Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-11-15
COOL aEADHD BRAKE.
MAN
AVERTs A TERRIBLECAL-
AMlTY.
BY the Timely Action
of Frank Arlens a Tram
Load OF Lives are
Saved.
Passenger Trains NO. 2 and
IL Collide at the Y
With DISASTROUS Re
Sul!S.

Sioux City u Pacific railroad company,
the country today would be appalled,
by u railroad disaster without all equa!
in this section of the country, not even
the catastrophe of the Union Pacific
Pioneers at Logan several years ago
The accident referred to occurred sat-
urday evening about 9:2O at the ~"
switch in the western portion of this
eli Y, where the trains of tine Sioux
City 81 Pacific railroad company are
transferred to the mann line of the g..
Y N Nv. That the acc dent was preg
il.nt with possibill'les VAS evidenced
ny the appearance of the wreckage
yesterday. Numerous rnmprs relative
% he ;lses bringing about the ac-
cident are in circulation but from facts
which developed al the Coroners' IN
quest held in Justice French's office
his tor .n,,On are about rs follows:
For years past it has been the Gus
ON of the railroad companies to-
ransfer the trains of the Sioux City
4 p clic line onto the main line of
he Chicago s. North Western at the
switch IN tile western portion OF
his city: The sw TIL is one of those
lcomplica d aft .irs used i'm connection
with the Hall signal system which is
supposed to afford protection to IN
soming trains.
Saturday night the St Paul-Omaha
No. 10, and in charge OF Conductor III.
r. Rounds and Engineer Jack Royce
arrived at The ~" switch, as near as
can be as certained about 9:2O. Mr.
Frank Arr who is employed on the
:. q. Il p. in t ne capacity OF brakeman
was rsd' g down from Sioux City in
he engl 9 attending to spend SUNDAY
with his family here. When their
came to standstill Mr.. Ariens alighted
from the engine and threw the switch
allowing the tram to cross onto the
main line. Engineer Royce opened
he throttle of his engine and
commenced to pull the train onto the
main line from the switch when the
asst Overland Limited" on the North
Western rounded the curve which is (.
short distance north of Loveland and
.hont 3 miles south of switch. Mr.
Royce noticed the headlight of the en-
line hut as tram No 2 was past du.
lmost an hour, he thought the ap-
,roichlng train was special freigh,
nd thought it would come to stand
still before reaching the Hall signal
rhich is situated ] 300 feet south III,
he swlth. But instead of stopping
lie oncoming train proved to be the
united train No 2 running at speeo
Il nearly As miles All hour in the effort
t regain all lost time possible. Seein.
t ne dangerous pred,cament which his
t ain was in Mr. Royce of the train
40. 10 reversed his engine and Started
% back onto the side track again To
low the oncOming tram to pass
According to Mr.. Rnyca's testimony
| tDOnt three cars of his train wer,
cross the switch onto the NV. mar
ne when he noticed the other tran,
"as MAINTAINING its terrific speed and
| eeing head end collision was un-
yoidable provided he dld not reacl,
he side track i'm time to throw the
witch back onto the NV main line
ne reversed his engine and started full
speed across the double switch onto
he side track AS his engine crossed
the switch he called to Mr.: Ariens ia
give the N. W. train a clear track
| But, for some reason not explained a.
speed of the train No was not dlm,n
,shed in the least until only few
Yards from the point of the collision.
he train of No. 10 had reached thu
,'dlng and the tender and almost all OF
the engine we're across when the en-
ylne of No 2 struck it abont three
quarters full on the pilot and boiler
lead.
A visit to the scene of the acciden;
short time after it happened revealed
he fact that although only one life
Was lost and but few people received
injuries from the wreck, it was preg-
ait with possibilities for terrible
catastrophe. All the section men il,
he employ of the G. Il NV. and S
z. q y. railroads residing within a
adlus of fifty miles of the city were
put to work as soon as possible re-
moving the debris of the wreck and
he company officials here state it will
oe at least day longer before regular
rafiic can be resumed on the main line.
In the meantime spur has been bull
around the wreckage and the passenger
rain traffic is being carried on over
he improvlsed road.
| The wreckage laid in a peculiar posl
zion. The huge mogul engine of the
UNITED train was spread lengthwis.
across all three tracks. Owing To il.
immense weight all efforts TO move
the fallen monster were futile unit
yesterday evening, when track was
Quilt under it.
That more casualties did not result
from the accident is q miracle. The
mail car of the limited tram was par
italy telescoped and derailed, rolling
Unto the ditch several feet below. A
complete crew of clerks was working
IN the Car at the time and every one
escaped without the slightest injury
When the accident occurred the maj
Peter .. Peterson, the only person
killed in the wreck, was riding on the
nead end of the mail car. When tn.
car teleScOped both his lower limb.
we're caught and crushed or about tw,
inches above the knees. As soon a!
possible the wreckage was removed
from around him. after which he wa.
carried to Chief Surgeon Colts office
where he was given every attention
possible, but he failed to rally and 3.5l
Sunday morning he died without hav-
ing regalned consciousness with tn,
Exception of about two minutes.
Both engineer Wells and his fireman
remained in the cab of the engine ant
did everything in their power to aver
the wreck. After the accident Mr.
Wells stated he was rendered uncon
seiOus bv the shook and has no know
ledge of how or when he escaped iron
the wreckage of his engine. the cab o
which was utterly demolished Fl
was found alongside the wreckaQe q