Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-15
Terrible Wreck on Grand Rapids and
Indiana Railroad.
SEVEN KILLED, MANY INJURED
Fast Express Dashes into Another
Passenger Train.
LISTS OF THE CASUALTIES

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. August 15.-The
most terrible wreck in the history Of the
Grand Rapids and Indiana railroad occurred
about a. m. today at Pierson, twenty-nine
miles north of Grand Rapids.
The Northland express, which left this
city at 4:05, collided head on with passen-
ger train No. 2, due here at am. Seven
lives were lost and many passengers were
injured, some severely. Both engines and
the baggage cars were completely demol-
ished.
When the trains met day was just dawn
ing and the fog was thick that the en-
gineers could not see more than 100 yards
ahead. The trains were to have passed at
Sand Lake, two miles south of Pierson. at
% am. No. = was evidently late and was
trying to make the siding at Pierson. The
Northland express had the right of way
and was scurryings along at nearly fun
speed. Either the engineers blundered In
their orders were not able to Sig
mails on account of the fog.
A telephone message from Pierson says
that the engineers and firemen of both
trains were killed, well as five other
persons. The express train was made up
largely of Pullman cars. Ii was the finest
train the road. 1t carried the Grand
Rapids coach, a day coach, several sleep
ers from Cincinnati and the south and buff
fet breakfast car and the baggage cars.
List of Dead and Injured.
The dead:
Charles NJ. Let's, Grand Rapids, conduct
or northbound train, No. 5.
Gilbert Groetveld, Grand Rapids, engineer
No. 8.
William H Fish, Grand Rapids, engineer
No. 2
Edward D: woodhouse, Grand Rapids.
fireman OF No. B.
Louis G. Boyle Grand Rapids fireman of
No. .
c. Pierson, passenger, of Franklin. Ind
Ralph Levan, son Of Baggageman Levan
of Grand Rapids, who was in the with
his father.
The injured:
Mark Blossom. Grand Rapids. news
agent: base of skull fractured. fatal
II. A. Dennis, Grand Rapids. passenger,
cut on head, legs jammed, left shoulder
hurt.
w. NJ Graves, Grand Rapids, colored.
waiter on No. 8: compound fracture of
right arm and badly cut
c. M Ford, Grand Rapids. colored, porter
on No 3, injured about legs and chest.
David c. Powers Grand Rapids baggaPa-
man of No. ., scalp wound, throat cut, con-
tusions on limbs, both eyes closed.
Frank Poroff, Traverse City, trainman.
head badly cut.
w. NJ. Barnes, Grand Rapids. dining car
conductor, left side of chest hurt, head cut
Harvey Taylor, Grand Rapids coiored.
waiter. both hands lacerated, arms cut.
" iioi itSdN' pdSStLStT, DeQly hurt
about face and chest.
Fault of the Operator.
According to the railway officials, the COL
lision was the fault of Operator Wells. sta
toned at Mill Creek, four miles north OF
this city. The trains usually meet al Sand
Lake, two miles south of Pierson. An or
der was issued that they meet at Wood
stock, four miles. north of Pierson. Later
Operator Wells was asked IL the express
had passed his station yet. He answered
NO. He was then told to countermand
former orders and give orders to No TO
meet No. at Sand Lake. Similar orders
We're given to No. 2. Train never got the
order, having already passed Mil Creek
They collided, therefore. while both were
going at full speed. The forward cars were
te!escoped. The baggage, mail and dining
cars on No. saved the Pullmans in the
rear. and the passenger coaches in No. 2
were saved by three freight cars, which
happened to be attached next the engine.
There We're eleven cars on train No. and
ten on No. g. Only six cars remained on
the track, and the engines were literally
torn to pieces.