Walhonding, OH Train Wreck, Jun 1903


Disastrous Wreck of Work Train at Walhonding this Morning.


An east bound work train on the Walhonding Valley railroad was wrecked this morning near the village of Walhonding. As a result the locomotive and three cars are in the Walhonding river, the locomotive completely submerged.

Fortunately there were no fatalities, although two Italian workmen were slightly injured.

As near as can be learned, the tender of the engine left the track about 100 yards from the bridge across the Walhonding, bridge No. 17. The engineer and fireman, seeing the danger, made a perilous leap for safety. The train crashed ahead, although the engineer had applied the brakes, and when the bridge was reached, the smash-up occurred.

The engine crashed through the bridge and dived like a huge monster into the waters of the river, the depth of the water being sufficient to cover it. On top of it came three cars loaded with gravel.

The fate of the engineer and fireman had they been aboard their cab is horrible to contemplate.

Two other cars that were derailed are left standing on the embankment at the water's edge. One span of the bridge is entirely gone.

The Italians that were hurt received their injuries as the train crashed into the timbers of the bridge. How serious the injuries are is not known.

Traffic is at a stand-still and probably will remain so for several days until the bridge can be rebuilt and the locomotive and cars rescued from their watery resting place.

The accident was the worst that has ever occurred on the road, and the loss of not a single life, is extremely fortunate.

Conshocton Daily Age Ohio 1903-06-03