The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-28
LIGHT WENT OUT.
Failure of Signal Causes Wreck
on Pere Marquette.
% Persons Killed and Thirty
one Injured.

Grand Rapids, Mich, Dec. 2S.-Twen-
two persons are dead and 81 in
jured, several of them fatally, as the
result of the collision of two passenger
trains on the Pere Marquette railroad
one-half mile west of East Paris and
six miles east of this city. The col
lision. which was head-or. was caused.
according to a statement issued by the
officials of the road at the general Off
ces in Detroit. by the high wind blow
ing out the red signal lamp at Nc
Cords. where the west bound train,
No. 8, should have stopped and re
ceiyed orders to pass the east bound
train at Fox. The officials deny re
port that Il misunderstanding of or
ders on the part of one of the engt-
neerS was responsible for the collision.
According to the statement of the
officials, the trains were originally to
have met and passed at Oakdale Park,
but to help the east bound train the
dispatcher issued new ORDERS fixing
Fox as the meeting place. The east
bound train received its orders to this
effect and the west bound should have
received this order at McCord's. In
stead, it rushed by this station, and
the operator there, after reporting this
tact, found on going out to the plat
form that his red signal light which
had been burning two minutes before
was out, presumably extinguished by
the IlSn WlnQ InaI was blowing.
The trains met with a terrific crash,
the baggage and smoking cars behind
each locomotive being instantly reduced
to pile Of kindling wood. The engines
were completely wrecked the boiler of
the engine which had pulled the east
bound train being torn completely from
the running gear and standing perpen-
dicularly in ditch at the side of the
track.
Engineer Frank Waterman, who sur
/ VtV6d the SfrOnhe be p
Moon. fireman, were caught before they
had time to save themselves. He says
he did not see the eastbound train until
the crash came.
No person occupying cars other than
the baggage and smoking cars, with
very few exceptions was seriously in
jured. Within two minutes the unin-
jured male passengers and those of the
train crews who had not been hurt, had
begun the work of rescue.
Travelling Agent Frank Hewitt of the
Pere Marquette, who was on the train
bound for Detroit and who escaped with
slight injuries, ran to the nearest tele-
graph office and telegraph for a
Wrecking train and surgeons. Guided
by groans and cries from the wrecked
cars the rescuerS by the light of Ian
terms, delved nito the wreckage and
with fence timbers for levers pried out
the sufferers.
A special train bearing surgeons and
officials was made up here Immediate
! ~ after The news was received. Those
/ of the injured who had been extricated
" eIa INN ediately taken into the train
and given emergency surgical aid. and
/ the officials Joined in the rescue work
| When all the injured had been taken
out of the wreck the hospital train was
| rushed back to Grand Rapids, where
ambulances were in waiting to carry
them to the hospital, where all ar
! rangements had been made for the re :
ception. The uninjured passengers
! VrAI- ale hrO11crbf ha
The two trains We're running al full
/ speed and the engines were reduced to
scrap iron. The first cars were also
/ demolished. and the entire trains left
/ the track. except the last coach on
each. so great was the force of the col
/ liSiO0