Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1895-07-15
PILGRIMS MANGLED.
Thirteen Members of "a Religious
Party Meet Death in
Canada.


Cured at 3 o'clock this morning at Craig
Road station on the Grand Trunk rail-
way about four miles west of Lewis. A
very large pilgrimage from Sherbrooke,
Windsor Mills and Richmond had left
the latter town about 10 o'clock last night
for the shrine of st. Anne de Beaupre.
There were two sections of the train, dhe
running few minutes behind the other.
The first section was standing at the
Craig's Road station taking water when
the second section, passing the sema-
phore, dashed into the rear Pullman
coach of the first section, smashing it to
kindling wood and killing, it is said,
everybody in that car except the Pull
man conductor, who jumped.
List of the Dead and Injured.
Engineer Mcleod and Fireman Per-
kins of the second section were both
killed outright.
The death list is as follows:
CHARLES BEDARS, mail clerk.
MISS BEDARS, his daughter.
RICHARD PERKINS, fireman.
REV. FATHER ]. T.. MERCER.
REV. FATHER COGAN, all of Richmond.
REV. MR. DIGNAN of Windsor.
MISS VALINEZ.
A WOMAN, aunt of Miss valinez, name
unknown. st. Joseph de Lewis.
MISS THAUAU, st. Joseph de Lewis.
4 MRS. CAYER. Danyille.
MISS DE LYCOURTE.
MISS DE IYCOURTE. both of Shefford.
+ JOHN OFARRELL, Richmond.
The wounded were taken to Quebec for
treatment, and are as follows:
John Cadieu, J. P. Cayer, Seraphim Cayer,
Virginia Sylvester, Hane; Miss Frances Tou-
laine, Broughton; Louis Godette, Arthabas-
kaville; Patrick McHugh, Copelton; Rev
Father T. De Rossier, cure Of Broughton;
Pierre Allard Richmond; Antonio Barrie
Arthabaskaville; M. j. Quinlan, travelling
passenger agent, Montreal.
The Cars Telescoped.
The Pullman coach was telescoped into
the first-class cars Of the first section,
killing a number of passengers riding in
them. Among the killed are three priests.
The number killed is now placed at TWEEN
ty-five and the number injured at thirty.
four.
The dead and injured will be taken to
Lewis about noon, when their names will
be aScertained.
The work of rescue was begun as soon
as possible. When the binding clouds
of steam had subsidized, the trainmen and
priests rallied the men and the dead and
injured were taken from the ruins OF
the engine, Pullman and hrst-class
coaches and cared for wherever tempo
rary quarters could be found. The
women of the party ministered as best
they could to the wants of the manned
pilgrims. They tore off their undercloth-
ing and made bandages for the gaping
wounds and tried, in the absence of sur
geons, to stanch the flow of blood and
properly cleanse the hurts.
Word was sent to Montreal and orders
from there were issued to Lewis to send
out doctors from Quebec to attend the
wounded and a force of men to clear
up the track The train reached here
at an early hour in the morning and all
of the wounded that could he moved
were placed on board car and sent
east to Lewis, where they were to be
cared for in the hospital.
It is hard to say where the blame for
the accident rests. 1t has been sug-
gested that Engineer Mcleod might have
dozed off to sleep and thus missed seeing
the semaphore and was unconscious of
his whereabouts. A strict Investigation
will be made at once to determine where
the responsibility rests.
Lewis, July 9-The arrival at Lewis Of
the train bearing wounded passengers
from the scene of the accident at Craig S
Road beggars description. Hundreds had
congregated at the station at Lewis and
numerous express wagons piled up With
mattresses and pillows awaited the ar
rival of the train. The wounded had
been made as comforta BILE as possible in
the cars and were attended by physicians
who had been sent on from Lewis at an
early hour. The sight of the unfortunate
victims as they were carried from the
cars was one never to be forgotten. The
poor victims were covered with blood
and their clothes were torn to shreds.
Bruises and cuts on the head and body
were particularly common.
Accounting Cries Of Wounded.
The second person taken from the train
was Rev. DR.. Dignan, cure of st.
Georges of Windsor, who died just as he
was taken from the cars. The other
wounded were Immediately driven TO the
was totally wrecked and it is a miracle
that every soul on it was not killed.
The scene in the hospital after the ar
rival of the wounded was a sad one
The unfortunate pilgrims all occupied
beds in the different wards Of the hospi-
tai and were attended by physicians OF
Lewis and Quebec and nuns and ladies OF
Lewis. The cries of some of the wound
ed were fearful. A Grand Trunk train
from Lewis was cancelled this morning
owing to the accident at Craig's Road
The place was so INSTRUCTED that no
trains could pass.
Coroner Bellau of Quebec crossed over
to Lewis to hold an inquest here on the
bodies Of all those killed. 1t may be that
several bodies are still in the wreck.
The wrecking train is still at work re-
moving the debris and trying to reopen
traffic.
Montreal. July 9-The officials of the
Grand Trunk railroad report the mum
Der of killed in the Craig's Road disaster
is but thirteen and that tWenty-nine is
the number injured