The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-11-09
NARROW ESCAPE FROM DEATH.
BUT SERIOUS INJURY NOT AVOIDED.

BUT SERIOUS INJURY MOI AVOIDED.
Thomas Meany of Cato and Michael
Cooney of Rockland, while on their way
home from Manitowoc on Saturday
evening last were seriously injured at
the Branch crossing west of the village,
by being struck by a freight train. 1t h
almost miraculous they escaped with
their lives As it is, their injuries are
serious, Cooney's apparently more so
than those of Meany, though those of
the latter may prove more permanent
Mr.. Cooney had one leg broken above
the knee, finger was also broken and
he has a wound in the head. Mr.. Meany
did not appear to be seriously injured at
first, but the location of the injury may
prove serious as tits in the spine. There
is no wound visible, but the shock was
such that though he walked immediate
ly after the accident he was not rational
Cooney was unconscious when picked
up. One team of horses was killed
The wounded men were brought to the
city by the train which caused the dam
age and were at once taken to the Hos
pital of the Holy Family where their
wounds were looked after.
The two men had been in the city on
Saturday with cattle and hogs which
they sold. The accident happened at
about o'clock. Cooney had tied his
horses to the rear of Meany's wagon
and had taken seat beside Meany in
his wagon. The train consisted of two
cattle cars, a caboose and two engines
and was on its way from Reedsville to
Manitowoc. Both engines were on the
east end of the train, the direction in
which it was running but were running
backward, so that the headlights did not
show on the track. The men say this
deceived them and led them to believe
the train was going west instead of east.
The crossing is not dangerous one, but
the positson of the engines was such
as to make safe crossing more danger
Gus than would have been one where
caution is necessary. The leading team
was struck and instantly killed, both
the occupants being hurled from the
wagon a distance of several feet. The
engineer at once sounded the danger
signal which was heard by David Shell
don and Florian Kunz, who We're in
Kunz' saloon and they went out imme-
mediately The speed of the train was
such that before stopping it passed the
Kunz building and reached the bridge
One of the horses killed was carried
clear to the bridge Kunz and Sheldon
ran mp the track and found Meany OF
his feet; but so dazed by the shock tina
he was unable to tell what happened
Cooney was lying on the ground un
conscious. Meany soon after succumb
ed and had to be cared for. The mel
were taken to Manitowoc as speedily a
possible.
On Monday the claim agent of the c
u ~. w. was az ioIdteu i'phHAS oNei lii
scene of the accident and making inquir
les regarding it. The fact that the en-
/ CINE was running backward, apparentl,
at the usual rate of speed for trains il
transit, and over a long stretch of road
seem to make the responsibility of tn
road clear Such methods of running
trains are wholly indefensible rs rail
: roads, even with the EXTREMIST caution
are exceedingly dangerous things, partio
ularly IL those TO whom the trains ar
: an everyday sight
William Waldorf Aster has paid s406
500 taxes in New York this year.