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From: <>
Subject: Re: [Can-Train-Dis] Toronto Highlander???
Date: Fri, 23 Dec 2005 12:18:03 -0500
Could this be what you are looking for? There is no Boyd or Stuart/Stewart listed among the victims, but pehaps the other female names might ring a bell.
Jay Underwood
Elmsdale NS
People Killed in Head-On Collision on the C.P.R. Near Smiths Falls, Ontario FREIGHT TRAIN FAILED TO GET INTO SIDING AT DOCKRILL, AND MONTREAL CHICAGO EXPRESS RUNNING 60 MILES A HOUR CRASHED INTO IT Four Persons Seriously Injured and Some Thirty Suffering From Cuts and Bruises Wreckage Took Fire and It Is Feared Further Bodies May Be Found Later Engineer of the Passenger Train One of the Killed Passenger Train Was Carrying a Large Number of Immigrants and Majority of Injured Were in a Colonist Car Miracle That Greater Number of Lives Were Not Lost {Canadian Press} Belleville, Ontario November 27 Travelling at a terrific speed, a westbound C.P.R. train enroute to Toronto and Chicago, crashed into a freight train which was backing into a siding near Dockrill, 56 miles west of here, this afternoon, resulting in the death of W. Burnett, engineer of the passenger train, and two unidentified men and a women, listed as foreigners. Four were seriously injured !
and were rushed to hospitals at Smiths Falls, while approximately 30 others sustained minor cuts and bruises.
Further Bodies May Be Found in Wreck
The extent of the accident could not be accurately gauged at midnight as reports from the scene of the wreck indicated that further bodies might be found in the wreckage of the first four coaches, some of which were said to be burning. The work of clearing the debris proceeded throughout the night, the worker, gathered from surrounding points, being hampered by lack of adequate lighting.
According to eyewitnesses, the passenger train, which was the first section of No. 19 Montreal Toronto express, crashed into the freight, the two engines rearing up and then rolling down the embankment. Immediately behind the mail and baggage cars and colonist and first class coaches were badly smashed and it is regarded as miraculous that so many of the passengers, who were chiefly immigrants, escaped with such slight injuries. Fire broke out in these cars soon after the accident, but it is thought that all crawled to safety. There were 122 person on the train when it left Smiths Falls.
The less seriously injured were sent on to Toronto and arrived there after midnight. They were sent to the Western Hospital in that city.
Scene Following Wreck Heartrending
The scene following the wreck was heartrending, as the horror-stricken passengers, many of whom were unable to speak English, wandered hither and thither, some in considerable pain from their injuries, while others sought children, parents and relatives. Help was forthcoming when the second section of No. 19 with two coaches and a train crew was hurried forward from Wilkinson station, a few miles to the east. Then calls for assistance were sent to this city, Napanee and other nearby points.
The wreck is believed to have been due to the failure of the freight train to take the switch at Lens, just west of Dockrill. Running along to the latter place the train is again believed to have overrun the switch due to the weight of the cars. It is thought that the engineer then tried to save the situation by uncoupling all but three cars. With this light load he ran up the track, evidently with the idea of flagging the oncoming express, but he failed on account of a sharp curve. With the vision of both drivers impeded by the curve the trains crashed head-on. It was stated that the passenger train was travelling at a speed of sixty miles an hour when the collision occurred.
An inquest will be opened tomorrow at Enterprise.
The Dead and Injured
Montreal, Quebec November 27 Four persons are known to be dead, four others are seriously injured and twenty-nine persons are suffering from cuts and bruises and other minor injuries following a crash between a freight train and a passenger train on a siding on the Canadian Pacific Railway at Dockrill Siding, 56 miles west of Smiths Falls, Ontario this afternoon.
Only one of the dead has been identified, Engineer W. Burnett of the passenger train whose home was at Smiths Falls. The other dead are described as a man and a woman foreigners.
The Seriously Injured
The seriously injured are: Fireman R. Post, of the passenger train whose home is either Montreal or Toronto.
Engineer J. L. Bradford, of the freight train, Smiths Falls.
K. Hans, a passenger, address unknown.
An unknown man who had his legs broken and suffered other injuries.
The list of the less seriously injured contained the names of both men and women and railway officials here said most of them were riding in a colonist car which apparently bore the full force of the impact.
The seriously injured were removed to temporary quarters after being given first aid and the bodies are said to be at Enterprise 20 miles north of Napanee, Ontario. Coroner Dr. G. H. Cowan, of Napanee will leave by motor for Enterprise to conduct the inquest.
Freight Failed to Get Clear in Siding
Railroad officials here professed to be without any further details of the wreck, other than that the freight train had failed to get clear in the siding before the express was due. It is believed that the two engines came together when the passenger train, travelling on the main line en route for Toronto side-swiped the freight which was backing into the siding. The lack of a detailed report of the wreck was laid by the railway officials to interrupted telegraph facilities.
Carrying Large Number of Immigrants
Passengers from the wrecked express were placed on another train and resumed their journey to Toronto where they are expected to arrive early tomorrow morning.
The trains involved in the wreck were the Montreal Chicago passenger train No. 19 which left Montreal for Toronto at 9:45 this morning and the freight. The passenger train was carrying a large number of immigrants, travelling in colonists cars near the front of the train.
The official statement as to the cause of the wreck said: At 2:25 p.m. at Dockrill Siding, 56 miles west of Smiths Falls a Canadian Pacific freight train came in contract with No. 19, Montreal Chicago passenger train, which left Montreal at 9:45 this morning, the freight train having failed to get clear in the siding for the time of the passenger train.
The Injured
Montreal November 27 The names of the injured were given out at the Canadian Pacific offices here tonight but their addresses were not available.
The list of injured follows: Trainmen J. G. Bonistell, J. Netel, news agent, Iron Speak, Francis Liley, Florence Hodge, J. H. Gallagher, Mrs. J. D. Larock, D. Warmstrong, Mrs. Taylor, F. Orme, R. Kiell, G. W. M. Keller, A. Frank, L. Levince, N. Goldberg, Y. Tops, E. T. Miller, Lizzie McNamara, Harold Hanson, J. Fetherston, F. Natzkni, N. Natzkni, N. Fytipowyic, F. Obzisturk, M. Fawe, W. Pola, W. Pzlawn, W. Mosyel, and W. Cela.
Injured in Smiths Falls Hospital
Smiths Falls November 27 Three of the injured in the Montreal Toronto train wreck at Dockrill, were admitted to the public hospital here this evening. They were R. Post, of Smith Falls seriously injured; Len Bradford,Smiths Falls, and a Mr. Karmilsky, of Toronto, suffering from minor injuries.
>
> From: "Kirsten McTavish" <>
> Date: 2005/12/23 Fri AM 11:19:11 EST
> To:
> Subject: [Can-Train-Dis] Toronto Highlander???
>
> Can anyone please tell me if there was a train called the Toronto Highlander. According to the family story an ancestor was injured in a Canadian Train disaster in about 1922/29??? She lost both her legs but survived. Her name was Susan Stuart/Stewart Boyd, b. 14 April 1879, Shore Street, Bowmore, Islay, Scotland; daughter of Gilbert Boyd, Merchant Service Seaman and Susan Stuart/Stewart, who were married 22 October 1873, Glasgow.
>
> We think Susan married a Canadian by the name of Robson (Sorry-Don't know his first name), first initial looks like C. Again we don't know when or where they married . Scotland orCanada? Have been unable to find any information from Scottish People. I have her birth certificate which she had sent to General Registry Office, New Register House, Edinburgh 13 June 1914 and on the back is written (Mrs) C. S Robson, nee Susan Stuart Boyd or Stuart, so she may well have been married when this accident took place. I would be grateful for any information. In advance, many thanks.
>
> Kind Regards
>
> Kirsten McTavish
>
>
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