The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-08-31


the vicinity of the scene of the acct
dent farm buildings and windmills
were RACED to the ground, trees up
rooted and stacks blown over or car
ried for rods across the fields.
The coaches were carried twenty
five feet from the track. The accident
happened on an embankment about ten
feet high and the train at the time
was going at the rate of thirty miles
an hour. The coaches fell on their
sides to the north and the whole thing
occurred so suddenly that there was
no opportunity given for anyone either
to jump from the coaches or to make
any attempt to save themselves.
The scene that ensued was one of
indescribable confusion. The pas
sengers were hurled forward by the
sudden stoppage Of speed and those
sitting on the south side of the coaches
were thrown violently to the north,
naming and bruising those who had
been opposite them, but were now I'M
derneath.
Pinned Under the Car.
Others fell through the windows,
and when the car settled We're pinned
between the car and the ground. 1t
was in this way that Master Peterson
was killed. He was found when the
wreckage was cleared away partly be-
meath the car crushed almost to a pulp.
Miss Richardson was still alive when
taken from the car. She was caught
between the seats, her breast seemed
to be crushed in and her lungs filled
with blood. She lived an hour and a
half The unknown woman is suppos-
ed to be Alma Bickford, as on her per-
son was found an envelope addressed
to a woman of that name, which con-
tanned a deed of land in. Freeborn
county signed by Charles Bickford.
Few, if any, of the passengers es-
capped without injury. All were more
or less bruised by the fall and many
were cut by the glass of the windows,
which were all instantly shivered. The
names of only those who sustained
severe injuries are given above.
Farmers to the Rescue.
Immediately after the accident the
rain began to fall in torrents, but the
storm was of brief duration, and soon
the work of rescue began, at first by
those of the passengers whose injuries
were but slight, and later by the farm
ers Who lived near. The engine, which
was not blown from the rails, was
hurried back to OWatonna and soon
the local officials of the road, accom-
panied by almost all the physicians Of
Owatonna, reached the scene. About
WTGCkln2
ed from Waseca.
During all this time the work Of
taking the injured passengers from
the train had been going on. Many
were so pinned between the seats or
under the cars that 1T was necessary
almost to demolish the coach before
they could be taken out Some of them
were carried to the wrecking train,
where their wounds were dressed.
More were taken to a farm house
near by, which was turned into an
emergency hospital, and there every
thing was done that could be to bind
up their wounds and assuage their
pain. In the meantime many people
had driven out from Owatonna on
hearing the news of the wreck and
gave prompt aid to the sufferers.
Removed to Waseca.
At about o'clock the surgeons had
finished the emergency work and the
injured were in a condition to be NOV
ed. The greater number of them were
shortly afterwards put on the train
and taken to Waseca, ewhere several Of
them lived, others to go forward to
their homes further along the line
The dead were taken to Waseca
Those of the injured passengers whose
hurts were of a more serious nature
were shortly afterwards taken, some in
carriages and other by train, to Owa-
tonna, where they were conveyed in an
ambulance to the city hospital to re-
ceive the surgical care the serious ma
ture of their wounds demanded. 1t is
a peculiar fact in connection with the
accident that scarcely anyone could be
found who could give a succinct ac-
count of how it happened.
A Physicians Story.
Or. J. Williams, Of Lake Crystal, who
was in the rear car, and was one Of
the very few who were uninjured, said
to T h e Globe reporter:
1.-THE whole thing was over before one
had time to think about it. There was
sudden raising of the car, a fright
full crash and then the cries of the
frightened and the groans of the in
jured. 1t seemed all to happen be-
fore one could wink.
"The first thing l knew l was in the
bottom of the car in the middle of a
mass of men and women, valises, brok-
en- glass and all the debris Of q wreck.
I made for the door and got out, and
finding myself uninjured, at once
busted myself in caring for those less
fortunate than myself"
F. Madden, of Waseca, was in the
smoking car forward. The first thing
he remembered was to find his foot
going through car window and grips
tumbling around him.
IT was among the first" he said, ito
get out and the confusion was indie
scribable. Cries and groans resounded
on every side and those who were the
least hurt made the most noise. But
after the first shock people were sin
gularIy calm and / cannot say too
much for the heroism displayed by the
wounded and the kindness, considera-
ton and the prompt help given by the
people of the neighborhood and the
physicians and others from OWatonna-'