The Mankato free press., 1902-06-27
WRECK ON THE OMAHA.
PASSENGER TRAIN RUNS INTO
AN OPEN SWITCH AT
ASHTON, IA. si
fWO PERSONS ARE KILLED


and ScaIded-Train Was Running
Seventy Miles an Hour to Make UP
Lost Time.
Sioux City, Ia, June 23.-While
pounding along the rails at a rate of
seventy miles an hour to make up lost
time the heavy through northbound
passenger train Of the Omaha railway
left the track at defective switch at
Ashton. La. shofly after 1880 o'clock
@. N.
Fireman Clinton w. Bassett of Sioux
City and Mail Clerk G. j. Robinson
of Council Bluffs were killed; Engi-
neer Alvin Garfield of Sioux City was
badly injured, sustaining a broken
arm, severe cuts about the head and
serious bruises, but will recover; Mail
Clerks F. E. Weston and j. K. Erskine
of st. Paul were pinned under their
car and dreadfully scalded; Mail
Clerks U. S. Thompson and G. A. Hall
of st. Paul were bruised and scalded,
but they will recover. The passengers
In the sleepers and day coaches were
badly shaken up and bruised, but none
of them were seriously hurt.
The train consisting of mail car,
express car, composite baggage and
buffet car, two sleepers, chair car and
two day coaches, was keavily loaded
with the usual night traffic for ST.
Paul, and only one of the unaccount-
able freaks OF railway accidents pre-
vented the disaster from resulting in
a terrible calamity with scores of dead
and injured. The track at Ashton is
q noted speedway and Engineer Can
field was sending his train along at
cannon ball rate to make up an hours
time lost at Sioux City, when he hit
q broken switch, which started one
portion of the train one way and the
other in another direction.
Then came a terrific shock. which
Drought the train to almost an instant
stop, jarring passengers from their
berths and seats and sending the en-
gine crew
HurIins Through the Air
, while the mail clerks were ratified
about like peas in box in the heavy
mail car.
The engine was thrown off with its
head pointing toward the rear of the
train and turned upside down. The
mail car leaped upon it and the heavy
composite car struck it and split 1t in
two from stem to stern, crushing it
and burying the mail clerks beneath its
ruins. The express car was thrown
from the right of way. The heavy
composite car then bore the brunt OF
the force of the rear sleeper and
coaches and prevented them from leap
ing into the confused mass ahead.
They were thrown from the track, but
right side up, and the passengers es-
capped with bruises.
/ At the head of the wreck the scene
was one of frightful confusion. steam
escaping from the boiler in great
clouds, scalding the fireman to death
/ before he could be released and seri-
! ously burning all Of the mail clerks,
who were imprisoned like rats in a
trap in the splintered car.
! The town was aroused and the un-
injured passengers helped in giving
relief to the victims. A wrecking train
was soon sent out from st. James,
Mimi, in charge of Superintendent j.
F. Shaker.
Engineer Garfield was brought to
Sioux City. The injured mail clerks
were sent to st. Paul, while the body
of Robinson was taken to Council
Bluffs. Fireman Bassett's remains
will be taken to Neoga. Ill.
| PICNIC FOR MANDARlNS.
Are Making a Good Thing While Col
Iectng China's Indemnity.
London, June 23.-The Peking cor
respondent of the Times, commenting
in a dispatch on the question o.
whether the payment of the Chinese
indemnity to the foreign powers bt
made in gold or silver, says the Amer
lean Interpretation Of the protoco
meets with no approval from the othe
governments concerned and that a re
consideration should show the United
States that no service is done to Chin;
by listening to her appeals.
The mandarinS, goes on the CORE
} spondent, welcome the indemnity a
; q means of squeezing the people, whil
; placing the odium therefor on the fol
, eigners. Cases which constantly oc
cur prove that Chinese officials ar
wringing from the people almost thrlc
, the amount required to pay the in
demnity, and the fall in silver. a.
though great, is Insignificant il
amount compared to the large sum
thus eXacted.
The Times correspondent says ais
that Russia has withdrawn from tn
! foreign government of Tientsin an
that General Wogack, her representa-
tive, has started for home, refusing t
> be a party to the imposition upo
' China of the new conditions drawn u
, by the allied commanders.