The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1901-12-06
FATAL WRECK N MICHIGAN
PASSENGER TRAINS COLLIDE
The Number of Persons KfIsed Is Re-
ported rs Being Over One Hundred
Trains Burned Up immediately After
Coiiision-Enginser Strong Disobsysd
Orders.

Detroit. Mich, Nov. 29.-When night
fell over the scene of the recent calam
ity on the Wabash railroad near Sen
eca. Mich. those who had been in.
vestigating the disaster had found
nothing TO alter the estimate OF about
so lives lost as result of the COLI
sion. Superintendent G. VI. Burns OF
the division on which the wreck oc-
lcurred insists that the estimates are
too high. Il do not consider" he said.
that the total death list viii exceed
20. He further said that he was I'M
able to tell the exact number of Ital-
ian emigrants aboard train No. 10, but
Thought that there were not more than
so. Passengers on the train and a
number OF those who were early on
the scene dispute this. and say the
number was nearer 80. Superintend-
emit Burns has received no report from
Ticket Collector Eames OF train No. IS,
who probably knows nearer than any
one else the number of Italians In the
cars.
No step has been taken as yet to-
ward the arrest OF Engineer Strong.
who Superintendent Burns says Is re-
sponsible for the collision.
The official list OF the dead given
to the local papers shows the names
OF but 10 dead and As injured. but De-
troit newspaper men. who were at
the scene OF the wreck and talked with
survivors OF both trains. says that the |
official list does not bear out the state |
ments OF the passengers nor the evi. |
dence Of the horrible loss OF life which 1
fhau xff af hA ft..l
accident occurred The Free Press 4
says that the loss OF life was. In round
numbers. 100, and that the statements
made by the Italian immigrants on
train No, 13 bear out this claim. These
immigrants say that there were about D
1875 of their nationality on the train
and that only about 25 of them es-
capped. While only 10 OF them are
known to be dead 1t Is asserted that
the other 80 were completely inciner- Il
ated. and that with the removal of the I
the bodies crumbled to dust.
which was scattered by the wind. IL
the names OF these dead are ever
known II will be when friends make
inquiry for them, and In many In.
stances this seems highly improbable
Strong Says He's Not to Blame.
Although Engineer Strong OF the :
limited saw the light OF a
he approaching train while FIVE miles e
way. and down a straight track. he :
lid not check his speed. because. he
aid. he supposed No. 10 was waiting |
IN a siding at Sand Greek. After
eaching Detroit today Strong said:
Il read my orders that was to q
top at Sand Greek. and evidently the
Their crew read theirs to stop at a
eneca. I know that there were four n
us that read the orders the same :.
he fireman. conductor. brakeman and q
iyself lost my orders In the con- i
1siOn OF the wreck. but the records
ill show what they were and what !"
he other crews orders were. =
When I first saw the headlight OF ~
Ie other train was far enough away. "
, presume. to have stopped but you b.
nderstand how 1t is with these cleo III
lie headlights-you can not tell any
ling about how far away they are.
was on a straightaway track. and
thought they were waiting for me
Sand Greek. They doubtless thought ia
Q were stopped at Seneca, and so We
It'll of us came on at full speed. co
I'VE must have been running so
lies an hour. When we saw they Or
ere on top of us I saw I must Jump. IN,
here was bridge right ahead and 20,
did not want to fall In that. so n.
sited until we were past and fell. -
lere was only slight embankment an
ID the crash came right after | let
/. I rolled fully three rods. When Ia
came to there was my engine on Nd
e side Of men and the trucks OF the lee
cond car. which was telescoped, on ca,
@ other" cal
Superintendent Burns today said
at Engineer Strong OF No. was re- o.,
onsible. ~
His orders" he said. clearly or NY
red him to pass No. 10 at Seneca. rs
evidently forgot them. for he did WI
{ stop there and the collision re-
ted"
Superintendent Burns estimated the I
ancial loss to the Wabash at $4,000. aoe
rhe three engines piled themselves III,
an indiscriminate heap, with the ~
ding engine Of No. 10 above the ~"
Ter two. The first three coaches OF Me-
! train we're 80 telescoped that they WIN
re nothing but mass OF debris.
g emigrant car was compressed into
ompass Of about eight feet In length 6
the track. The flames started be- I'm,
: the Immigrant cars, and here the I.
West loss Of life occurred, 1t being
MATED that about so persons, men, PIG