Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-04-06
PLUNGED INTO THE FLOOD
FRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT ON THE G..
 M., AND ST. P.

A Dive Down to Death in the Darkness.
 Believed to be Under the Wreck-NIany
 Injured.
 CHARLES C1TY, Ia., April GA terrific rain storm swept over this portion of the state Wednesday night Water fell in sheets. and the thunder was deafening. The Wapsipini- con river, which runs through rolling country near New Hampton, was one of the first streams to overflow its banks and scatter its winter ice upon the knolls. Four miles west of New Hampton the Chicago, Mil waukee and St. Paul road crosses the river on a wooden bridge. The night express was tearing through the intense darkness at o'clock yesterday morning, when the engine suddenly plunged into barrier of ice, which had been piled high upon the bridge by the raging waters. In an instant the driving wheels of the locomotive left the track, and the entire train, with the exception of the sleeper, plunged headlong into the swollen stream.
 The coaches crashed into each other as they piled upon the locomotive, filling the river with wreckage and screaming passengers The scramble for life in the inky darkness and the frigid waters was terrible. Men and women seized each other in midstream, and battled desperately in their efforts to reach land. Those in the forward coach would cer- tainly have perished had not the second coach demolished it, and sent its occupants scurrying through the waters.
 The passengers in the second coach escaped without serious injury. Six passengers in the first coach and Engineer James Scagel, of Mitchell, D. T., were instantly killed, and twenty-two others were injured, six of whom, it is believed, will die.
 As fast as the dead and wounded were re- covered they were removed to the sleeper, where they were placed in the berths and stateroom.
 The wreck some believe was caused by ice on the track, while others say it was the re- suit of the spreading of the rails. The engine jumped the track first, and the baggage car and tender plunged over the engine into the water. The smoker struck on top of the en- zine and was badly smashed. The engine is entirely under water, and the baggage is al most covered by water. There were about thirty people ill the smoker at the time. The fireman escaped unhurt. The belief is that there are three or four more bodies yet under the wreck. The baggageman and route agent were well drenched, but escaped through the window without much injury.
 The names of the dead that have been V. venson, J. Dencles, Engineer Scagel, of Mitchell, D. T.; Lotta Heidecker, 4 years old, and Dora Heidecker.
 The wounded are: Jacob Schart, Jr., Sioux Falls, D. T., severe wounds on wrist and hand; c. J. Wieland, Geneva, Ia.; Nicholas Coming, Aurora, Wis. ; Mrs. Heidecker and five children (her baby was kille6; J. M Christianson, of Denmark; James Murphy Ossian, la. |; Arthur White, Blackstone, Mass John Glausenor, Monticello, Wis; Frank Studebaker, Boaz, Wis. Henry Schnarr Nora Springs. Ia. Adam Kauch and wife of Prussia; Gus Behrans, Germany; Elwood Ewers, Marshall, Wis, and Phillip Gross Fort Atkinson, la.
 Everything is being done to care for the wounded and alleviate their sufferings Five surgeons were at the scene of the wreck early yesterday morning, and great hopes are en tertained that the number of the killed vii not be increased by further developments The wreck is in about six or seven feet ol water.