The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-07-01
WE'RE CAUGHT IN A WRECK
Mr.. and MRS, C. E. Ripley who Were
Injured Are Here

Mr. and Mrs, c. E. Ripley Who We're
Injured Are Here.
At about 10 o'clock this morning Mr..
and Mrs. c. E. Ripley, of Oakfeld,
Fond du Lac county, got off the north
bound train and called On DR.. G.. 81.
Ripley and wife. Mr.. Ripley is a
cousin of the doctors and ordinarily
there would be nothing more than
two or three line item necessary to
chronicle their visit. Butitis different
this time. Both Mr.. and Mrs. Ripley
were in the train wreck at West Chi
cago station at 1850 this morning and
both have bruises and wounds which
testify to that fact in most emphatic
manner Mr.. Ripley's head is bandaged
and underneath that cloth there are
several scalp wounds. Mrs. Ripley
was internally injured, the lower float
| ing rib on the right side having been
either broken or torn loose. And it
was veritable miracle that either of
them is alive and able to tell the story
of the wreck
Mr.. Ripley says that he started from
his home about 10 o'clock with the
Christian Endeavorers of Green Bay,
Appleton, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac,
on their excursion to California to at
tend the big annual national convention.
| The train carrying the excursion was
divided into nine sections on account
of its size. He and the rest of the
people from the cities mentioned occu-
pied section 4. At West Chicago there
was a stop. He and his wife were
occupying the next to the last sleeping
coach. A man by the name of Good
ing who was in the car stepped out
onto the platform to smoke. AS he did
so Mr.. Ripley got up for a drink of
water. Mrs. Ripley also stood up and
to this fact and the peculiar positions
they were in undoubtedly their lives
are due. They could see nothing
ahead nor behind, but all of sudden
there came an awful crash. The rear
coach was telescoped and as it was
pushed up into the air it telescOped the
next car. Mr. Gooding was instantly
killed, but Mr.. Ripley who stood easily
within four feet of him was only slightly
injured. He could rot say how. 1t
was all so sudden that the movements
were entirely unexplainable he simply
thinks he must have been driven
through the door and out of the car.
Mrs. Ripley was merely thrown against
the point of the arm of the seat aud
1 IL. A.
1t was found that two people on this
section of train had been killed. 1t
had been run into by section No. s
which was following, at point about
100 yards east Of West Chicago station.
On section a tramp was crushed who
was stealing a ride on the blind bag
gage. Besides the tramp the killed
were: John Gooding and Mrs. r. Ship
am, both of Fond du Lac. The list of
injured numbered twenty-five, includ-
ing eight from Appleton, five from
Seymour, five from Fond du Lac, two
from Clintouville, two from Neenah,
one from Oconto and one from DePere.
None of the injured is expected to die
from the hurts. All the injured were
removed to ST. Luke's hospital this
noon with the exception of Mr.. and
Mrs. Ripley. There were eighty per-
sons in the two coaches smashed.
Assistant General perintendent
Gardiner of the Chicago q North
Western road, says that although no
blame for the wreck has been fixed,
Charles Courtney, engineer of the rear
section, is thought to be responsible
He was also seriously injured.