Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-10-21
THE PEWAUKEE ACCIDENT,

Arrival of Victims at ST. Paui-Two
Deaths and Two Others Given Over to
Dia-Honorab.e Action of the Railroad
Company.
The noon train on the Chicago, milwaukee
& st. Paul road yesterday, brought several
persons who were passenger on the lll-fated
train, so completely wrecked at Pewaukee,
Wis, Wednesday morning, among them
DIR. Edward g. Smith, dentist, Jackson street,
Dr Smith was met by a GLOBE reporter last
evening. and kindly furnished the following
with reference to the disaster: The accident
occurred lust before reaching the switch at
Pewsnkee lake, about two miles from the vii
lace, and was caused by broken rail, about
a foot and half of the rail breaking OH
souarely, owing to defective Tie. Inc
engine, baggage, mail and express cars passed
over the break safely. Next came the emil
Grant ear which was crowded. This jumped
the track, striking of at an angie
of about forty-five degrees, and finally
TURNING COMPLETELY OVER
down the slight embankmeut into The lake.
The two passenger cars following the emf
grant car, all left the track, as did the two
sleepers following, only the rear sleeper re-
ON the north side of the track and the coaches
on the south side. Both the sleepers turned
over on their side, one being saved from going
over the embankment by lodging against
telegraph pole. The first coach in front OF
the sleeper stood tilted up one end on
the embankment and the other In
the marsh alongside the lake, while the other
was turned fiat on its side, snort distance
from the track.
DIR. Smith saws the passengers in the coaches
and sleepers were badly shaken up, and some
few were quite severely bruised; but thanks to
the fact that the cars were nearly new ana
very strongly built, and that the ground was
soft and giving, no one in them was seriously
injured. There was, too, DIR. Smith says,
comparatively little confusion IN these cars
The passengers recognized that terrible ac-
cident had occurred, and all, or nearly all,
as if moved by one impulse, went
to work coolly to rescue themselves from
their position as speedily as possible. Passage
WAYS were soon secured in the coaches, by
breaking out windows, through which the
children were passed to the passengers OF the
rear sleeper and tralnmen on the ironI &C cars
which had passed over the break safely. linen
movements were accelerated by the
MoANs AND wAILINGs
borne to their ears from the emigrant car
This car as stated above, went over the en-
bankment turning completely over
and lighting on its trucks quite {
little distance from the bank, Wnert
it settled in the water and mud to depth o.
nearly or quite three feet. 1t was some little
time before relief could reach this car, anc
when il was reached
i sICKENING SIGHT
was presented. In turning over the cal
scooped up great quantities of the soft mud
which, with the water, covered the floor tc
the depth of several inches. The stove had
broken loose and turned over. Seats were
torn up and piled upon the passengers, all OF
whom lay piled about the moor IL
almost every conceivable shape, while the mos
heartrending means and grOans OF anguish
filled the air. With little loss OF time TEN
porary bridge was erected from the seats
down, ETC., and the work OF rescuing the i'll,
b prisoned sufferers was commenced, anC
vigorously prosecuted until all were removed
to the rear sleeper, where the ladies had beef
busy preparing comfortable coucheS Tor their
reception and comfort. 4 relief tran
arrived from Milwaukee at 4:3O with corp:
of physicians, officers of the road and all The
necessary appliances for the care OF the IN
iured, and shortly after daylight, all having
been made as comfortable as possible, The
train startid back to Milwaukee.
THIRTY INJURED.
Dr. Smith counted thirty injured taken from
the emigrant car, several very seriously, twf
of whom, II. G. KuhlIan, travelling for Johr
Black, Milwaukee, and woman died sOor
after reoching Milwaukee. The woman
husband was quitc seriously injured, bu
child in her arms escaped unlnJured. me
mothers efforts to save her child undoubtedly
operated to her own disadvantage. Two
other emigrant women were in avery critical
condition when DR.. Smith left Milwaukee.
ACTION OF THE RAILROAD OFFICIALS.
DR.. Smith saws the railroad officials die
everything possible to alleviate the suffering;
of the injured, and to provide for the com
fort of ALL Those who were slightly injured
were settled with at once by Assistant Gener-
III Manager. Van Horn paying them $50 to Sl00
according to the character of their injuries
and demands, while the best OF medical at
tendance and accommodations are PROVIDED
FOR the injured.
EXCELLENT CARS.
The fact that so few were fatally injured
and so many escaped with only slight bruisei
or lively shaking up, is, the doctor says, IL
part attributable to the soft ground upoI
which the cars struck when overturned, bu
mainly to the very great strength of the cars
Had the cars been old and rickety, he does no
CouDI Ine ueaLn roll Woulu ha'c hunlpeio'
close TO fifty.
AT THE CITY OFFICE.
Enquiry at the company's office, this city
yesterday, resulted in the information that ;
fresh assurance had been received that none o
the injured persons were fatally hurt. TIT
report of a passenger that two emlgran
women had died of their injuries, was tiatl,
contradicted. The automatic brakes, it is said
worked admirably, and to them and the su
perior construction of the cars, is attributed
the escape of the passengers. A number o
the passengers called at the companys Office
here yesterday, some to file claims for losses
of clothing, and one who offered TO pay for
window he had broken in escaping from al
overturned car.