Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-10-05
A RAILROAD HORROR.
One Hundred Men Buried in a
Wreck.
FIVE MEN KILLED, MANY WOUNDED.
First Section Of a Circus Train Breaks
and Dashes Down on the Last.
AWFUL SCENES IN THE DARKNESS.

ST. PUUL, October "A terrible acci.
dent happened on the Fergus Falls branch
of the Northern Pacific railroad, seven
miles west of here, this marning, by which
FIVE men lost their lives, and thirty or forty
men we're more or less injured. John Rob
inson's show left Wsppeton, Dakota, for
this place in two sections. When within
seven miles of Fergus Falls, near small
place named French, the head or baggage
section broke in two while going up q heavy
grade and ten or twelve cars went flying
back at terrific rate. On the rear of the
train were three sleeping cars occupied by
workmen, over two hundred in number, all
of whom were sound asleep and not aware
of the impending danger. The cars which
had broken loose increased their speed as
they approached the second or cage sec
ton and probably had run a mile
before they struck it. The engineer Of the
rear section saw the cars approaching, but
only had time to stop his train before it
struck him. The brakemen on the loose
cars tried to put on the brakes, but they
had difficulty in running from car
to car on account OF
wagons which impeded their progress. Had
the engineer Of the rear section had mo-
ments more time he could have backed his
train and avoided the calamity, but it was
100 late and the cars struck his engine with
tremendous force, throwing three sleeperS
from the track and smashing them beyond
recognition.
Awful Scenes.
The result was soon apparent, as more
more than one hundred men were buried
in the ruins. The scene can hardly be de-
scIibed. The night was tearfully dark and
the groans of the men were appalling.
The people in the rear section at once be-
gan the work Of rescuing the victims, FIVE
of whom were found dead and many others
wounded and bleeding. Word was at once
dispatched to this city and q train
in charge OF Superintendent Wing at once
FASTENED to the scene, and the dead and
wounded were brought here. The work Of
recovering the men from the debris was a
sorry task. A man alive and unipjare
Wss taken from under two dead ones, and
il Was simply miraculous that he escaped.
The following is the list
OF the Dead;
Gerry Krsus, said to have brother in the
hardware business at AZ Main street, C;n-
cinnsti.
Roberts, first name unknown, hired out
at Wsdens Friday night and wanted to go
10 Cincinnati.
Charles Mallon Joined at Portland, Ore,
anteeedepts unknown.
James Wilson, train wstchmsn, lived at
Hsmmel House, Cincinnati, and formerly
on the police force Of that city.
Samuel Blair; Joined at Colfsx, ". T.;
sntecedents unknown.
List of Wounded.
VIM. Winfield, Of Appomattox, Va; not
expected to live.
Jas. Eccles, Nova Scotia, boss hostler;
shoulder dislocated and injured internally.
T. Zeigler, Cincinnati, leg hurt badly.
James Coleman (colored) injured inter.
nslly.
P. Seukras, boss csrvssman Cincinnati,
Jaw and shoulder hurt.
Henry Rouse, Norwich, N. Y ), slightly
injured.
Joe Brown feet mashed.
VIM. Murey, head jsmmed.
A long list are also more or less injured,
hospital car is expected from Brainerd
to remove the wounded to that place. The
coroner will hold an inquest tomorrow
morning, but 1t is evident that no one is
% blame, and that it was an unavoidable
AcCident.