Hornell, NY Train Wreck, Apr 1908

Fatal Wreck on Erie.

The westbound Wells-Fargo express train on the Erie Railroad, crashed into an eastbound freight at Hornell. Two were killed and four were injured. The dead are: L. H. HELMER, engineer of the express train, of Hornell, and JAMES CANNON, fireman of the express, of Andover.
The injured include the fireman of the freight train, a man named McGEE, of Salamanca; JOHN FIELD, conductor of the express train, of Binghamton; W. H. POST, head messenger, of Hoboken, N. J., and WILLIAM HUBERTON, of Wellsville. The express, which carried no passengers, was running forty-five minutes late. The trains had orders to meet and pass at 'Jx' tower. It is asserted that the freight train failed to get out of the way of the express in time. The wreck occurred near a curve, and the heavy express train, running down a steep grade with seven cars, hit the freight head-on. Both locomotives were wrecked and about fifteen cars were piled up. HELMER was burned and mangled under the wreckage. The wreck took fire and some of the derailed cars were partly consumed. When HELMER'S wife was told of the wreck she suffered a nervous shock.

Chateaugay Record New York 1908-04-03
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!