Evidence Category: The Shepherdstown Register

Killed at the Bakerton Quarries.- William M. Smith, engineer in charge of the dinkey engine, at the limestone quarries at Bakerton, this county, was killed last Monday by a collision of the engine and a string of loaded cars. The version of the accident as given out at Bakerton is as follows: Instead of waiting in the switch until the dump cars had passed from the point where they were used in an operation known as stripping the earth from the rock that is close to the surface, young Smith though that the loaded cars would take the switch for him. As a result, the unfortunate engineer, with little or no control over the engine, crashed into the cars, breaking both of his legs and injuring him internally, so that he died within the hour. The body was taken to Harper’s Ferry for burial. The accident was witnessed by two men, and as their testimony pointed to an accident, no coroner’s jury will be called. The victim of the accident had quite a war record. He was captured by a U-boat in the earliest part of the war, claiming the distinction of being the first American taken prisoner by the Germans. He remained in a prison camp for two years, when he was released under the armistice terms. He immediately came to this country and tried to get work. On May 1 he went to work at Bakerton and was killed on the fifth. His grandfather, Joshua Smith, it is said, was the first man to run an engine over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.