, 1873-09-01
RAILROAD DISASTERS.
Rumor Of a Disastrous Collision on
the Great Western Road.
A Passenger Train Jumps the Track on
tho ST. Louis & South
western.
Facts ELECTED ut tho 1nvestiga-
tfon Of tho Muir Disaster.

OAaAa&oA VAA sAAo %@ACeA"e ~ S7~"--' -e-@
rond.
Special Difpateh to Tho Chicago Trfbnnt.
DErno17, Mich, Aug. a1.-Early yostor-
day morning On excursion train Of Great
Western Rrilrond emp[oyos rau into
freight TRIM Which, stood taking In wntet
at Thomaavillo, rs miles eaBt OF this city.
Tho employee, with their wives md chi1dron,
Ind been on IN excursion to this city, and were
returning home. whom tho casualty occurred.
Tho railroad ofIicials arc very rotcont as to tho
oxtont Of the disaster, but the information VIC
can got is to tho effect TINT many cars woro de-
moliBhed aud tho trnck torn up 80 TINT now
track had to DO built around tho Hceno OF tho
disaster for other trains to pass; that many of
tho o1cursioniBts wore seriously injured, aud
that some havo since died Of tloir wounds. It
will bo day or two probably before tho whole
story IL told
Tic Muir Observation-Disclosures OF tho
EnveattEntion--~Tcs:t tneny of tho
Trnan Officials An Intelligent
Rrnxes1llun.
DETROIT, Aug 3t.-Ths investigation into
the collision on the Detroit Il Milwaukee Rail-
road arc being mado at Muir, before n. II.
staley, Coroner. 3. II. Marble, Prosecuting
Attorney OF Ionia County, conducts tho oxam-
ination. State Railroad Commissioner Cobb ia
also present.
Tho engineer Of tho freight train testified that
ho WIS tagged litttg over throo-fourths Of a
mile. The express train was gonB dawn grade
tic track was wet and slippery and tho train
could not be stopped in that distance:
Frank Z. Knllf, conductor OF tho express,
swurn. Az soon al llo broke down hc Bont Will
ian T. Brown, brakeman, back with q rcd lamp.
aud told him to stop. anything coming. Soon
after, SOL tho aeg signals and Tent beck :, my
not half far enough. Told him to 60 over tho
bridge, aud not lottho train run into U.s.. Walked
signals on the track: spoke to brown about
gong back farther. When turned back Brown
was crossing the bridge. After tho collision
askod Brown how far back ho lad boen. HI
said at tho fourth telegraph pole east OF the
bridge; told him ii should have been much
farther. From tho ti1no tho freight engine
whistlcd until tho collision it was not moro tlau
three minutes. Think tho freight trim was run
ming not leHB thAn twenty miles an hour. Tht
! rule il, whom the train delayed is followed b,
another, to send back Signal not leHB than 60l
yards, The grade where tho collision occurred ii
light.
| Brown, brakeman, testified: Was htanding 0,
tho wcst end Of the bridge when | Haw tho trall
| coming. WhiBtled down brakes 600 yards east 0
| the bridge. Tho engine SaB reversed whom
| passed me. Didn't notice any men. Thor
were no brakes OIL and no brakomen vho1
Mot conductor, who asked mo how far bac
I had bceu. Replied about q mile. Pointe
| out tho telegraph polo whore Ind been, bu
didn't say was there WHOM tho train paaaed
Meant D mile from our train whou taggo'
tllcm. Had 10 orders how iar back should go
know e1actly how far u milo ia. Think 1t i
eighty or ninety rods: Don't know ezactly hot
many feet in yard think about olgilt feet
Examination adjourned till Monday afternoon.