today elicited the information that the Lockies were in the colonist car, and were missing. Andrew Lockie, aged 32; Mrs. Winnifred Lockie, aged 28; and two daughters, Doris, aged 4, and Eleanor, aged 2, had lived in this district all their lives, and were going to West to take up a quarter-section of land near the home of Mrs. Lockie's four brothers. Tuesday night the family departed amid the fond farewells of their relatives and friends for a new home they were destined never to reach.
Mr. Lockie was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Lockie of Branchton, while Mrs. Lockie was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Laidlaw, 93 Elliott Street, [this] city.
Home again at Mildway.
Mildway, March 21.—Jacob and Wilfred Fortney, two Mildmay young men, who sustained injuries in the railway wreck at Drocourt, where two Canadian National transcontinental trains crashed, arrived in Mildmay tonight.
The two men are suffering from head injuries and from shock resulting from their terrible experience.
The Fortney brothers, Jacob, 23 years of age, and Wilfred, aged 21, who are said to have rendered distinguished service in the work of rescuing passengers from the ill-fated colonist car, were on the westbound train on their way to Scotsguard, Sask. They are sons of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Fortney, who reside on a farm in Carrick Township, three miles east of Mildmay.
The following statement was issued last night by A. E. Warren, General Manager, Central Region, Canadian National Railways:
"In connection with the accident at Drocourt, Ont., the list of those dead, missing or receiving attention in hospitals is as follows:
Identified Dead
"Brakesman, L.V. Savage, of train No. 3, died at Parry Sound Hospital, resident of Toronto, Ont.
"Fireman Horace Smiht, of train No. 4, died at Parry Sound Hospital, resident of Capreol, Ont.
"Express Messenger Edwin Struck, of train No. 4, died at Parry Sound Hospital, resident of New Dundee, Ont.
"Brakeman W. G. White, travelling deadhead on train No. 3, died at Parry Sound Hospital, resident of Orillia, Ont.
Missing, believed dead.
"Conductor Ben Barstead, of train No. 3, resident of Toronto, Ont.; was in colonist car, which burned.
"News Agent G. Millar, of train No. 3, resident of Toronto, Ont.; was in colonist car, which burned.
"Brakeman R. Ferguson, travelling deadhead on train No. 3, resident of Toronto, Ont.; was in colonist car, which burned.
"Robert Nelson, passenger on train No. 3, resident of Madison, Wis.; was in colonist car, which burned.
"Andrew Lockie, passenger on train No. 3, resident of Galt, Ont.; was in colonist car, which burned.
"Mrs. A. Lockie, passenger on train No. 3, resident of Galt, Ont.; wife of Andrew Lockie; was in colonist car, which burned.
"Doris Lockie, passenger on train No. 3, resident of Galt, Ont.; daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lockie; was in colonist car, which burned.
"Eleanor Lockie, passenger on train No. 3, resident of Galt, Ont.; daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lockie; was in colonist car, which burned.
"This list of missing may be added to as investigations proceed.
Injured and in hospitals.
"Engineer Paul Gauvereau, of train No. 4, in hospital at Parry Sound, both legs factured, condition satisfactory, resident of Parry Sound, Ont.
"Express Messenger F. Frobie, of train No. 3, in hospital at Parry Sound, head injuries, condition moderately serious, resident of Toronto, Ont.
"J. Fortney, passenger on train No. 3, in hospital at Parry Sound, condition not serious, resident of Scotsguard, Sask.
"W. Fortney, passenger on train No. 3, in hospital at Parry Sound, condition not serious, resident of Scotsguard, Sask.
"A. F. Bateman, passenger on train No. 3, in hospital at Parry Sound, injury to muscles of neck, resident of Brandon, Man."
Additional details.
Additional details supplied from the railway's Toronto office were as follows:
"The baggage car and colonist car which telescoped following the collision have been separated and carefully searched. The remains recovered allow of no positive identification owing to the action of the fire, but the few personal belongings are being carefully gathered for the purpose of future possible identification.
"Conductor Barstead, News Agent, Millar, and deadhead Brakeman Ferguson were among the number in the colonist car, and these three men undoubtedly lost their lives in the car. No trace can be found among the survivors of Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Lockie and two daughters, of Galt, who were placed in this care by relatives at Toronto and it is probable that these travellers lost their lives in that car. A watch with the initials 'A.B.L.' was found this afternoon in the colonist car.
"Robert Nelson, son of Congressman John M. Nelson of Washington, D.C., proceeded into the colonist car shortly before the accident, according to information received from his brother, Harold, who was in another portion of the train. No trace has been found of Robert Nelson.
Those who escaped.
"Among the passengers who escaped from the colonist car without injury, or with slight hurts, were: Walter Tohler of Switzerland; J. Fortney and W. Fortney, of Scotsguard, Sask.; and two Chinese, Tom Lee and his son, Charlie Lee, of Windsor, Ont.
"Railway records show that the colonist car in which passengers lost their lives was of a modern steel-type, with usual interior wood finish. It had a heavy steel underframe and was built by the Pullman Company. The cause of fire which followed the accident has not been definitely determined, but in all probability was caused by coal burning range which is a usual feature of colonist cars, the range being used for preparation of passengers' food.
"[Text missing] reported to Central Region Headquarters that the line was cleared at 2.50 this afternoon."
Ref: Drocourt.