St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-21
Clayton Harrington Volun-
+eers a Very Clear Account
Of the Collision.
The Two Trains Had Been
Running Close Together
From Minneapolis,
And 1t Is Evident the Moto-
neer Applied His Brake
When Too Late.

SThe collision on the interuTban line,
which occurred late Saturday evening,
formed lively topic of conversation in
all circles yesterday. Large numbers
Of people visited the scene Of the
smashup, impelled by curiosity, but
nothing could be seen. The officials of
the street railway company were very
reticent in speaking of the matter,
claiming that the affair did not come
within their jurisdiction, the Minneapo-
lis department having sole control OF the
nterurban service. The passengers who
were seriously injured. full lisi of
whose names was published exclusive
" in the GLOBE yesterday, were re-
ported last evening to be progressing
fayorably, the medical men in whose
charge they are. being Of the opinion
that no permanent injuries will result.
The ladies most seriously injured, Miss
Lillian FitZen and her cousin, Miss Min
ME Peterson, residing at l9l South
Franklin street, were examined yester-
day by DR.. Walrath, who stated that he
was positive that neither had suffered
internal injuries. They will, however,
be confined to their beds for some time,
the injuries to the limbs requiring care
tul treatment and long resting.
Clayton Harrington, OF Nelson ave-
nue., who was, together with his wife,
little boy and a son of a friend named
Oscar Ernst, on the ear which was run
into, was seen last evening 10y GLOBE
reporter, and gave clear description OF
now the accident happened. MIR. Har-
rington said:
I'VE were on the trailer which was
run into. | was standing on the rear
platform, while my wife and son occu-
pied seats ahead, and little Ernst sat on
seat near the end of the car The
tram was crowded with passengers,
many of them standing. After we left
Minneapolis we ran very fast, and the
train which ran into US followed at
times quite close. When we reached
Kittson's track the other train was about
400 yards away, and at the time we
stopped at Lexington avenue 1t was
about 800 yards away. 1t came rapidly
towards US, and lady who was stand
ing next to me inquired: Are they not
going to stop" l realized in second
that something was wrong, and that the
car would not stop. jumped of, and
the next instant the crash occurred. A
scene of indeScribable confusion arose,
people screaming and rushing around.
i ran 10 the 'front.' OF the car 10 get my
wife and boy. | lifted the boy off, when
someone ran against ne and knocked
me down. When | got up found my
wife was Off the car, and was not in
jured. Young Ernst was badly injured,
and we got on the motor car when it
started, getting off at Western avenue
after the conductor took all our names.
The doctor who examined the boy says
the bones of the shoulder are broken.
l think if the brakes had been applied
i'll time the collision would not have
occurred, and my opinion is that the
motor man had an idea that the train in
front would start long before he would
get close to it, and that he only put on
his brakes when he found a collision
was inevitable"