Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-12-03
FREIGHT
SMASHUP
Special and Switch Trains
Come Together with
Sad Results.
Engineer Orvis and Fire
man KERN Each Have
Foot Crushed.
Former Will Lose His
Narrow Escape For
Other Engineer.

Madison, NOV. 20.
By the coming together of special
freight and a switch freight train on
the st. Paul road, at 12:45 O'Clock
Tuesday just behind the residence OF
Gov.-eIect La Toilette, two engines
were badly damaged and two Madison
trainmen seriously injured. The men
hurt are A. G. Orvis, 424 Clymer street
a veteran engineer, and his fireman.
Michael KERN, 100 Monona street, each
of whom had his left foot crushed
Mr.. Orivs also had his right leg
scalded.
The special was coming in from Por-
tage with Engineer E. Rock of Portage
and Fireman Anthony Braun, also OF
Portage, in the cab. Engineer Orvis
and Fireman KERN were engaged in
switching and were coming around the
curve eastward. The front of their en-
CINE was hitched to the train and was
backing up while Orvis and KERN were
watching the signals at the rear. AS
soon as the engineer and fireman on
the special saw the switch train before
them, they put on the air brakes, re-
versed the engine, and the fireman
jumped. The two trains were several
car lengths apart when the danger was
discovered and neither was moving
fast, but Engineer Orvis had no time
to slack up and the two trains came to-
gether with a roaring crash. The
special was fronted with a tender
which saved Engineer Rock, who hero
ically stuck to his post, and to some ex-
tent the engine. The cab of the switch
engine, however, was struck squarely
and showed up on top of the boiler and
Orvis and KERN were both imprisoned
in the jam of crushed and twisted iron
AS soon as possible the trainmen came
to their rescue. Orvis was taken out
and placed on Judge Siebecker's rear
lawn, while Major F. L. Phillips, who
was one of the first to arrive on the
scene, telephoned for the patrol wagon.
This came quickly in charge of Chief
Baker, who took Orvis to the city hos
pital, while KERN was removed to his
home in a delivery wagon. DR.. P. R.
Fox was first called to treat Mr.. Orvis,
while DR.. Head. the company's local
physician, attended to Mr.. Kerin's
case. Mr.. Kerin's foot, while badly
bruised and having a small bone or
two broken, will be saved, but the ply
sicians will in all probability amputate
Mr. Orvis' foot today.
Orvis bore his sufferings like a
spartan. He remained conscious all
the time until taken to the hospital and
never once complained of his agony.
Only occasionally as the patrol wagon
jolted over rough place did he groan
a little. His coat had been left in the
cab and he inquired solicitously about
that as it contained some valuable pa
pers. he said
ular passenger route on the Prairie
du Chen division and was ordered to
transfer a train of cars to East Mad
ison. When the company is rushed
with business, as it is now, regular
train crews laying over in Madison
are thus required to help in the
switching and transferring between
East and West Madison.
Great sympathy is felt for the vic
Tins. Orvis was probably the oldest
engineer on the road and one of the
most trusted employees, having put in
AZ years on an engine and never once
having been in a smashup before. His
wife has been an invalid for years, a
circumstance which makes the case
very sad indeed She has just re-
turned from the Palmyra sanitarium
where she has been undergoing treat
ment. They have three children, a son
Fred, of Chillicothe. Iowa, himself an
engineer of 20 years standing, adaugh-
ter, Mrs. Frank Milward, living in Win
gra Park and another son, Bert F. Or
Wis, the well known deliveryman. The
home life of this worthy old couple has
been ideally beautiful Mr. Oryis is
prominent in Masonic circles and high
ly respected as a sterling citizen AT
midnight Orvis, was resting quietly.
Mr.. KERN is a young married man
with two small children.
Neither engine was thrown from the
track and the cars were not damaged,
but the tender of the special was de-
rallied. The engine of the special was
crushed up against the car behind it
and considerably damaged but the en-
gineer remained unhurt and came out
OF the cab window. The crippled en-