Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1895-11-26

ssSs
RAJ DAD WRECK
Spicer the Scene Of a Frightfu1
Smash Up hrec Engines
and Forty-Five Cars
4 .S Wrecked. . z=.ss
Five Trait11tiet1 Injured But No
] :....& s Lives Are Lost. .2.. @. Z
u One Of the mostterrible wrecks
Of rolling stock in the history of
the Great Northern Railway oc-
CURED this morning at two
o'clock. 1t was certainly the
most remarkable. It involved
three trains with four engines,
and a part of each train was
wrecked. Happily the loss Of no
human lives adds horror to
the terrible catastrophe. -Four
trainmen were injured, Engineer
Reilly the most seriously. He
sustained four broken ribs and
a broken leg. Engineer Ed. Rice
sustained a bruise of the knee.
Fireman Johnnie Strandberg
broke his collar bone, caused by
striking his head onto the hard
ground when he jumped. Fire
man johnson had his wrist in
jured.
A train heading north in charge
of Conductor McNees occupied
the main track at the station of
Spicer. Another train was side
tracked there, headed for south.
The engine of the latter train,
No. IS, engineer, M. Reilly
stood exactly parallel with the
caboose of the former train, a
short distance from the Lindberg
elevator. A heavy train, headed
by two engines; 1st: No. III
in charge Of Ed. Rice and Eddie
Johnson, fireman, and End, No.
176, Engineer Montgomery and
John Strandberg, freman-in
charge of Conductor J. E. Cuniff
. dashed along and crashed into
the rear of the train on the main
line, The sudden resistance
drove engine No. 176 under the
tender on No. IA. hurting it on
top Of the cab and tender of No.
IS, the tender on No. IA break
ing loose and rolling clean over
to the other side. The crash
completely demolished two of the
and left No. IS in very
bad shape. Six or seven cars
containing hay, fax and wheat.
were thrown on top of the wreck
and caught fire: The men on the
moving train saw their danger
and jumped for their lives. En-
gineer Reilly and his fireman had
no warning, but escaped death
most miraculously. The engine
on McNees train was unframed
and as the wreck happened inside
the limits of the house sidetrack
the line was open and the engine
pnlled into Willmar~ with the
wounded. Engineer Reilly and
fireman were thoroughly soaked
with water and suffered some
from cold before the alarmed
villagers were abl etc provide
them with dry clothing.
Where the blame for the accident
should be laid is hard to tell The
officials Of the road will give out moth
ng. It is known that the double
headed train was made up in the
yards before 10 o'clock.but that 1t was
delayed from pulling out It'll aftermid-
lig}t. 1t is also reported that a
change Of orders was sent to Engineer
Kelly who originally was Or
1ered to pass the train at New Lon
Ion: but owing to delay was ordered
onto Spicer. But the remainder
seems to be wrapped in mystery.
1t least to outsiders.
The fire department of Willmar was
called about o clock a. m. to go to the
scene. They soon had their apparatus
oaded onto the train, but owingto the
of the dispatchers in ascer-
aiming If the track was clear the train
lid not get orders to pull out before
clock and'then it was thought use
ess to go, and the fre-enginc was TAX
IN back by the fire department.. Lat
9r i'll the day, however, the fire boys
lid go down to put out the flames
which continued to burn among the
vreckage.
The wreck presented a terrible scene.
The engines piled up into a tremend-
>us pile and the remains of cars were
'trewed about and burning. Seven
ears was totally demolished.
twenty cars OF wheat and flax will
lave to be uuloaded at Spicer, also s |
ears of railroad ties.