Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-09-18
SPREADING RAILS DITCH THE
CHICAGO PASSENGER.
ENGINEER RODGER KILLED
Christian Oelke, laborer, Crushed
While Riding on Car Steps-Four
Other Men Slightly injured
Train Was Carrying 225 Passen-
gers-Freight Stops Just in Time.

wrecked at the foot of Lincoln avenue
near Stowell station, yesterday, kill
ing two men and injuring three. The
dead are:
Engineer L. w. Rodger, Milwaukee
injured internally and terribly scald
ed; died at Milwaukee hospital last
night.
Christian Oelke, Milwaukee, II
years old laborer, crushed to death
| The injured are:
Fireman o. E. Warner, Milwaukee
cut about the face and body and
| slightly scalded; will recover.
Baggageman ]. W. Miller, Milwau-
kee, injured about the face
Brakeman Don Sultan, Milwaukee.
injured about the back.
Express Messenger w. T. Bunce,
Milwaukee, injured about the back.
Spreading Rails the Cause.
The train was in charge of Con
ductor E. A. Wright and brakeman
Don Sullivan.
The wreck happened so quickly
that neither the fireman nor the en-
gineer had time to jump.
Engineer Rodger was pinned be
meath the wreck and was released by
his fireman and Dr. Dries. Fireman
Warner was also caught beneath the
wreck but managed to escape I'M
aided.
The train left the central station
exactly on time and was proceeding
at about thirty miles an hour when
the acclddent happened. The engine
struck the defective track and in q
twinkling of an eye was toppled bot
tomside up in the ditch alongside.
The remainder OF the train tore along
ripping up the rails and at last the
tender jumped to one side, detaching
itself from the mail car This was
thrown diagonally across the track,
spanning small ditch, and rested
safely right side up.
The two baggage cars followed the
mail car, but sank in the soft soil at
the side of the track.
Instantly after the engine left the
track it struck the bottom OF the ditch
and started to topple oevr. Several
of the steam pipes bursted from the
shock and the entire cab was filled
with scalding steam. Engineer Rod
ger was caught beneath the reverse
lever and was held directly in the
line of the escaping steam which liter
ally cooked his flesh. Fireman War
ner managed in some way to keep
from being entangled in the mass of
! levers and as, the engine settled into
position bottom side up he crawled
from the debris and helped to assist
in taking out the engineer
The cries of the injured could be
heard for a considerable distance
The 225 passengers who were on the
train Immediately following the sue
den stoppage of the train, rushed to
the platform scarcely realizing thei,
escape from death. DR.. Dries OF Mi,
waukee, who was on the train with
the assistance of the fireman and Viii
liam P. Hamason and Conrad Rusche
members of the Hoo Hoo band of Luf
"
into the hot steam and after marc
work succeeded in freeing the suffer
ing engineer.
He was taken at once to nearby
house, where other physicians were
summoned and after carefully dress
ing his wounds had him removed tt
the Milwaukee hospital in the polio,
ambulance. He died several nour!
later. Fireman Warner refused to bt
taken to hospital and after his in
juries were attended to he was take1
to his home in carriage.
The remainder of the injured re
fused to be placed in charge of physi
clans and were all taken to thei
homes.
Christian Oelke, who was crushed
was stealing ride and was sitting OF
the car steps. The body was take1
to the morgue.
One of the peculiar incidents con
nected with the wreck was the move
way in which Express Messenge
Bunce succeeded in tagging a freigh
train which was coming around tn
bend in the track only short dis
lance from the wreck. Mr.. Bunc'
on getting on his feet after the wrecl
realizing that he was not seriousl.
injured rushed to the front of the ca
and believing that he was the onl,
one who had not been killed in tn
wreck, Immediately thought of tn
impending danger should a freigh
: train suddenly dash around the ben
from the east. Accordingly he dashe
up the track with no well-defined pla
in his mind. but determined that h
would stop the next train before
was too late. Scarcely had he round
ed the bend than he saw a freigh
train approaching. He waved hi
hands frantically, but to no use. Sut
denly at the side of the track he sa7
lare red handkerchief which ha
| evidently been dropped by som
: tramp. and selling it waved it acros
J., the track and brought the freight to
a standstill.
Fatal Wreck in Missouri.
Springfield. Mo-, Sept. 14.-Th
Frisco passenger train bound for
Louis and an extra freight collide
: yesterday near Republic. Firema
Rose of the freight was killed an
Engineer Stevenson badly gscalde
Three of the passengers were slight
hurt.
:, Good TempIars at Ashland.
l. Ashland, Wis, Sept 1.-THE fort