Look Back: Life and death on the railroads
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Wreck on the B&O
The pickup [local service engine] coming in last night stopped at Ewing station [just west of Nicolette] about 9:30 to take on a car, was run into by the way train, which follows. The latter was coming at a high rate of speed and the pickup was not seen until it was too late to avoid a crash. Engineer E.C. Shafer reversed his engine and jumped, and fireman W.L. Hickman jumped also.
Shafer was cut and bruised about the face and had his left wrist sprained. Hickman escaped with slight injuries. The engine crashed into the rear of the pickup, demolishing the caboose and damaging several cars. The rear Brackman of the pickup, a young man named Hyson, was thrown from the top of a car by the force of the concussion and received a bad cut in the fall. The engine of the way train was pretty badly damaged. The tracks were cleared up about 2 o'clock.
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Stopped the Immigrants
The immigrants that passed through here west on the B. & O. last evening were detained at the quarantine station established by the Ohio State Board of Health at Loveland. We understand they will be shipped back out of the state.
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Trains Going East This Evening
No. 4 east on the B. & O. is nearly one hour late this afternoon and will be sent through east in two sections. Two large special trains will arrive here at 8 and 9 o'clock this evening, filled with veterans from the far west. About four special trains will go through tomorrow.
The Parkersburg Daily State Journal,
September 1892
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SWISS OIL SMELLER Killed by a South Bound O.R. R. R. [Ohio River Rail Road] Passenger Train
John Mooseman, better known as the Swiss Oil Smeller, was killed yesterday afternoon near the foot of Blennerhassett Island, by the south bound train, drawn by engine 18, with Engineer John Ingraham at the throttle.
Mooseman was sighted by the trainmen some distance ahead of them, approaching the train. They had no other thought but that when the train got close he would get off the track. Seeing that he was making no move to get off the track, the engineer blew the whistle, but this did not attract him. The air brakes were then applied, but too late, as the train hit him squarely, while still running at a high rate of speed.
When struck he fell right forward onto the front of the engine.
From the examination made it seemed like every bone in his body was broken. It is supposed that the bones of his face and his skull were crushed in when he fell forward on the engine after being struck.
The body was brought up to this city and put in the O.R.R.R. baggage room, where Coroner Keever made an examination of the body. From what he could learn of the circumstances surrounding the case he did not deem it necessary to hold an inquest. The body was then removed to Bentley & Gerwig's undertaking parlors and prepared for burial.
John Mooseman was about 70 years of age and resided on Seventh Street, just at the edge of Hutchinson's Grove. He was very deaf and almost blind, this fact accounting for his tragic death. He claimed to have the power of locating oil wells with some little trinkets which he carried about in a little grip with him all the time; also that he could smell the oil through the ground, where a pool existed. He thus acquired the name of "The Smeller." The wells of the Lubeck Oil Co., at Cairo, were located by Mooseman.
The dead man leaves a wife and daughter, who live in this city, and a son who lives in Switzerland.
The Parkersburg Daily State Journal,
June 11, 1897
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Bob Enoch is president of the Wood County Historical and Preservation Society. If you have comments or questions about Look Back items, please contact him at: roberteenoch@gmail.com, or by mail at WCHPS, PO Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102.