The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-11-11
Large Number Severely Hurt.
LIST OF KILLED AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
&C., &C., &c.

LloI AlLLED AND WOONDED
&C., &C., &c.
WATERFOWL, Wis, Nov. IA terrible
accident occurred seven miles sonth of this
city, at Il o'clock A. nj. The train contained
theexcursionists for Chicago to celebrate the
opening of the Chicago and Northwestern
Railroad. There were twelve passenger cars
and one baggage car drawn by the locomO-
tive Perry HI. Smith-the smash up was
caused by the engine striking an OK which
ran directly ahead of the train and too late
for the engineer to give any warning. The
locomotive is complete wreck, and the en-
gineer, fireman and one other person on the
engine escaped. The baggage car was thrown
completely off the track into ditch, and the
first passenger Car directly on it. The bag
gage car was completely demolished, and
five passenger cars smashed up.
From the Report Of the Milwaukee Free Democrat
WATERrowN, Nov. l, lS59.-The tele-
graph having announced that frightful
accident had occurred on the Northwest ern
Road, eight miles south OF Watertown, in
company with Mayor Paige, and some eight
or ten of our city physicians, Gen. King and
others, we took the train at 4:40 and ar.
rived here at 615 o'clock. We find the
city in state of great excitement, the dead
and the more seriously injured, have been
removed here, and are being cared for by
the citizens. In the Planters House where
[ write this, there are several of the wound
ed. In the next room is Mr. Sickles, who
had both legs amputated, and is dying Mr..
Van B. Smead, of the Fond du Lac Press,
is in room overhead, with a fractured
skull, from which a portion of the brain
has oozed out He is unconscious and will
probably die. The fireman of the train is
here with two or three ribs broken.
The accident took place this morning
about ten o'clock. A heavy excursion
train composed of II or IA cars, heavily
loaded with passengers on their way to
Chicago, to celebrate the opening of the
Northwestern Railroad. The train was
running at the rate of only fifteen miles an
hour, and the engineer states, was Stacking
up to cross a culvert, when large OK sud-
denly jumped from thcket in front of the
engine. He was caught on the COW catcher
and carried 10 or Is rods, when as they
were crossing the sluice, he rolled forward
and falling partly through the bridge, he
was held by it and the engine passing on
to his body, it was thrown into the ditch
The tender was dashed along side and
broken to pieces by the baggage car being
forced on to it, and the first passenger Car
came laundering on and was driven by the
side Of the baggage car which was also
broken to pieces. The whole train was
suddenly brought to a stand still, and
the third car being one of the second class
passenger cars, and more strongly built,
broke into the ends of the second and fourth
cars some four to six feet, killing some and
wounding others. The shock was terrible
and the crash followed with irresistible
power. Almost all who were in the bag
gage car were instantly killed, and such as
escaped unhurt went speedily to work to
eXtricate those found beneath the ruins. A
message was dispatched at once to this city
for assistance, and the citizens at once flew
to their aid. An eye witness describes the
scene as one Of the most heart rendering and
sickening character, as one by one the bodies
were taken out either dead or alive. Some
were horribly mutilated. One had his face
cut off, another had lost both his legs, an
other an arm cut off, and others severely
bruised.
The following is the list of the dead so far
as ascertained. 1t will be seen that the
citizens of Oshkosh ana Fond du Lac suffer
the most severely, as they occupied the first
two cars:
Theron Minor, of Watertown Charles
Aldus, John Lund G. f. Emerson, EIipha-
let Sherwood, of Oshkosh; NJ. J. Thomas,
US. Marshal, John Boardman, Jerome Ma.
son, Express agent, Isadore Snow, II. L..
Gillet, and f. H. Sckles, of Fon du Lac.
Among the most seriously wounded are E..
r. Baldwin, Oshkosh, both legs broken;
Peter Sale, Miss Foreman; J. NJ. Stebbins,
Appleton, one leg broken, head cut; Miss
Jenkinson, Mrs. Jewell, Mrs. Page, Mrs.
Cartwright, Mrs. A. B. Knapp, Mrs. Coles
Bashford, p. Savage, A. ID. Bonesteel, In
dian agent, Van B. Smead, of the Fon du
Lac Press, who is not expected to recover
f. Ii. Nichols, Judge Flint, Mrs. Radtord,
James Partridge, G. G. r. Gould, and Mrs
r. Lewis. j. j. Craig, of Chicago, the
only resident of another State, was danger
ously injured.
1t is the uniform testimony of all that the
train was not running at a high rate of speed,
and the accident is not attributable to any
clreessress on the part of the engineer.
The accident occurred in a kind of marsh
near running brook over which the bridge
had been constructed. After the accident
occurred, all was done that could be done
to relieve the sufferers, and everyone was
active and assidious in their ministrations to
the wounded and dying.
The ladies freely parted with all articles
of clothing that could be used for bandages
to bind up broken heads, limbs and bodies,
and did their full share in making those
comfortable who required assistance.
About 81 o'clock P. NJ. the train, or
what was left of it, returned to this city.
Citizens promptly discharged every obliga.
tion of hospitality, and did all in their power
to extend relief to the victims of an unex-
pected and deplorable casualty. The hotels
were thrown open, private residences were
made free to all, every article of food or
raiment was provided that was needed.
Twelve of the dead are now lying in this
city, and such of the wounded as it would
be dangerous to remove any further. The
survivors have gone to their homes, north,
with minds overcast by an event least ex.
pected on an occasion like this.