St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-09-15
And as Consequence Two Rapidly Moving
Trains Game in Collision Near Sill
yer Greek, N. Y.
In the Crash That Followed Fourteen Peo-
pie We're Killed and Thirteen
Others Injured.
Some of the Victims So Badly Man
gled as to be Almost I'm
recognizable.
narrowing Incidents at the Scene OF
the Wreck--A Passengers
Statement.
A FrightfuI Catastrophe.

road, under the management OF j. w. But
Ter, excursion agent, c0llided with a local
freight train in the cut on the curve just
east of here at II o'clock this morning.
Louis Brewer was engineer on the eXcur-
sion train, drawn by Engine No 159. and
William Harris was engineer of the freight
train, drawn by Engine No. g. Both en-
gineers and firemen saved themselves by
jumping. The excursion train consisted of
one baggage car, one smoker, and eleven
coaches. Only those in the smoking car
were hurt. it being completely telescoped
by the baggage car. Several are mangled
beyond recognition.
THERE ARE VARIOUS CAUSES GIVEN
for the collision Engineer William Harris
of the freight train, is blamed. It is said
he had orders to meet the excursion train
at Irving. He failed to obey the instruc
tions. and was running at full speed when
the crash occurred Train men will not
talk regarding who is to blame. A gentle
man who was on the train says that the
freight train had to go to Silver Greek and,
the passenger train to Irving, which is this
side, and it was these orders which caused
the collision. The excitement among the
survivors was intense. The scenes in the
smokingca were most narrowing. The
first warning that was given was the slight
jar caused by the heavy pressure of the air
brakes. Some Of the passengers braced
themselves in their seats. seemingly appre-
hensive of danger. Then came
THE TERRIBLE SHOCK,
followed by the MASKING of windows and
the roof of the car. and all was mass of
bleeding and struggling humanity. Men
covered with blood were locked in each
others arms, while underneath them and on
all sides lay the poor unfortunates. who
were instantly killed, crushed out of all
human resemblance. The wounded
crawled out of the debris, and were as
sisted to the neighborng houses. People
brought bedding, etc, on which to lay the
dead and dying, and did all they could to
relieve the Sufferings of the wounded until
the arrival of medical aid. Mrs. S. Il.
Sigel, of Erie. Pa, a passenger, was ON
her way to Buffalo. She arrived here
safely this afternoon. In an interview,
MRS. SIGEL SAID:
II was IN the first coach next to the smoking
car. The passenger train was large one
and carried large number of excursonists
as well as regular passengers. The first we
knew of the collision was a terrific crash like
an explosion. Nobody was hurt except those
in the smoking car. The sight was so horri-
BILE that [ could not look at it. Not single
car was thrown from the track, but the smok-
ing car WAS completely telescoped. 1t was a
mercy that our car was not crushed. 1t was
u narrow escape One young man in the
smoker saved himself by dropping on the
floor and escaped with few bruises. l diG
not learn the cause of the accident, but we
were going very slow, while the freight was
coming at high rate of speed. We were
inst nrfh w
the collision occurred. Some Of the wounded
were taken to different houses and one Of the
coaches was turned into hospital. In
another coach the dead were placed. Most
of the excursionists remained at Silver Greek,
intending to return home. The regular pas
sengers for Buffalo and other pOins came on
this afternoon on another train.
The excursion train to the Falls of the
Niagara started from Asthabula, O. The
eleven passenger cars were heavily loaded.
Louis Breaer was engineer.
THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT
is short distance east of Silver creek on
short curve. approached by long, high
trestle. and through deep cut. The ex-
cursion train was going only at a speed of
about eight miles an hour, when Engineer
Brewer was terrified by the sight Of an
approaching freight train, coming
at the rate of thirty miles an hour. He at
once reversed his engine, put on the air
brakes and jumped for his life followed by
his fireman, none too soon, for the engines
came together with deafening crash and
in an instant converted them into
heap of scrap iron. The engineer
and fireman OF the freight train also jumped
and escaped. Next to the baggage car
was the smoker, the platform of which
was lower than the others, and which
allowed it to go under. The re-
suit was that the baggage car
was thrown upward and backward, landing
squarely on top of the smoking car, crush
ing and filling it, except the space occupied
by two OF three or the rear seats, the fol-
lowing cars being extensively damaged, but
the occupants escaped with shake up.
AS the
SMOKER WAS FILLED WITH MEN,
The result can better be imagined than de-
scribed. The people in the other cars
crowded and jostled to get away while the
escaping steam mingled with the cries OF
the wounded and dying made scene
that was at once awful and
horrible Engineer Brewer of the passenger
train was not to be found while engineer
Harris, of the freight train, at once made
the claim that he had orders to run to Silver
Greek to allow the excursion train to pass,
while Brewer, it is thought. fearing arrest,
made his escape. Soon after the disaster
crowds flocked from Silver creek. half
mile away. and messages were OF once sent
out asking for wrecking trains and medical
aid. Crowds at once began the work of
releasing the imprisoned passengers, dying
and dead. The sides of the smoker were
soon laid open with axes and bars, disclos-
ing
BRUISED AND MANGLED BODIES
lying doubled up in every conceivable
shape. Wreckers soon arrived, accom-
panied by Supt. Kimball in a special car.
With the aid of jack screws the bag
gage was lifted, when the work of
removing the bodies was begun
Coroner Blood, of Dunkirk, was son one
of the earliest relief trains, and had the
bodies of the Gead removed to the freight
house near by. There they presented
horrible sight, many being mangled beyond
recognition. The coroner a little later
empaneled a jury, and announced
that he would begin tomorrow
at Dunkirk to investigate where the blame
should rest. Strange to say, seven coach
loads of the excursionists came to this city
and from here went to the falls as if moth
town relating their. narrow escapes. The
corrected
LIST OF KILLED
is as follows:
HENRY HUYCK. aged 20, of Sterrittonia,
Pa; legs ground to pulp and were ampu-
tated on the return train. He died this even
ing at Erie.
STEPHEN CUTHBERTSON BURGESS, of
Waterford, Pa. a prominent merchant. His
remains were found in terribly mangled
condition.
HENRY GERHARD, Of Pittsburg, and his
son John were found in each others embrace.
Their bodies were crushed and mangled.
DAVID SHARP, Of Erie, Pa, a cripple.
and his little son were found crushed to-
gether.
WILLIAM W. LOOMS, Of Erie, Pa, we'll
known shipbuilder, head crushed He was
found dead in his seat
JACOB ROSrATTER, of Erie, badly
crushed, almost out OF recognition.
JOHN FEEDER, of Pittsburg, said to have