Mower County transcript., 1890-11-19
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+, A RRIGHTFUL ACCIDENT.
-
"A FREIGHT TRAIN RUNNING
AT FULL SPEED RUNS INTO
A STANDING TRAIN.
THREE MEN KILLED AND A
WHOLE TRAIN DE-
MOLlSHED,

The most disastrous railroad accident
that ever occurred IN this part of the
country happened on the Kansas City
road at Elkton, this county, on Friday
morning, November IA, at about 6
o'clock.
The men killed were: Harry Penni-
man, engineer, Charles Perrin, fireman,
and Frank Ralph, brakeman. The re-
mains of Pennlman have been sent to
Randolph, the body of Perrin to Du-
buque and those Of Ralph to Mineral
Point, Wis.
The reports given by the traiumen seem
to conflict somewhat with the verdict
returned by the jury. 1t seems there
was one freight train following another.
The engine of the head train ran out of
water. The train crew supposed they
were fifteen or twenty miles ahead Of
the other train, and so the train was left
standing on the main line while the
engine ran off to tank quarter of
mile away to get water.
The rear brakeman on the train on
which the men were killed tells this story:
1t was not yet daylight. All of a
sudden, while their train was approach
ing Elkton at full speed, he discovered
danger signal short distance ahead.
and IN an instant saw red lights upon
standing way car. He understood the
situation and began setting brakes as
fast as possible, and before the crash
came he had the brakes of five cars set
Then he was hurled through the air over
the top of the car for some distance.
When he got to his feet he saw flames
bursting up from the wreck. The en-
glneer. fireman and head brakeman of
his train were killed and being cremated.
Those connected with the head section
of the train say that when their train
(south bound) stopped at Elkton, it was
found that the water in the engine had
run short. The cars were uncoupled and
the engine run to the next station, Taopi,
where there as a water tank. The con-
ductor piloted his engineer, who was a
new man, but before golrg ahead sent
his brakeman back on the track to flag
another freight. train which he knew was
following him. The brakeman obeyed
his orders, and walked good distance
until he saw a long way off the headlight
of the train he was to stop, but received
no signal from the oncoming train. Hor-
rified to find that the train was rushing
along at a high rate of speed, he hurled
his lantern al the cab as the engine
dashed by, hoping to smash the windows
and warn the crew of their danger. He
unfortunately missed his aim, and the
lantern passed over the top of the cab.
The train dashed ahead and in a few
minutes the brakeman heard a terrible
crash. The freight, at q high rate of
speed, had run into the heavily laden
trucks of the stationary train. The un-
fortunate men on the engine were killed
instantly. and from subsequent examina-
ton of the engine the poor fellows must
have been fast asleep, for the throttle
was wide open, the lever thrown to the
notch, and full head of steam on.
Coroner A. W. Allen and Assistant
County Attorney s. D. Catherwood were
called to the scene of the accident and a
jury was Immediately summoned. After
thorough investigation verdict was
returned censuring the crew connected
with the train left standing on the track.
From their Investigations and the OK.
animation of witnesses, the jurv was of
the opinion that the signals were not
properly given.
The wreck presented frlghtful ap-
pearance. the engine being totally de-
molished, with several freight cars piled
on top of each other. Fire almost i'm
mediately broke out, and several cars
were consumed. The fireman was soon
taken from the wreck, but died before he
was fairly out. The brakeman lay under
the wreck for twelve hours before he was
taken out, and only portions of the
skeleton of the engineer were found. 1t
was horrible scene, the worst this part
of the country ever saw.
The cars were loaded with fax, timo-
thy and lumber, principally, and the
loss to the railroad company will be
from fifteen to twenty thousand dollars.