The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-10-07
MET ON A CURVE NEAR RAPIDS
Coroner Chapple lmpannels Jury to Inquire Into Cause and
Endeavor to Fix Responsibility for
the Collision.

n Dead.
ANDREAS LUNDWALL, mail
clerk.
]. A. CAMPBELL, fireman.
Injured.
+. J. Loucks, fireman, slight.
d. A. Broce, internally, slight.
Robert Broce, leg broken.
w. A. Lewis, express messenger,
COMMISSIONS.
J.. W. Kenny, brakeman, bruised and
cut.
Mrs. F. S. Atkinson, Commissions,
Bevins, mail clerk, bruised,
slight.
Mother Superior of St. Peters,
slight.
:Nels Carlson, brakeman, slight.
De Groat, engineer, slight.
Although nobody could be found
who seemed to know, or knowing
would tell; the facts, when they leak
out, will probably show that some
body was responsible for the collision
which occurred this morning shortly
after s o'clock about two miles this
side of Rapids, a blind siding on the
Northern Pacific between Park City
and Columbus. The fact that the sid
ing was the regular meeting place of
the trains that came together would
make it appear that someone mad
run by his ORDERS to use a railroad
mans expression. Whose fault 1t raj
cannot now be stated, but this may be
brought out at the inquest which will
be held on the two victims of the ac-
cident.
The First Report.
1t was about 1880 O'Clock this morn
ing when a special train left the city
with a number of physicians on board,
who had been summoned by a dispatch
asking that all the doctors in town
be sent to Rapids, as a collision had
occurred near there by which the
Northern Pacific eastbound passenger
train. No. 4, and the w%estbound Bur-
lington train, also a passenger, No.
5, had come together there head on,
and that a large number of persons
had been killed and many more in
jured.
After that rumors of all sorts were
thick and the city was worked up to
the highest pitch of excitment, as
each succeeding report told a more
gruesome tale. Finally it became
known that only two persons were
killed outright, but the number of the
injured could not be a~scertained. LAT
er an engine and caboose with train
men were sent from here to the scene
of the wreck to bring the injured and
place them in the hospital. Upon it's
arrival at the place the engine was
coupled onto the two ear cars of
the wrecked Burlington train and
shortly after noon returned when the
first authentic news of the occurrence
was obtainable.
On board were Kenny, the wounded
IS VI A>o. y, diu 1SopSlG DlOSS,
whose leg was broken. With the lat
ter was his father, D. A. Brcce, also
injured. but only slightly. The two
were taken to st. Vincent's hospital.
None of the other injured were hurt
so badly as to require further atten.
ton than was given them by the doc.
tors at the wreck.
What Was Learned.
From the passengers on the relief
train it was learned that the two
trains had met at the eastern end Of
the curve which the track makes neal
Rapids and that both were running al
full speed. The impact of the loco
motives was SO great that they be
came wedged together in an mex
tricable mass of kissing, steaming
iron.
The shock derailed the mail and ex
press cars of both trains and also the
baggage a of the Burlington. The
passengers in the day coach were
.hurled from their seats and thrown in
to the aisles. The two Broces We're
In the smoking car of this train and
the boy was injured by some of the
timbers of the baggage car ahead
that were forced into it.
All Becomes Confusion.
Instantly all was .confusion and
those who escaped injury began tt
leave the cars Of the two trains. Some
s6f the more collected ones set about
to assist the injured, while Others
appeared to have losttheir senses ant
acted y only frtehtened. Wild per