The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1901-04-26
WAS A BAD WRECK
A Milwaukee Freight Car Jumped the
Track South Of Town Last Friday
Night.
Tore up the Track, Ruined a Bridge, De-
rallied Six Cars and Delayed Pas
Sengef Trains.
Joe Rice, Formerly OF Mitchell, Died
Suddenly and Alone in a Minneap-
oils Hetel Last Week.
FREIGHT TRAIN WRECKED.
The Milwaukee Had a Bad Wreck
Five Miles South of Town
Friday Night.

"A OGu wreck occurred on tne tNllWau- |
kee road last Friday night about 10
o'clock by wnicn seven cars were de-
rallied and the track badly torn up for a
distance OF over a hall mile.
It was tbs regular train when leev-9 |
here at o'el ca but it wss delsained
some tia aaiting for the arrival Of
s,ock from The north and wess, and
kept here uatil nearly 10 O'clock. The
wreck toyk place about five miles south
OF town just before reaching the Esemy
creek bridge, and it seemed sort of q
providence hun2 over the train to pre-
vent a worse ,ccident with some fatility
connected with it. One of the men on
the train said that it was going at least
25 or 80 miles an hour, and in the opia-
ion of some of the railroad men the
speed at which the train was going was
the only thing that saved them from
even worse wreck.
TIE accident was caused by the
front trucks of q refrigerator
Car leaving the track about half
mile before reaching the bridge. 1t
then the trucks turned half way around
and plowed its way through the ties,
and twisting the track considerably out
of shape. la shis way the train ran for
& half mile and crossed the bridge in
safety. The trucks on the refrigerator
car finally hrokeaoose and the car was
| pushed forward so that the forward and
rear trucks were put together, with the
Car standing high in the air. When
the trruks broke loose the air brakes on
| the refrigerator set and stopped the
entire train with a suddennass that
| among the crew aud men in the caboose.
| Toe other six cars which left the track
stand in ziszag fashion along the track,
but none of hem were damaged to any
extent. The bridge stands about 25
feet above the creek bed and Is about
250 feet long. The ties of the bridge
are broken nearly all the way through,
aud how that rain managed to get
across without bsing precipitated to the
bottom is beyond understanding. L
was indeed i miraculous escape.
The refri orator was at the front o
the train, ,vqich was composed of Is OF
20 cara. AT the rear of the train were
six cars of stock, two Of which belonged
: to VIM. NJ. Smith Of this city. Tn.
stock was pulled back to Mitchell that
morning, and the fore part of the
t train was taken to Tripp. The engin
D of the train did not leave the track
' The caboose and one freight car wa
) left standing on the bridge when tn
: train stopped.
A short Time after the wreck occurre
q word was brought to the city aud tn
n wrecking crew was sent dowd abou
). midnight to begin the work of clearip,
IS the debris and straig ghtening the track
Several of the cars were pulled back o
n the track by noon.
il The wreck1ng crew has been steadil
d at work during the day but up to
" O'Clock this afternoon no report ha
been received that the track was oles
= = for the passage of trains. The trai
ia from the north which arrives here
is 1850 and due to leave at 11:25 has la
% here awaiting orders as to its NOV
- - ments, but no word up to the ho1
i stated had been received.