The Saint Paul globe., 1897-06-08

Through what is regarded as a piece
of stupidity, a work train and a west
bound freight train collided between
North Wisconsin Junction and Hud-
son, about 1:30 o'clock yesterday after
noon on the Chicago, st. Paul, Mime
apolis & Omaha railroad. At II o'clock
last evening General Claim Agent
Poole, of the road, returned to ST.
Paul and informed a reporter for the
G 10 e that the dead numbered six
and possibly seven. Watchman Her
man Reeby, of the work train, was
killed outright. He was frightfully
mangled. Engineer E. w. Brogan and
Fireman F. B. Thayer OF the work
train, were horribly cut. When remov-
ed from the wreckage they were still
alive and were brought to ST. Paul at
o'clock on a special train and taken
to ST. Lukes hospital.
The accident which brought sorrow
into a half-dozen households came
without a moments warning. It was
occasioned it is claimed, by the mis-
take of Conductor Owens of the work
train But for this, no accident would
have occurred. It is the same story
which has brought dozens of railroad
men to death, the train orders were
disregarded.
Between Hudson and North Wiscon-
sin Junction the Omaha has a double
track for the better accommodation of
business. For the past two weeks Di-
vision Superintendent McCabe has had
a large crew of men at work all along
the line improving the track and con-
structing the new block signal system.
A large pile driver, with crew Of
men, has been at work between Hudson
and North Wisconsin Junction improv-
ing the track and strengthening the
bridges and culverts. Yesterday after
noon the crew of the pile driver were
ordered to proceed to the junction and
pulled out of Hudson shortly after 1
o'clock, bound east. Engineer Brogan
was in charge Of the engine of the work
It was one of the first trips that Thayer
has made, as he was working as sub
stitute, owing to the extra work on
hand. The train crew consisted Of fif-
teen or twenty men in charge of Fore
man D. S. Hurd, one of the oldest and
most faithful men in the service Of
the company. Officials of the road
stated to a reporter for the G o b e
yesterday afternoon that the work
train was ordered by the train dis
patcher to run to North Wisconsin
Junction on the westbound track, and
there wait for the westbound freight
train, which was expected there about
1:30 o'clock.
Here's where the blunder came. The
mistake cost a half-dozen lives. No
one knows why the work train crossed
over to the eastbound track, and why
Engineer Brogan started out on the
eastbound track. He was going east
The train orders, 1t is said, distinctly
stated that a freight train was ap-
preaching on the eastbound track In
the face of this 1t is inexplicable why
he used the eastbound track.
The train pulled out at a good head
way. The cars numbered two. The
engine was in the rear and was push
ing the caboose and the work car
ahead. The work car in which the ma
jority of the men were riding was first.
1t is supposed that fifteen men were
riding in this car.
1t is said that when Engineer Brogan
had proceeded about a mile toward the
junction he discovered his mistake. He
then knew that he was riding a peri
lous road. 1t is not known who dis
covered the mistake. 1t is supposed
that he believed he could reach the
junction before the freight train
reached that point. If that was his
calculation, it was fatal one
The work train had gone but a mile
and half out of Hudson when the
catastrophe occurred. In the mean
time, going to inevitable destruction,
the heavy freight train was thunder