The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1901-12-06
FATAL WRECK IN MICHIGAN
PASSENGER TRAINS COLLIDE
The Number of Persons Killed Is Re-
ported as Being over One Hundred
Trains Burned Up Imme diately After
ColIision-Engineer Strong Disobeyed
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 a result of the COLI
sion. Superintendent G. M. Burns of
the division on which the wreck oc-
Cured insists that the estimates are
too high. 81 do not consider" he said.
that the total death list will exceed
90 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
number of those who were early on
the scene dispute this, and say the
number was nearer so. Superintend-
ent Burns has received no report from
Ticket Collector Eames of train No. 10,
who probably knows nearer than any
one else the number of Italians in the
cars.
No step has been taken as vet to-
ward the arrest of Engineer Strong
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 new spaper 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 evil
dence of the horrible loss of life which
they witnessed at the spot where the
accident occurred. The Free Press
says that the loss of life was, in round
numbers, 100, and that the statements
made by the Italian immigrants on
train No. 10 bear out this claim. These
immigrants say that there were about
1875 of their nationality on the train
and that only about % of them es-
capped While only 10 of them are
known to be dead, it is asserted that
the other 80 were completely inciner-
ated. and that with the removal Of the
wreckage the bodies crumbled to dust.
which was scattered by the wind. If
| the names of these dead are ever
| known it will be when friends make
inquiry for them, and in many in
| stances this seems highly improbable
Although Engineer Strong of the
east-bOund limited saw the light of
the approaching train while five miles
away. and down a straight track. he
did not check his speed, because, he
said he supposed No. Is was waiting
on a siding at Sand Creek. After
reaching Detroit today Strong said:
Il read my orders that ! was to
stop at Sand Creek, and evidently the
other crew read theirs to stop at
Seneca. l know that there were four
of us that read the orders the same
the fireman, conductor. brakeman and
myself. | lost my orders in the con-
fusion of the wreck, but the records
will show what they were and what
the other crews orders were.
"When l first saw the headlight OF
the other train | was far enough away.
SO l presume, to have stopped, but you
understand how it is with these cleo
trio headlights-you can not tell any
thing about how far away they are.
1t was on a straightaway track, and
| thought they were waiting for me
at Sand Creek. They doubtless thought
we were stopped at Seneca, and so
both of us came on at full speed.
1--WE must have been running so
miles an hour. When we saw they
were on top of us l saw | must jump.
There was a bridge right ahead and
| did not want to fall in that, so
waited until we were past and fell
There was only a slight embankment
and the crash came right after | let
|, go. | rolled fully three rods. When
I came to there was my engine on
one side of men and the trucks of the
second car, which was telescOped on
the other"
superintendent Burns today said
that Engineer Strong of No. was re
, spOnsible.
His orders" he said, CLEARLY or
dered him to pass No. 10 at Seneca
, He evidently forgot them, for he die
not stop there and the collision re
suited"
Superintendent Burns estimated the
financial loss to the Wabash at $4,000
The three engines piled themselve:
in an indiscriminate heap, with th'
, leading engine of No 13 above the
, other two. The first three coaches O
the train were so telescoped that they
were nothing but a mass of debris
One emigrant car was compressed int
a compass of about eight feet in length
on the track. The flames started be
low the immigrant cars, and here thu
heaviest loss of life occurred. it beinl
estimated that about so persons, men