Rock Island Argus., 1901-09-02
TWO SCORE OF LIVES
Ended Horribly in the Wreck on
the Great Northern Near
Kalispeli, Mont.
ONLY THIRTEEN MEN WE'RE SAVED
Out of Forty-Seven in One Car,
and They Were All
Wounded.

Press special from Kallspell. Mont
says: The wreck at Nyack Friday
night was the worst in the history of
the Great Northern. in that more lives
were lost than ever before. Forty-one
deaths have been reported up to the
present time. and In all probabilities
more will follow. Five dead were
brought 10 KaliSDell. with thirteen
wounded and seriously hurt. one OF
whom has since died. or forty-three
men in the day coach on the rear of
the train only thirteen wounded Were
saved. and only five dead were gotten
cut of the burning ruins. the remainder
being completely consumed. it being
impossible to find even their bones,
nothing but ashes remaining when the
fire burned out.
Horrible Scenes at the Wreck.
The scenes at the catastrophe were
heartrending in the extreme. there be-
ing many poor creatures pinned in
among the wreckage. which had taken
fire Immediately after the collision. IL
was with the greatest difficulty that
the few saved were taken from the
ruins. Several men were loudly call
ing for help. begging that If they
could not bc gotten out they be
killed rather than suffer death by the
rapidly approaching flames. People
were compelled by reason of the in
tense heat to stand aside and see the
victims being burned alive. powerless
70 lend aid or assistance.
The body of Assistant Superintend-
ent Downs has been identified. There
were forty-seven labOrers in the day
coach. and out of them only these
were saved: ID. NJ. Cooley. Peter La
chance. Dan Machan. John y. Rhodes.
August Rolf. John Sealiard. Louis
Miller. Arthur Platts. Dan Hope. d. I.
Olson. Charles Gallagher. John +.
Erickson. The men We're engaged 10y
an employment agency in Duluth. the
name of which cannot be ascertained
here. The foregoing men are all
wounded.
How she Disaster Occurred.
1t appears that the cause Of the
wreck was that Il freight train OF
twenty-eight cars going east was at
Essex. and that the head engine went
forward. leaving n helper engine in
the rear to hold the train. The helper
enEiner4nen set the air brakesu HIlti-left
tbe train standing on the track and
took the engine away to coal up. Con-
ductOr Matthews was in the Office get
ting orders. and both brakemen were
with the engines. 1t Is believed that
the air leaked and that the train, be
ing on steep grade. slipped away
without the train crew knowing II and
dashed down the mountain at tre
mendOuS rate OF speed. Variously esti-
mated at from seventy-five 10 one hun
dred miles per hour, going down the
hill n distance OF seventeen miles.
when II overlook the passenger. This
train was moving i'm the same direction
as tho runaway. otherwise the disas-
ter would have been greater.
In almost an instant after the col
lisiOn the whole was mass of flames.
and the work or rescue was rendered
dangerous. Assistant General Super
intendent Downs, whose headquarters
were at Spokane. was in his private
car. just ahead OF the day coach. but
in the rear of the sleeper. He was at
supper when the cars struck. and Ii *
the general opinion that he, together
with his young son. were Killed in-
stantly and that they did not suffer.
His cook was also killed and badly
burned. hut his body was gotten out.