Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-12-05
FRICHTFUL R. R. WRECK
TWO TRAINS IN COLLISION ON
WABASH ROAD.
Immigrant Train Completely Wiped
Out-Loss of Life is Appalling
Occupants of Cars Caught Like
Rats in Trap and Roast to Death
Terrible Disaster Occurs Near
Seneca, Mich.

One of the most disastrous wrecks in
the history of the Wabash, or any 9TH
er Michigan railroad occurred at Sene-
ca, Mich, a small way station 10 miles
southwest of Detroit, Wednesday.
Head End Collision.
Train No 49, an immigrant train,
with two engines. westbound, collided
with train No a. eastbound. about one
mile from Seneca The result was that
five or six coaches of the immigrant
train were crushed, and its load of hui
man freight sent into eternity in a
moment, while one coach of train No.
4, which consisted of parlor, diner
and baggage cars. was also telescoped
and four dead bodies taken from the
ruins.
Loss of Life Appalling.
1t is not known how many people on
the immigrant train met death, but the
list will be anywhere from 60 to $50.
The people on that train were caught
like rats in trap and crushed. Then
the wreck caught fire. and those not
instantly killed were slowly roasted to
hastily gathered from the farm houses
near by being able to afford aid
One Train Consumed.
The whole immigrant train was con-
sumed. and every person on that train,
it is reported now. was killed. The
farmers residing along the track rush
ed in on the blazing mass to rescue
those they thought might be alive.
List of Dead Unknown
1t may be that the exact number of
the killed, or who they are. may never
be known. At present it is impossible
TO get anything resembling a list If the
injured or dead from Seneca.
Cause of Collision
1t is said here that the accident was
the result of a misunderstanding of or
ders. 1t is reported in Seneca that No.
should have waited at Seneca Station
and No 13 should have taken the sid
ing. This was not done, and then the
crash came.
Train Burned.
The net result is that the whole train
of No Is was burned; the engines of
both trains are complete wrecks, while
of train No, 4 the diner and baggage
cars are crushed into kindling wood.
Removal of Injured.
At 10: As o'clock the first train load
ed with the wounded left the scene for
Adrian. The dead were left to be car
ried in on a later train wrecking
train from Montpelier arrived shortly
otter O'Clock, but the heavy restibuled
cars of the limited lay between it and
b,tp iu ,terr o,,f
tie aid could be rendered.
When the train bearing the wounded
reached Adrian they were carried in
ambulances, drays md delivery wagons
to the hospitals until they were fled
and private residences were placed in
service. Among the great list of dead,
only one name is known here at pres
ent. This is Miss Dido Dentued of
Tupperville, Ont. She was alive when
the resources reached here but died
soon after. A special to Tribune from
Adrian gives the following Detroit per-
sons among the injured;
Some of the Injured.
George Sweeney; f. b. Richardson,
express messenger on the immigrant
train, head cut and both legs mangled
Mary Dolman. Injuries slight II. b.
Whitney. Ontario railroad dispatcher,
seriously injured,
he responsibility for the accident is
laid on the crew of the limited.
1t is said this train passed its meet
ing order with the regular westbound
train a mile east
I'll is estimated that upwards OF 500
persons We're on the two trains.
The latest reports from Adrian are to
the effect that there are so dead and
$50 iniured-25 serious. Fifty of the
80 dead were killed outright
superintendent Estimate.
Superintendent Burns of the division
on which the wreck occurred insists
that the estimates are too high, plac-
ing the list at 20 In support of the
larger estimate 1T is pointed out that
there are now IA passengers known
To be dead The bodies OF eight of
these have been recovered and il is
considered that the fragments of other
bodies now in the morgue at Adrian
will account for many more than II
dead necessary TO make up Superinteu-
dent Burns estimate