The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-09-01
MICHIGAN.
The Accidens near Muir-Cofcn er's
Investigation.

Investigation.
GRAND RAPIDS, August 30.-From the
testimony given in the first examination
before the Coroner's jury and state
ments made by the brakesmen to a
reporter, it would seem that the scci-
dent on the Detroit and Milwaukee
railroad, near Muir, was due to the
brakeman sent by the conductor Of the
passenger train to flag the freight train,
who was to 90 far enough away from
his train to show the signal. There was
a heavy fog at the time and the freight
train was moving on q down grade.
The express passed No. IS, through
freight, at Owasso, 1t usually passes i. at
Lowell, thirty-eight miles west Of
Owssso; the express, which was due al
tn, Muir village, six miles west OF Ionia,
at $50 A. N, was approaching Muir
still twenty-five minutes late ss
wheu it lett Detroit; at one
and quarter miles east Of
Muir the drive wheel broke of at
the axle ard the train came to stop
it was then ten minutes to five; in FIVE
minutes more it should have arrived a.
Muir; the conductor sent brakeman
Mcneil to the front, and telegrsphed
back 10 St. John to stop No. II, but II
had passed there; there were two other
small stations between ST. John and
Muir, bu: DO night operator Mcneil
returned to the train on handcar with
the section foreman, Isaac McMullin.
Conductor Kull had sent baggage
master Darvey and brakeman w. 2.
Brown back 10 flag No. Is. 1t was
loggy, and they could not see for more
than one hundred yards. The hagman
went only third OF a mile and waited
at the bridge, across Stony Creek.
McKuiil returned and followed the
flagman, and he or the conductor put
torpedoes on the track only one hun
lred wards east OF the hridge-the GUS
tomGry fog signals. The section lore
man, McMuIIin, also went to the flag
men, saying they had better go on
further. They replied. "Wbo is doing
this tagging 2 be said no more.
Brown, the ilagmsn, said he waited
there fifteen minutes after McMullen
came before No. l3 came in sight;
Engineer Montruel heard the torpedoes
and saw the flag signal one hundred
yards ahead, ct tue same time and
whistled down brakes; the brakemen
quickly responded; it was down grade
OF forty or fifty feet to the mile, in the
valley o! the Maple river from Pewa-
monia, a small station four miles east OF
where the train WAS tagged the last
few times the fact OF heavy grade
there is well known; had not used
steam for the las! mile before seeing
the signal; reversed the engine and
opened the sand box, while the fireman
set up the brake on the tender; having
done all that was possible TO lessen the
catastrophe, the engineer and fireman
jumped from the engine; there were
thirty freight cars, mostly loaded,
moving, at the rate OF tif-
teen miles an hour; in the
rear of the express outward-bound
freight. The track was wet with fog,
aai the train could not be checked, but
lid rapidly on at the rate Of at least
ten miles an hour, when it struck the
rear Of the express. The engineer tes-
titled that he cou'l have stopped the
rajn for certain il tagged one and half
D.i,s further away, and proPabIy if
hal! mile further. Judging from all
that was dore between the stopping o.!
the express and catastrophe, there was
time lcr the hsgmen to walk to Pewa-
moa, where they would have found q
rcight train taking wood and water,
A reporter says he walked from the
place Of the disaster 10 the bridge over
Stony creek, where the hagmen say
ihey had stopped, and the engineer and
conductor CT the freight both say that
they have walked it easily on the track