Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-06-29
DEATH OF ENGINEER SNOW.
Milwaukee Passenger Train No %, is Wrecked a
Government Canal Near Portage Tuesday
Morning Fireman, Express Agent and
Mail Agent Injured

Passenger train No. % on the C. NJ &
! st. P. Ry., "McQueeney's train" as it is
popularity known which leaves Portage
daily at 7:25 a. m was wrecked Tuesday
morning at 7:3OO'clOck at the Ketchum's
Point railway bridge, crossing the GOV,
/ ernment canal on the east side Of Por-
! tage city and Engineer Washington
| Snow was killed and Firemen Patrick
Klley, Express Messenger Robert Harvey
and Frank Gegan, mail agent injured
A small pleasure steamer, the Grace
had just passed through the draw. The
bridge had been closed but was not yet
locked in place; and the derailing switch
about 200 yards west of the bridge
was still open. The passenger
train, which is made up in Portage, ap-
preached rapidly from the West and ran
| off the derailing switch onto the ties.
Its momentum was so great, however,
that it could not be stopped in the short
distance intervening between the switch
and the canal and the engine and ten
der plunged down the fifteen-fOot abut-
ment into the canal, carrying the en-
gineer and fireman with it. The impact
OF the tender shattered the cab and the
engineer and fireman were thrown into
the canal. The fireman swan to the up
turned tender and drew himself out of
the water. He was taken to his home in
Portage and is suffering from badly
strained back. Engineer Snow was
taken from the water moment later,
but life was extinct. His skull was
fractured and he was badly bruised
about head and face. Express Messen-
ger Harvey had rib broken and was bad
1y bruised, but will sustain no perma-
nent injury. Mail agent Frank Gegan
was thrown to the end of the car, but
beyond a few bruises he escaped injury
Engineer Snow and Fireman Patrick
Kiley retained there post and went with
the engine into the canal. The engine
was turned over on its side and the ten
der was tipped bottom side up.
The first car, which was combination
mail and baggage car, with the rest Of
the train followed the engine to the edge
of the dock, but did not go into the canal.
The first car was tipped partly on its
side. Mail Agent Gegan was thrown to
the end Of the car, but beyond a few
bruises he escaped injury. Baggageman
Harvey, who was in the apartment ad-
joining the mail IUUm in the first car,
received a bad cut in the temple besides
bruises. He was taken from his car by
Baggageman Britt, who was not injured
beyond bad shaking up. The remainder
of the train, excepting the first car. was
not tipped and remainedupright on the
ties of the derail track.
Cyrus Washburn Snow, the dead engi-
neer. was born in Vermont, fifty-nine
years ago, and the day of his death was
the anniversary of his birth. When he
left his home in the morning to take his
last run he said to his wife. as he had on
each birthday for several years past:
well, good-by, my dear; this is my last
run" His prediction came true this time.
He came to Wisconsin in 1S45. began
work with the Milwaukee road in the
shops in this city in 1857 and soon after
wards became fireman. In 1863 he be-
t3amean engineer and has since occupied
~ nlsitioD with this road eine one. Of
TIC Oldest employees of the system and
| one of the most reliable men the conf-
pany ever had. He had ridden nearly
one and One-half million miles in a cab.
| He has lived in Portage since 1863. In
1S49 he married, and is survived by his
wife and three sisters Mr.. Snow was
chairman Of the grievance committee of
the Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers
and was prominent both in Masonic and
United WOrkmen societies. He was held
in highest respect wherever known and
no emplOye of the road had more friends
/ among railroad men.
|