Official statements issued by railway tell about tragedy

A. E. Warren, General Manager of the Central Region, Canadian National Railways, issued two statements yesterday on the Drocourt wreck, one at noon and one in the evening, which statements follow:

At 3.58 o'clock this morning train No. 3, bound for Winnipeg, collided with train No. 4, bound for Toronto, at Mileage 44 on the Sudbury Subdivision, approximately 44 miles west of Sudbury. The engine and four cars on train No. 3 are reported derailed, and two cars on train No. 4.

Complete reports of the accident have not as yet been received owing to the fact that the telegraph wires are down and the only means of communication is a telephone line, which is noisy. It is known, however, that four employees were killed and four are injured. The names of the dead are:

Conductor Barstead,

Brakeman Ferguson,

Brakeman White,

News Agent Miller.

The injured are:

Engineer Gauvereau,

Fireman Smith,

Brakeman Savage,

Baggageman McRoberts.

Based on the latest information from the scene of the wreck, it is feared that the death list will reach seventeen persons. The passengers fatally injured were in the colonist car of train No. 3, the interior of which car burned. This car and all others in both trains were of steel construction. The origin of the fire is not known at present. General Superintendent Mr. W. T. Moodie is on his way to the scene of the wreck by special train and will make a thorough investigation.

Taken to hospitals.

The injured are now on their way to hospitals and as soon as the names of the injured and nature of their injuries have been ascertained a supplementary statement will be issued. The names of the dead will be made public as soon as the bodies have been identified. So far as is known, no passengers on train No. 4 are injured and no passengers in the sleeping cars on train No. 3 were injured.

Immediately following the accident relief trains with doctors and nurses from Capreol, Parry Sound and Sudbury Junction were rushed to the scene. Auxiliary equipment from Capreol and Allandale was hurried to the scene to clear the wreck as early as possible. A special relief train also left Toronto this morning for the scene of the accident.

The trains had orders to meet at Drocourt, and apparently train No. 3 [the inferior train] overran the meeting point.

Mr. Warren issued the following supplementary statement last night:

Fireman Smith, reported injured in the earlier statement, died while being taken to the hospital at Parry Sound.

Ed Strutt, express messenger, died in hospital at Parry Sound.

Passengers injured.

The following passengers on train No. 3 are reported as injured and are now receiving treatment in the Stone Memorial Hospital in Parry Sound:

J. Fourtney and Wilfrid Fourtney, travelling from Mildmay to Scottsburg, Sask., in colonist car, suffering from head and back injuries, but not reported as serious.

Mitchell, initials unknown, travelling in tourists car, address, Great Western Life Assurance Company, Brandon, and employed as agent, suffering from head injuries, but extent not determined.

The following are the additional injured of train crew:

Express Messenger Frobie, possible fractures of the skull.

E. V. Alexander, engineer train No. 3, slight injuries.

Believed dead.

Unidentified man, wife and two children, said to be travelling to intermediate point between Saskatoon and Regina, on train No. 3.

Missing.

Robert Nelson, from Washington, D.C., said to be travelling to Cardston, Alberta, on train No. 3.

Parts of trunks of four bodies were recovered from the colonist car, all charred beyond recognition. No other bodies have so far been located, but the search is being continued.

The engineers and conductors of both trains were men of long experience and clear records. Engineer Alexander of train No. 3 has been with the Canadian National Railways seventeen years. Prior to joining this railway he had seven years' experience as engineer on other railways. Conductor Barstead of train No. 3 had been in the service of the company twenty-four years and was senior conductor on his division.

Railways: C.N.Rys.

Stations: Drocourt

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