Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-28
Engine Crews Escape by Jump
ing.
WRECKlNG TRAINS ON THE SCENE
Wounded Man Lies at the Home of
Farmer at the Scene of the Trouble
Suffering From Conclusion of the
Brain.

Washington, Oct 27.-(SpeciaD-
Conductor Elmer Forrest, of the Rock
Island, lies at the home Of Samuel
Whitaker near Brighton suffering
from concussion of the brain, caused
by injuries received in a collision be.
tween his extra train with west
bound freight train, No. 81, of the
southwest division early this morning,
from which it is thought he will die.
The trains were running at about
twenty-five miles per hour at the time
of the collision. Both of the engines
were badly demolished and the engine
crews escaped severe injury and possi-
BILE death by jumping. 1t is stated
here that disregard for orders on the
part of the freight crew caused the
disaster Wrecking trains We're hur--
ried from here to the scene of the
wreck and it is thought that the track
will be open for traffic this afternoon.
The Wreck.
Shortly before 4 o'clock this morn
ing west bound freight No. 81 left
Brighton. When about a ms.sy and a
quarter west of that place it collided
with an extra, consisting of an engine
and caboose, in charge of Conductor
Elmer Forrest Both engines were
badly damaged and though the trains
were running at a good rate of speed
at the time none of the cars were de-
rallied. Conductor Forrest, of Eldon.
who was the only man injured in the
collision, was carried TO the home of
Samuel Whitaker. near the scene of
the accident. His injuries, which
consisted of two wounds on the head,
were dressed by surgeons from Eldon
and Washington, who We're hurried to
the scene of the catastrophe. 1t is
stated by the physicians that concus-
sion of the brain has been caused and
there is little hope held out for the re-
coyery of the patient.
Wreck Being Cleared Away.
As soon as word was received in
this city of the accident a wrecking
train was hurried to the scene of the
collision and the work of clearing the
track was begun. Trainmaster Moll,
of the southwest division, went to the
wreck early this morning to take
charge of the work there.
Officials Reticent.
Though the officials of the road are
exceedingly reticent as to the cause
of the accident it is stated that the
collision was the result of a disregard
of orders on the part of the crew of
the freight train. 1t is stated that
the train had orders to wait in Brigh,
ton until the extra passed. 1t is learn
ed that the engineer of the extra found
the orders under which his train was
running in the pocket of Conductor
Forrest and that they disclosed the
fact that he was to meet No. 61 at
Brighton.
All passenger trains on the south,
west division have been running from
here to Gskaloosa and Ottumwa and
striking the main line again at Eldon
1t is stated this afternoon that the
work of clearing the track is pro.
crossing rapidly and that by evening
it is expected traffic will be again re
sumed.
Iowa Central Wreck.
Marshalltown, October 27. - -Four
persons were injured and one proba
bly, fatally in wreck on the Iowa
Central today three miles south OF
this city. Nine box cars, blown from
the side track at Dillon, We're run into
by an extra freight. Engineer Burt
of this city, Fireman Nelson, of Oska
loosa, Brakeman Horihan, of Oska
oosa, and Winn Douglass, of Grinnell
formerly a brakeman, were injured
The latter will probably die.