Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-10-27
PASSENGER TRAIN
HAS CLOSE Gall
Fact That Freight Was In
Front of 1t Prevented Dis
astrous Collision
CRASHES INTO EMPTY BOX CARS
Four Hurt and "Win" Douglas, of Grim
nell, So Badly That He May Die
Wind Blows the "Empties" Three and
one-HaIf Miles, Upon Main Line
Freight Hits Them at 40-Mile Rate.

The one fact that a freight train
was preceding at short distance the
night passenger train on the Iowa Cen
trial, prevented the passenger. heavily
loaded, from crashing into string of
|empty box cars that had blown down
grade from Dillon and reached the main
/ line. AS it was the freight hit the cars,
going forty miles an hour, demolishina
three so that they We're an unrecogniz-
able mass of broken and twisted iron
and splintered wood. and wrecked the
| big engine. Four were hurt one prob
ably fatally.
The accident was very peculiar one.
The nine empty cars We're standing on
the passing track at Dillon and We're
dislodged by the severe wind that ragged
Saturday night. The grade is quite
pronounced and the cars got started
and ran three and one half miles. to the
switch connecting the passing track
with the main line. Here they stopped
just around a curve in the Beer Car
den" cut, practically hidden in the
darkness from any train from the
south.
Extra No. 81, in charge of Conductor
w. r. Mellick, Of Oskaloosa, and
pulled by Engineer Howard Burt, of
this city, and Fireman John Nelson
of Oskaloosa, left Grinnell ahead OF the
night passenger, No. 5, which was
little late, with orders to run ahead
of the passenger to this city. The
freight train was heavy one and
when the down grade was reached it
was going at a rate of about forty
miles an hour. The stray cars loomed
up insthe glare of the headlight just as
the engine was on them. Engineer
Burt and Fireman Nelson jumped, as
did also Win" Douglas, of Grinnell
formerly a brakeman on the road, who
was riding with the engine crew. Each
escaped without serious injury but
Douglas, who was caught under tho
hurt. He was badly bruised about the
spine, and it is thought internal in.
juries were sustained. Nelson's back
and neck Were hurt and Burt was
bruised. John Howrihen, head brake
man, living at Oskaloosa, was also bad
ly bruised about the shoulder and hip |
tiagman was Immediately sent baclS
to warn the approaching passenger OF |
the danger ahead, and work was at |
once commenced to search for the in
jured. Conductor Mellick did not know
that Douglas was on the engine, ard [
when he found him thought him to
be the head brakeman. He was car
ried to the caboose, and later sent to
his home in Grinnell.
The massive engine that was hauling
the freight was dead" in few mo-
ments after the accident. The front
end was caved in, being driven thru
The flue sheet. Both sides were tori
off, the left being the most seriously
damaged. All that saved the lives OF
he enginemen was the fact that they
Jumped, and even at that they would
nave probably been buried under the
Sreckage had not the engine been of
such great proportions that it with
stood the shock of the collision. Had
he passenger train following, with its
lighter engine. struck the obstacle,
lothing could have saved it, and it hap
'ened that there was an exceptionally /.
arge crowd on board, including the !.
DOT ball delegation from this city, re- .
erloo high school aggregation, on its !.
way home from Grinnell. .
Conductor N1ellick and members of
lis crew walked to the city as soon .
s they could leave the wreck, dis /.
ance of three and one-half miles, to in
orm the operator here Of the accident. !.
lie returned to the scene with the !
rrecking outfit. accompanied by En- !.
ineer Green, and force of men. The {.
rack was cleared at about $3.50 Sun {.
ay morning. :.
Because of the wreck it was neces- !
airy to transfer passengers both nortl I
nd south. No. 5 returned south as :
10. s, and No. 6, returned north as
10. 8. No. did not get out of this I
lty until after o'clock, nearly six :;
ours late. I
ccIDENT TO w. A. WENTWORTH. /
ormer Iowa Central Trainman Loses !