The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-05-31
OF THE Rail.
A Defective Switch in Minnesota
Brings Death to Six,
A LARGE NUMBER BADLY INJURED,
The DorniIed Train Took Fire and Two
Of the Dead Were Burned to = Crisp.
A Collision on = MAssaohusetts Road
Kills Three.

Of the Dead Were Burned to = Crisp. |
A Collision on = Massachusetts, Road |
kills Three.
MILWAUKEE, May 3l-A special from |
the town of Marshfeld, Wis, says:
The 81. Paul limited south bound train on |
the Wisconsin Central met with hor- |
rible accident, which has never been |
equaled In northern Wisconsin and adds |
another long list Of victims through dis |
asters Of this kind The train, which |
was made up Of seven coaches and slsep- |
ers, left Abbott's Ford behind time, and
while running at fifty miles an hour,
struck defective split switch at Mann
vile, deserted station, derailing the en-
sire train and piling engine and cars in
heap Of broken timbers. To add to the
horror the entire mass was soon In sheet
of flame which, mingled with the groans
and cries of the injured, made a scene
that turned the hearts Of the bravest
Receiver Howard Morris and Sidney
Hirsch, business man from Ironwood,
who were on the train, arrived in this city
ON the regular train from Stevens Point.
From them it is learned that five, as far
as known, were all that were killed out
right, and fifteen or sixteen injured, some
of them very seriously. Mr.. Hirsoh says
that the only passenger known to have
been killed was a woman, name unknown,
who boarded the train at Mellen Station,
and who was riding in the second day
coach.
Our train was running at the rate of
about fifty or sixty miles an hour when the
crash came" said Mr.. Hirsch, "and the
train seemed to go into heap within a
few seconds. was asleep in the next to
the rear sleeper at the time, and was
thrown from my berth, as were all the
other passengers. AS soon as we could
scramble out we found a terrible state of
affairs. The baggage express, smoker
day coach, a business car and sleeper
were piled on top of each other, and
within very few minutes the pile was on
fire, taking fire, it was stated, from the
locomotive, which lay in heap beneath
all the cars.
''The fire burned rapidly, and it kept all
the persons who escaped without injury
very busy rescuing those who were in
jured and pinioned beneath the wreck.
Some fifteen or sixteen passengers were
taken out more or less injured, and were
sent to Marshfeld for proper care The
bodies Of the trainmen and the unknown
woman were recovered as soon as possible
i
we got out after the crash, and l know
| that the escape was a narrow one for all
those who came out alive and unharmed.
The train was reasonably well filled. That
Is, the sleepers were very well occupied. 1"
Receiver Morris occupied the company's
business car, which did not get into the
heap, and so escaped destruction by burn
| ing. The rear sleeper and the business
| car alone came out practically unharmed.
General Manager Whitcomb said of the
4 accident and the probable cause: "Ths
| split switch Of the passenger track had
avidently been tarnpered with, allowing
| the whselS of the locomotive to catch the
poipk The engine and all the ears OF the
| train, except the rear coach and business
| oar, Left tho TRACK, and all were burned ex-
| cspt the two mentioned. The injured arc
receiving every attention possible to give,
and the tEack will be promptly cleared, SO
thAt trains can move on them"
| w b. Russell, who was killed, was an
Snploys of the chief engineer, ard had
been mp the road on business for the oom-
pAny- He was young man, employed a.
road man, and came here from England.
| The dead are: James Hubbard, engineer,
Of Stevens Point; George Bsarhart, fire.
man, Of Stevens Point; Jason Bigslow,
head brakeman, Of Stevens Point; w. b
Russell, civil engineer, Of Stevens Point;
Oliver Bosley, news agent; Mrs. John
Wagner, an elderly lady passenger,
Injured - Henry Chester, Marshheld,
legs and shin badly injured, may die; o.
w. Bozley news agent, Stevens Point,
died soon afttrward; Arthur Turnice, Chi
csgo, head cut and otherwise injured; DR..
Weit1el, Glidden, hurt internally; Fanny
Burtle, Springdale, Ills, hand badly cut;
William Ryan, Sturgeon Bay, ribs broken
and head cut; E. A. Twitchell, lawyer,
Minneapolis, head cut
| The bodies of Russell and Bigelow were
| burned to q crisp.