Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-04-06
A FRIGHTFUL AFFAIR
WHICH OCCURRED ON THIRST. PAUL RAIL
ROAD. YESTERDAY MORNING.
Bridge Gives Way, Precipitating a Number Of
Cars Into the Riyer-Liys LOst-A Bad
Break On the Omaha Road in
Wisconsin.

LoOOuoLus
CHICAGO, April 5.-A special from New
Hampton, Iowa, says: A terrible disaster
occurred seven miles west Of New Hamp-
ton this morning, whereby the passenger
coaches on the west-bound Milwaukee and
st. Paul train were precipitated into the
Wspsie river.
1t was caused By the giving away of the
bridge. The engineer and two passengers
are known to he drowned, and it is sup
posed that the same fate has befallen the
balance of the passengers.
The local st. Paul officials in Chicago
know nothing concerning the accident. -
A Milwaukee dispatch says: News was
received at the general offices OF the st.
Paul Railway this morning of an accident
on the Iowa division, three miles west Of
New Hampton, ut 2:40 g. m by which an
engineer and two passengers-a man and
child-lost their lives. Passenger train
No run into washout No names or
particulars as yet.
A later dispatch from Mason City, Iowa,
says: A terrible accident occurred at two
o'clock this morning on the Milwaukee
and st. Paul road five miles out of New
Hampton. But brief particulars can be
learned. The smoking car, two passen-
ger cars, baggage and mail car and engine
plunged through bridge into the Wapsie
river. The smoking car, containing over
twenty passengers, is entirely submerged.
The engineer cannot be found, and it is
supposed that he is drowned.
DETAILS OF THE WRECK.
ST. PAUL, MINI April 5.--A special to
the Dispatch from New Hampton, Iowa,
says: A terrible accident occurred about
four miles west Of this town on the Mil
waukce and st. Paul road, by which at
least dozen persons lost their lives and
frpm Is to 20 were injured The train
which left Chicago at ll:30 yesterday
morning and was due here al 2:l5 this u M.
pissed here nearly on time, and when about
four miles west pluuged into creek, tie
bridge of which was washed ont. The
cie-k was swoolen By the immense amount
Of water which has been running off for the
past few days, and in addition gorge OF ice
was formed, which previous 10 the arrival Of
the train, carried away portion Of the
bridge, There was nothing TO show that
there was danger ahead, and the train
plunged into the swollen stream while
rnnnipg at full speed. The engine and
three coaches went into the creek and were
Immediately submerged in the torrent of
water, which overhowed the banks.
A SCENE OF WILD CONFUSION.
A scene Of the widest confusion ensued,
and those Of the trains crew and passen gers
who escaped death or injury, were imme-
diately called into service to relieve the
drowning or pinioned passengers. 1t was
with great difficulty that the passengers
could be reached, owing to the rushing OF
the waters through the car windo Ss,
Those who were rescued from the sm0k-
ing car, which was almost entirely sub
merged, were taken out from the windows,
some MANNED To such an extent that they
were powerless to help themselves, while
Others without were nearly drowned be-
fore aid could reach them.
SIX DEAD BODIES REMOVED.
At this hour (ll a. m. six dead bodies
have been taken out from the wreck and
three more are known 10 be underneath
the debris, through which the water is
madly flowing, and it is difficult TO reach
them. 1t is also stated that the engineer
aud tiremen were instantly killed or were
caught in the cab and drowned he
fCre aid conld reach them Bat the
confusion and excitement is so great
that 1t Is difficult to secure reliable inior-
nation. In addition TO the passengers
known to be killed, from fifteen 10 twenty
have been rescued that are mole or less
seriously injured. A number are 80 dan
geronsly hurt that it il feared they cannot
possibly recover. As soCn as o train man
who escaped injury could be spared, he
was dispatched to this stItion aud u relief
train was telegrapbed for from Mason
City. Telegrams for relief were also sent
to Charles City and other near by places,
but 1t was not until several hours after the
accident that a train arrived with ply 81
clans to care for the injured and additional
helping hands TO aid in rescuiDg those
still confined in the wreck.
CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT.
CHARLES CITY, Iowa, April 5.-The
wreck on the Chicago, Milwaukee and st
Paul railroad, some claim, was caused by
ice on the track, while Others claim ID vas
caused by the spreading Of the rails. The
engine jumped the track first and the bag
gage car and tender plunged over the engine
into the water. The smoker struck on top
OF the engine and was badly smashed. The
engine is entirely under water, and the
baggage car is almost covered by water.
There were about thirty people |
in the smoker at the time, four
OF whom were killed, 20 far as known, be
sides the engineer crushed between the cab
and smoker. The fireman escaped unhurt |
There were about twenty-five to thirty |
wounded, though none fatally The be. |
lief is there are three or four bodies under |
the wreck.
The names Of the dead that have been |
learned are as follows:
Mr.. W. Anderson, Mr.. c. z. Avinsep, J. |
Dencles, Jas. Seagel, engineer, of Mitchell,
Oak Dora Heidecker, Lotta, girl about |
four years old. The wounded are mostly |
by burns from the engine. The mails and |
baggage are in the river
nNGEl