Old Railroad Pictures

Old New York Central station at Pittsford

Syracuse Star, Thursday, September 13, 1849

[From the Rochester Advertiser]

Further Particulars of the Dreadful Railroad Accident.

A terrible collision occurred on Friday morning [September 7th] on the railroad about two miles east of Pittsford, by which Mr. John Sholtus, the Depot Master, was instantly killed and almost every person in the cars injured, some of them severely, including Mr. Henry Wells of this city.

The night before there had been a collision in consequence of two freight cars having been carried by the wind on the track, or put there by design. This caused a disarrangement of the trains, and the freight train left for Rochester under the impression that the train fir the east was waiting for them; but this train left for the east, and came in collision at a curve in the road near Pittsford.

It appears that the train which left this city at 1 o’clock yesterday morning, came into collision with two baggage cars which had been left on a branch at Shortsville, six miles east of Canandaigua, and either by the window the act of some evil person had been carried on the track during the night. By this means two trains which were due from the east were detained several hours which fact was telegraphed to this city and an order sent down to them to wait until the train from the west should pass. This order it appears was delivered to the baggage train, which was subsequently passed by the passenger train, the Conductor of which supposed the cars from the west were waiting at this city.

After the two trains which had been detained got under way a strict watch was kept by the unfortunate man who has lost his life, but on approaching a turn in the road near Pittsford, he stepped from one side of the platform to the other, and at this instant the collision took place. The engines and baggage cars were smashed in pieces, and Mr. Sholtus was completely crushed between the baggage car and the first passenger car. From his position it is supposed that he was on the point of jumping off at the first moment. He was seen to give one gasp as if for breath and then expired.

One man was lying asleep in the corner of the baggage car, and although the floor upon which he was broke into pieces and forced up from its place, he fortunately escaped unhurt. Almost everyone had scratches or bruises upon his face when the cars arrived here, and one young woman was severely injured. The Porter at the Blossom House it is believed have jumped out, and was so badly hurt that he was left at Pittsford. The corpse of the Conductor was brought up to the city.

Coroner Frost and a jury were called to hold an inquiry over it. The jury men were Messrs. C. A. Kellogg, Ashley Hall, D. C. Mana, Dr. A. Strong, William James, D. Botsford, J. Doolittle, H. C. Cone, Samuel White, John Bruce, A. A. Colburn, A. Hubbell,John F. Bush, A. Griswold, G. B. Kinstry, and John Van Kuran.

After viewing the body they proceeded to the Superintendent’s room to hear evidence when the facts above stated were adduced, and it appeared that the freight train left this city by the authority of a verbal order, contrary to the printed directions, John Glen, the Engineer of the train from the east, says he did not see the other cars until within a hundred feet. He jumped off, as did the engineer of the western train, and both escaped with slight cuts and bruises. Mr. Wolcot, the Conductor was standing on the platform at the back end of the first passenger car, and when the collision occurred was thrown between the cars in such a position that they had gone either backward or forward in must have been killed; fortunately they remained still and he escaped unhurt. Thursday. The train from the east was going ate the rate of 25 miles an hour.

The Coroner’s Jury, in their verdict in regard to the death of Sholtus, say that:

“From the facts recited, the collision of the passenger and freight trains, during which Mr. Sholtus lost his life, was occasioned by the alteration of the standing rule, upon the ‘time card,’ in relation to the starting of freight trains, without giving to the engineer and conductor of the passenger trains. And the jurors deem it their duty to censure strongly the want of car on the part of the Superintendent, in altering a standing rule of his own, without first having taken such measures as would, beyond the possibility of a doubt, bring a knowledge of such contemplated alteration home to every person employed in running the road, who could, in any way, be affected by such alteration.”

When the train started from Canandaigua the fact was telegraphed to this city, but the message did not arrive until quarter of eleven, which was three quarters of an hour after the baggage train had left, and about the the time of the collision. After hearing all the testimony that could be obtained, the jury until half past 6. The damage to the engine and cars cannot be exactly ascertained as yet, but it is supposed to be between two and three thousand dollars.

[The Ovid Bee of Wednesday, September 12, 1849, also noted]:

The Superintendent, Mr. Sprague, sent word by the Express Train, that the down freight train would make its regular time, and that the passenger train coming west must wait for it. It appeared that the order was not delivered, and hence the dreadful collision, with both trains under full headway.

The collision occurred at Cartersville, as the two trains were rounding the curve in the road at that point, one running at a very rapid rate. Israel Morgan and Horatio N. Glenn, engineers on the two trains were somewhat hurt. Mr. Sholtus had been down the line of the road upon business for the Company, and was returning home upon the eastern train, standing upon the platform. He was badly mutilated, and killed instantly.

Coroner Frost summoned a jury immediately after the arrival of the cars at 12 o’clock, and a lengthy examination was made into the circumstances of the collision. Dr. M. Strong was foreman of the jury.

From the testimony given by passengers it appeared that there were two passenger cars and about sixty passengers, all but two of whom received some slight injury. Nearly every one had some abrasion upon the face, probably from being thrown forward against the seats. The locomotives were both nearly demolished, and the passenger cars considerably broken up. The loss is estimated at between $7,000 and $8,000.

The Superintendent and the Conductor of the freight train were not present, having gone to the scene of the accident, and the jury adjourned until half past six.

Mr. Sholtus was about 35 years of age, a young man very much respected, and in whom the Railroad Company had great confidence. He leaves a wife and two children, the oldest about 4 years of age.

Rochester Daily Democrat

Tuesday, September 11, 1849

The Late Collision

___

The following extract from the verdict of the Coroner’s jury in the case of Mr. Sholtus, states the rule which governs trains of cars on the Auburn and Rochester Railroad:

The jurors, aforesaid, further find that the Auburn and Rochester Railroad Company have what is called a “time card,” which designates the tune of arrival and departure of each train at the several stations between this city and Auburn. By this “time card” each engineer is bound to regulate the running of his locomotive, and under no circumstances is he justified in deviating from it, excepting, only when specifically directed by the Superintendent, and hitherto when the Superintendent has varied the time of running any train, written and seasonable notice, of such variation has usually been given to the respective engineers and conductors to be affected by the change.

Another rule upon the “card” and equally important, is that every freight train must reach the several stations ten minutes before the time of arrival of a passenger train, and must wait, indefinitely, for it to pass. It appears that the engineer of the freight train was directed by the Superintendent to proceed East this morning at ten o’clock, in contravention of the aforesaid rule, there being at that hour two passenger trains due from the East. This change of a fixed rule for running freight trains was not communicated to the conductors or engineer of the passenger train coming West, which was two or three hours behind its time, occasioned by a collision between the train which left here about one o’clock this morning, and a freight car or cars loaded with flour, which in some way gad been moved from “the turnout” on to the main track at Shortsville, six miles east of Canandaigua.

The engineer and conductor, however, testified that when at Shortsville some one told them that the freight trains as to leave Rochester this morning at the time of their arrival. They, however, considered it to be a mere rumor, and on consultation with Mr. Sholtus, the deceased who was familiar with the management of the road, they decided to proceed to Rochester as usual. Lest, however, the rumor might prove true, Sholtus placed himself at the brake on the car as above specified, and the conductor took post at the brake on the rear platform of the same car, so as to be enabled, should it become necessary, to stop the train in the least possible time.

In this way they proceeded. cautiously rounding every curve between Victor and the point of collision, which was at the western termination of a curve of about 40 rods in length. The Engineer of the passenger train saw the freight train when it was only about one hundred feet distant and had not time to reverse his engine. It was running at the rate of 10 miles an hour. The Engineer of the freight train saw the passenger train when it was about thirty rods distant and reversed his engine. Both trains were upon descending grades. The Engineers and Firemen of both trains jumped from their Engines to the ground, with but slight injury.

From the facts above received it is apparent that the collision of the passenger and freight trains, by which the aforesaid John Sholtus lost his life, was occasioned by the alteration of the standing rule upon the time card in relation to the starting of freight trains, without giving notice to the Engineer and Conductor of the passenger train. As the jurors aforesaid deem it to be their duty to censure strongly the want of care on the part of the Superintendent, in altering a standing rule of his own without first having taken such measures as would, beyond the possibility of a doubt, bring a knowledge of such contemplated alteration home to every person engaged in running the road, who could in any way be affected by such alteration.

Scientific American, September 22, 1849

Fearful Railroad Collision

On Friday, the 7th installment., a fearful railroad collision took place near Rochester, between a freight train going east and a passenger train going west. The passenger train was about three hours behind its time. It had been detained at Shortsville by another train which had run off the track.

According to the regulations, all freight trains are obliged to keep out of the way of passenger trains, and if the latter has not arrived at the regular hour for the starting of the former, the freight train must wait util the passenger train arrives. These regulations were understood by the conductor and engineer of the passenger train coming west, but by direction of the superintendent of the road, the freight trains wen out at its regular hour, 10 o’clock, and instructions were sent down by the express train from the passenger train, coming up, to hold on, as there was a freight train coming. These instructions were not delivered.

When about a mile east of Carterville, the passenger train was met by the freight train running at the rate of 25 miles an hour. There was a high bank a piece of wood on the inner side of the curve which prevented either from discovering the other train until they were close together. The engineer on the freight train reversed his engine and fell to the ground. The engineer on the other train, not so quickly discovered his danger, had not time to reverse his engine but jumped quickly off, and the two locomotives came together with a terrible force - almost entirely destroying them. A number of cars were badly broken - and John Sholtus was killed.

We seldom make such a long extract, in relating an accident of this kind, but this one requires a word of comment. It is evident, that there was mismanagement in the case, now if our railroad lines had telegraph lines completely under their control, to be used for their business only, such an accident as above would not occur. A new line of wires from Albany to Buffalo, could be put up at little expense, on the standing poles, and the right to use it, for the purpose stated, viz., to communicate instantly from station to station, could surely bed purchase d at little expense, from some of the Telegraph Patentees.