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Boys Killed By M.C.R. Express
[The Waterford Star, August 16, 1917]
Percy Elsie, aged 16, driver for S.L. Lambert, and Frank Polland, aged 10, who was taking a ride with him, were killed Friday afternoon by Michigan Central passenger train, No. 37, which struck and demolished the lumber wagon on which they were riding.
The train, which was in charge of Conductor George Waite, was coming around the curve at Welland and Engineer William Meehan, 106 Forest avenue, St Thomas, saw that the signal was down, thus leaving the track clear for the train to cross the G.T.R. crossing. The engineer blew the whistle for the crossing and just after this was done, he saw the wagon crossing the track going from north to south with two boys sitting on it, with the larger boy in front driving, and the smaller boy in the rear. Both boys at the time were looking towards the west, with their backs towards the approaching train.
Mr. Meehan again blew the whistle and applied the emergency brakes. The boys turned and then jumped towards the west; the engineer said that if they had jumped towards the east, doubtless they would have escaped. The horse escaped uninjured. The train was going about 40 miles an hour when the boys were first seen and about 35 when they were struck. The train was brought to a standstill about 10 car lengths from the crossing on which the boys were hit. The crew ran back to the bodies and found that one of the boys had been killed out right and the other one died soon afterwards. Coroner Dr. McKenzie, of Port Colborne opened an inquest last night and it was adjourned until next Thursday.
Herb Swanton was the fireman on the train.
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