Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-04-04
THURSDAYS COLLISION.

Evidence Before the CorOnsr's Jury Satur-
day The Trains RIM Dangerously Close
fer . stormy Morning and = Young Flag
man Falls In His Duty.
1t appears from the evidence taken Saturday
before the coroner's jury, at Fergus Falls,
relative to the accident which occurred north
Of Rothsay, last Thursday morning, that
three trains were under orders 10 meet at the
gravel pit six miles north of Rothsay. Freight
train No. TO- Griest, conductor, was coming
south, four and half hours late. Freight
No. 8, Dan Calvin conductor, was going
north, ever nine hours late, and was running
extra. Passenger No. s, Woolnaugh con-
ductor, was going north and left Fergus
Falls ten minutes late. The orders were that
No. and No. were to hold at the
gravel pit for No. 10 and that No. was
TO run ahead of No. to GAINESVILLE, the next
station north of the gravel pit.
GALvIN's STORY.
On stopping at the gravel pit Calvin held
his train on the main track, with the side
track open for No. 10 to run in on. On stop
ping sent his hind brakeman, George Pierce,
back with nag and three tOrpedOes to signal
No. 3. About ten minutes after, when Calvin
was second time getting out from the cupola
window of his caboose to go forward and look
for No. 10, he heard the whistle of No. 3, and
the collision followed before he had time to
get either in or out of the window. After get
ting off the wreck Calvin saw Pierce and
asked why he came back. Pierce answered that
it vas impossible for him to stay
out; it stormed so he could not see anything;
his eyes were filled with ice and he was
afraid the passenger would run into him. 1t
WAS his duty to have staid out until the sig
nal was sounded for him to come in; it was
not sounded; he had tagged trains before.
Witness did not know when he (Pierce) came
in; he could not have been out more than NJ
teen minutes.
PIERCE's sEoEY.
Pierce testified that, taking the tOrpedoes
and nag he went back to signal No. 8, and
went back over eighty rods; that he put out
the three torpedoes, two on the
eng neer's side and one on the other;
that he stsid about two minutes and
and then went back 10 his train, having been
away about fifteen minutes; and that as he
waa going up the caboose steps he heard No.
3's whistle and jump ped off. He went out with
ont his overcoat, thinking he had no time for
it because the danger was too great. Witness
is ~ years old.
oTHIR WITNESSES.
onluctOf Woonaugh OF NJ. 8 say. that it
was that morning impossible to STE more than
"a hundred feet. When he went to the wreck
and found the caboose on fire, his fireman
Theodore snyder, had taken out Wissnger
and McCleilsnd ard hal had hol of the man
who was burned up alter he was dead.
Engineer Beuson of No. 3, says it was
storInng violently. 1t is dangerous for trains
tn fp1lpW zach other n surh times hut s.
tomary orders were made to avoid "a collision.
He was not the distance OF
two telegraph poles away when he
saw the caboose; was on his engine when
struck the caboose. He saw no signal; heard
no torpedoes; would have heard them if they
had been ex ploded; mad fsgman been on his
side could have seen him; the signals should
have been on his side. After strict search
found no indications of torpedoes having been
on the track invariably can find remains OF
them when exploded; 1T is impossible to run
over them without hearing report. The air
brakes were not working that morning; had
they been, could not have stopped in time TO
prevent the collision.
Fireman Snyder of No. says he did not see
or hear torpedoes; thinks it was light enough
to have seen q fagman. Saw Pierce going
from the caboo>e, when we struck,
about twenty feet away; demanded
why he didn't flag us, and picked up stick
to hit HIM; think he diin't answer.
THE JURY,
which sits again to-day, 10 take further evil
dence, consists OF o. G. Chase, g. F. Clark,
W. j. Hall, M. V. Austin, H. R. Lowry anc
A. g. Tod 1t does not seem probable that
the further evidence to be taken will more
closely fix the responsibility.