The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1892-12-22
EIGHT KILLED.
Terrible Resalt els Railway Disaster in
6lnaesotaS

Mlnaesot,as
ALEXANDRIA. Il MIMI, Dec. ia
sfrightful accident OCCURRED on the
Great Northernrailroad Sunday morn.
Ing at Nelson station, 5 miles east of
here, In which eight men were killed
and five were seriously injured.
There had been collision Fri
day morning at Nelson and number
Of cars were wrecked. The wreck
train has been there two days clearing
mp and was making up preparatory for
pulling out for the east. At o'clock
Sunday morning the wreck train ca
boose was left standing on the main
track with q number of cars. An east
bound freight was due about o'clock
and had orders to side-track for the
passenger train due here at 1:2O.
The fireman of the freight tells the
story as follows: There is a heavy
grade west of the station, and as the
freight, with thirty-six loaded cars,
under charge of Conductor William
Mickey and Engineer James Ma
loney, approached the switch
the engine was shut off and
brakes called for. There was no per-
ceptible decrease of speed and Con-
ductor Mickey climbed out Of the ca
boose where he was and began setting
brakes, but the speed was too great
to stop. When within train length
of the caboose they saw the track was
full ahead and both engineer and fire.
man jumped.
The engine struck the wreck train,
threw the cabooses on top Of the next
car, setting both on fire. There were
fourteen men in the caboose. One
jumped off, five were hurt, three were
burned beyond recognition and four
were crushed to death. One was total
3ly burned up, not . sign Of his remains
being found. - H.. 3 .--s
The names Of the killed are:
ONels O. Bokken, Of Nelson; Christ Marten-
son, OF Osakis: Ole Martenson, of Osakis, broth
er OF the above; John Engstrand, of Spruce
Hill; John Akerson, OF Spruce Hill; Eng
strands nephew, name unknown; Con Brum-
The injured are:
A. NJ Broseu, of St. Paul, back and head.
serious; Thomas WEIGH, Of Boston, Mass, bad
scalp CUTS ribs broken; Pat Harmon, of Boston,
Mass, shoulder dislocated; David Reed, of
Nelson. slight injury to head; Henry Ross fire.
man on east-bound freight, shoulder dislocated.
This was the worst accident which
has ever occurred on this division of
the road, and was due to the heavy
grade having a curve, and perhaps care
lessness in leaving the caboose on the
main track or slowness in applying the
brakes. :
It is reported that the train was rum
ming about IL miles an hour when it
collided with the wreck train. The
men killed were wreck-train hands
and were asleep in, the caboose when
the engine struck it. o. Bergland, fore
man, was the only one awake, and he
had barely time to call to his men and
jump. thus saving himself, but the warn
ing cry came too late for the others,
who were all killed or badly injured.
CINCINNATI, Dec. ia telegram
from Danville, KY, states that there
was a wreck on the Cincinnati, New
Orleans & Texas Pacific Cincinnati
Southern) railroad Saturday night, 4
miles from that place, and that
several persons were killed. The
railway mail service here has news
that one of the railway clerks has been
killed in the wreck and others serious.
ly wounded. Charles Fagin. baggage
master, and United States Express
Messenger Kinney were killed. Several
passengers we're injured.