Morris tribune., 1882-06-29
4 TERRIBLE ACCIDENT.

An appalling accident occurred on the
st. p, NJ. & NJ. railroad last Saturday,
the following particulars of which we copy
from the Pioneer Press of June %:
From high official of the Manitoba
road the following succinct account Of the
accident, with ali the particulars in the
possession of the general office, was oh
tanned last evening. The accident hap
pcned at 2:45 yesterday afternoon between
Atwatcr and Kandiyohl stations on the
Breckenridge division, and the sceene is
distant ninety three and seven tenths miles
from st. Paul. The work train consisted
of engine No. 43, one caboose and twenty
two ordinary Hat cars such as are used for
hauling gravel. The train, ut the rate OF
eighteen miles per hour-less than is al
lowed working trains-was backing
toward the gravel pit at Atwater for a
new load, the engine and tender first, be-
ing at the head of the train, the caboose
next, and then the flat cars. Within three
miles of Atwater is an embankment from
eight TO ten feet high, and on one side of
it was Il pool of staguant water eight feet
deep. Without any visible cause the
engine and tender, the caboose and five
fiat cars jumped the track, and, turning on
the embankment, fell into the pool.
All was confusion on the instant, and the
shrieks of the wounded were appalling
As soon as the momentary horror had
passed, the conductor, John Goran, who
Fortunately was uninjured, with the two
brakemen, likewise fortunate, did all in
their power TO succor the wounded. Be-
side the engineer, George Floody, the fire
man. (name not given,) the two brakemen,
and Goran, the conductor, there were
forty-eight laborers, all Swedes and Nor
wegians, on the train at the time. Unac-
countably, the heat of the day being con-
sidered, fully half the wGrkmen were in the
caboosc, and the majority of the remainder
were on the flat Car next to it. Owing to
the broken condition ofthe cars, the pool
of water and the general excitement the
true horror was not learned until later, and
at present writing, II p. NJ, it is not
known exactly how many are killed. AT
p. NJ. the status WAS as follows:
Eight dead at the wreck.
One dead at Atwater.
Two dead at Wilimar.
Four wounded at Atwater.
The engineer, George Floody, one of the
best Oh the road, is supposed TO be lying
dead underneath his engine He was uni
versally respected both at Willmar, where
he lived and elsewhere. He leaves wife,
two sons and two daughters, whose be-
reavcment calls forth the deepest sympa-
thy.
The fireman had his arm broken, and
will recover. e
One of the wounded carried to Willmar
had his skull fractured, and the other had
both limbs crushed so as to necessitate am.
putaton, which has been performed. Both
are regarded as mortllly hurt The other
two at Wiilmar will probably recover
Of the condition of the rest of the wounded
10 advices had been received at st. Paul
up to 10 p. NJ. G
The names of the killed, other than the
engineer, are not known, and much diff
Guilty will be experienced in procuring
them, as they are all foreigners, unac-
quainted for the most part with each other
ard known only from the section rolls. 1t
was believed more dead would be found
when the %Teck was cleared away, but no
wounded of course, as their cries would
have made their presence known before
this 81
The accident happened as stated at 2.45
p. NJ, and as the conductor was of course
busy at the wreck for some time, and af-
terward had TO walk to Atwater, three
miles distant, news of the disaster did moi
reach the st. Paul Office until 4:30. By
5:15a specialitrain on which were sleeper
and wreclsng car, was started at full
speed for the scene, DR.. j FL. Murphy and
Superintendent Guthrie being on board
Prior to thattwo doctors from Wiilmar
and one from Atwater were sent to the
wreck and were speedily at work, as is
shown by tile removal of the wounded to
the two towns ~ Sas ~ sf ea
The cause of the rccident 80 far remains
mystery. 1t may have been a broken
axle, or u broken flange. or the spreading
of the track from the heat or any of the
thousands of canscsnf derailment against
which no human foresight or ingenuity
can guard. The conductor, who is a faith
ful employe, and against whom no blame