St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-10-13
Two Freight Trains Collide on
the Great Northern Near
Como.
One Man Almost Cut in Two
and Six Others Seriously
Injured.
Several Valuable Horses and
Cattle Killed and Horribly
Mangled.
A Switehman, Said to Be a
New Hand, Opened the
Wrong Switch.

About half-past last evening a
fumor was spread through the city that
two passenger trains had crashed into
one another on the Manitoba tracks
near Como, and that large number
OF lives had Deen lost. Inquiries were
at once made at the union depot by
GLOBE representative. who was in
formed that the accident was one in
which two freight trains had col
hded, but particulars were withheld.
The reporter at once proceeded to Como
station, but the officials there were evil
IDENTIFY acting under orders, and declined
TO give any information, except that
collision had occurred about mile from
the station. The region in which Como
station is situated is imperfectly lighted
with gasoline lamps, and it would have
been impossible to find the way, owing
to the stormy night. if Mounted Police
Officer W. j. Mcbride had not been
met by the reporter at the
corner of Dale and Front streets.
He remembered having seen a number
OF red lights on the tracks as he crossed
Dale street bridge, but did not pay any
particular attention to the matter. He
procured lantern at a store on Front
street, and acted as gnide to the re-
porter. The tracks were reached down
ungraded and unlighted streets, about
thIee-Quarters of a mile from Dale street
bridge. Clambering down the steep
sides of the embankment, the officer and
reporter proceeded ON foot along the
track, and found the scene OF the wreck
opposite the bluff where the House of
the Good Shepherd is situated.
The Scene
was terrible one. Two freight trains.
running al high rate of speed in oppo-
Site directions, had met upon the same
track, resulting in a terrible death to
one man, Jim Hill, fireman. and Sc
we're injuries to nine others, who COM
posed the crews of the trains. Besides
the complete destruction of the engines
and many cars. number of valuable
horses and cattle were also killed.
From particulars gathered on the spot.
1t was learned that a Minnesota
Eastern train pulled out of Como
yards at three minutes past g, on its
way to Minneapolis junction. The en-
gineer, John Brown, did not know that
he was on the wrong track until he saw
the headlight of the Omaha train, which
was coming into the city. He whistled
for the brakes, but the two engines met
with an awful crash, the engine of the
Omaha train being piled on top of the
EasternI train. Brown. the engineer,
at the moment of the collision Jumped
through the cab window and es-
capped any serious injuries, except
deep cut on his left hand. His fire.
man, Jim Hill. who was also his
brother-in-law, was not so fortunate.
The poor fellow was thrown to the floor
OF the cab by the force of sthe collision.
and Wedged under mass of broken
machinery. An attempt was made by
number of persons attracted by the
noise of the collisi on to remove his
body. but it was seen that it was impos-
sible. His body was almost severed and
his chest broken in. Blood was pouring
from his mouth and nose, and dripped
to the track in gruesome manner. 1t
was fully three hours before wrecking
train arrived upon the scene of the accl-
dent, and the debris and broken cars re-
moved to allow the shattered remains of
The Poor Fireman
to be released. The Rondo street patrol
wagon, which had previously taken the
crew of the Omaha train to st. Joseph's
hospital, made a second trip with the
body of Hill to Murphy & O'Halloran's
undertaking establishment, Fifth street.
The balance of the crew of the Eastern
train escaped with slight cuts and
bruises. Fortunately for them, they
were in the caboose at the rear OF the
train. Their names are James d. Ken
nedy, conductor; James Purcell, brake-
man. and NJ. W. Wheelan, brakeman.
The crew of the Omaha train, which
was running at high rate of speed,
was not so fortunate. John Gander,
the engineer, was severely cut about
the face and bruised about the
body. He was conveyed to his
home, zoo East Minnehaha street. Alb
solom Anderson, the fireman, sustained
deep cut on his left side, and is con-
siderably bruised about the body. He
and his engineer jumped from the en-
gine at the instant of the collision, and
thus saved their lives. Two cars be-
hind was the caboose. The con-
ductOr, Frank Young, with his brake
man, James English, and William John
ston, who was in charge of car load of
valuable horses en- route from Wash
ington territory to Wisconsin, were
in the caboose department. At the in
slant of the collision they were all
hurled to the ground, and pieces of
broken machinery few through the
windows. English was severely Injured
by his head striking the corner of an
iron stove, his left arm was wrenched
and bruised, and his back was also in
jured by the broken fragments of the
car. Young, the conductor, had his
face deeply gashed. Johnston, the stock
man. was injured internally and suffered
great pain. Young was conveyed to
his home, 7OS Bradley street, while
Johnston, Anderson and English were
taken to st. Joseph's hospital, where, at
late hour, they were resting easily.
The engineer of the Eastern train,
which was on the wrong track, told the
GLOBE representative that he received
his orders to go ahead at Como yard
from the switchman who threw the
switch for him. He had no idea he
was on the wrong track, until
1t was too late to prevent the collision.
The switchman could not be found last
evening an hour after the accident, and