David Cool looses his life

Driver David Cool Killed in English Mail Train Wreck.

Fatal run off at McLeod's Siding, five miles from Campbellton Sunday morning - Four others injured but not seriously.

Stuck to his post.

One of the worst wrecks on the ICR for some time took place at McLeod's Siding, five miles from Campbellton at about 11.10 a.m. Sunday when the English Mail Special in the charge of Conductor Crockett, with drivers Cool and Fryers in the cab was ditched and driver Cool instantly killed.

The English Mail left Moncton at 7 o'clock Sunday morning and made an exceedingly fast run. At Newcastle Drivers Cool and Fryers took charge of the engines, No. 347 and 342, two large Pacific type engines, manufactured by the Montreal Engine Works. Both these drivers were careful, but fast runners and exceedingly fast time was made all along the route, in fact, it is said that sections where the track was good, the rate was a mile a minute. The only stops between Newcastle and the scene of the wreck was at Bathurst, where water was taken.

Dalhousie Junction was reached shortly after eleven o'clock and the train was running at a high rate, when without an instant's warning the pilot engine with Driver Cool at the throttle suddenly left the rails, ran a short distance and then plunged into the ditch. The fireman Thos. Clarke, who was at his work, and a young man, a railway employee, who was also in the cab, were able to crawl out of the wreckage, the passenger being only slightly scalded, while Clarke was not injured in any way, but the driver, who gallantly stuck to his post, with one hand on the throttle and the other on the air-brake lever, was caught and his life crushed out. The second engine, in charge of Driver A.H. Fryers of Moncton, followed the pilot over the embankment and laid in the ditch on its side. The driver was caught in some of the lighter wreckage and although severely scalded with great presence of mind directed the train crew and passengers in the work of getting him clear. His fireman, Walter Carson of Moncton, escaped also with a few scalds. The train was made up of four mail and baggage and a combination car, diner and pullman. The latter was the only car left on the rails. The first mail car followed the engines to the right of the roadbed while the others went to the left. The first three cars turned over on their sides while the balance remained upright, but at various angles. None of these were broken badly and the contents.... not injured. There were only 8 passengers on board and these were uninjured.

At noon the word was telephoned to the depot here that the wreck had occurred and a train with doctors and wrecking crew was speedily made up and despatched to the scene of the wreck and the injured promptly attended to and conveyed to Campbellton. A large crew of men was promptly gathered and the wrecking crew with steam cranes from River du Loup and Moncton summoned, the work of clearing the track was rushed and the line cleared in time to allow the express to pass. In the meantime the passengers, mail and baggage were transferred and sent on to their destinations.

The passengers were grateful for the many kindnesses shown them by the railway officials and gallantly assisted in the rescue of the injured men. This gratitude took the form of a purse of a considerable amount, which they entrusted, to Chief Crawford to be forwarded to the widow of the brave engineer.

David Cool was one of the most careful and popular drivers on the road. He was born here, but married a Newcastle young lady, Miss Annie Copeland, and had resided at Newcastle for some years. A wife and three children survive.

It is impossible to state the cause of the accident, but it was probably a broken or spread rail.

Sunday afternoon hundreds of people visited the scene of the wreck. To the ordinary layman it seems remarkable that a heavy train travelling at such a high rate of speed stopped with such suddenness could withstand the pressure, as outside the running gears the cars are not so badly broken although the underworks are pretty well wrenched.

A little less than a year ago the English Mail from Rimouski was ditched in practically the same manner a mile west of here, but at that time no one was seriously injured.