Friday, January 25, 2013

Wednesday, Mar. 23, 1887- ---Rich Hill Review.


Shortly after 1 o’clock last Tuesday afternoon a 14-year old colored boy named Ben Wiley was run over by the north bound freight train. Ben, with several other boys, has been in the habit of boarding such trains just as they were pulling out from the city and thus securing a ride sometimes as far as Ovid, returning by the next train south. At other times the boys would jump from the train ere it got fairly started down the grade between here and the smelters. On the fatal occasion Ben was perhaps a little more careless or hazardous than usual and lost his footing. In pitching from the train the unfortunate boy struck upon his forehead, his right leg being thrown across the track by the fall; and the wheels, of course, passed over this, crushing the bone and severing the limb just below the knee. Ben was in intense distress and fear for a few moments after the accident, but the flow of blood from the lacerated member soon brought tranquility to his mind, and by the time the amputation took place he was quite reconciled. Dr. Allen, the railroad company’s physician, was on the train at the time the accident occurred, but got off as soon as the train could be stopped and promptly superintended the necessary arrangements for the surgical operation---ministering to the poor boy’s wants with his usual willingness in such cases.
                                                ---Rich Hill Review.

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