Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-05-04
Many ExCursionsts Killed and
Others Wounded.
TRAINS PL0W INTO PEOPLE.
Threw Them 60 Both sizes &c the
Track-some Ground Unter wheels
OF he Engine.

Detroit, Mich. May IA day Of mer-
fymakIng and celebration by 1900 Pol
ash eScursionists from Toledo was
brought TO u close by frlghtful ca
tastrophe at the corner of Garfield and
'DeQuindre streets at $3.50 o'clock to-
night In which at least seven Of the ex-
ourslonists were killed and q number
o. others, estimated at 80, injured. The
excursion was given by the Polish
Lancers Of Toledo, over the Lake Shore
railroad The excursionIsts left the
train a. the corner Of Garfield and De-
Quindre streets this morning and were
greeted By a number Of local Poles and
Polish societies, who escorted the Wis.
ltors to st. Josephat's church An en-.
tertainment was held later at Harmo-
MIA hall.
Despite their Efforts hundreds orawled
under the cover OF the gates and walked
down the dark tracks to await the ar
rival Of their train. which could be seen
coming up slowly from the station
Probably O0O persons were scattered
along the tracks for two blocks, wait
ing to board the Lake Shore excursion
train and secure seats. 1t was only
few blocks down the track, creeping
carefully along.
Suddenly from out of the darkness
came the Grand Trunk Chicago and
New York express. known as the Pan
American flyer, II plowed through the
mass of people. throwing them to both
sides Of the track, bruised and MANNED,
and grinding number Of them under
he wheels
The flyer was checked and stopped as
quickly ~ possible and backed to
the scene OF the catastrophe, where for
two blocks the track was covered with
manged and dying people. Four OF
Tue dead were Killed outright by the
train aud the others died after being
taken to hospitals,
The tracks are very dark below Can.
field street and lanterns had to be
brought into use TO find the victims. A
neighboring coal office, several neigh
boring houses and the gateman's
shanty al the crossing were made TEN.
p0rary hospitals, and the wounded
Were carried into them until the am
balances arrived few minutes later
Every ambulance in the city was called
10 the scene, and the injured were soon
under the care OF surgeons In the hos
pitals
patrolman Schultz, who was one OF
Nla IA. la af . A. tNter
said. I'VE made every effort 10 keep
the people Of the tracks, but 1t was
impossible, There were 1900 excursion
lists gong back 70 Toledo. and twice
that number Of local Poles who had
been entertaining them We're down at
the crossing to see them of Those
behind pushed and showed the foremost
ones and they crawled under the gates,
which were down properly, or jumped
over them, despite our best efforts,
There was no warning whatever OF
the approaching Grand Trunk train.
No whistle was blown and the bell
was not ringing. | should think that
1000 was a small number for the people
who were on the tracks for two blocks
trying 10 be among the first aboard the
Lake Shore train and thereby secure
seats for the homeward trip.
THE Grand Trunk train came like
meteor out Of the darkness up the
track, and was through the crowd al
most before | realized what had hap
pened and rescuers swarmed down the |
track The cries and means Of the |
injured guided us IN the search, and |
we picked them up from both sides |
OF the track for two blocks. Some OF |
the sights were too sIckening TO de- |
scribe"
When Thomas II. Hart, the engineer |
who was In charge of the Grand Trunk |
train which ran into the crowd, was |
seen at his home tonight he gave the
following version Of the affair:
"The place where the accident oc-
CURED Is not a regular stopping point /
FOR incoming passenger trains, and I'M
less The engineer receives notice be-
fore reaching ne crossing or has the
signal turned against him he runs
through without stopping,
I'VE were running down on time to-
nlght. and when we neared Garfield
avenue ] noticed the headlight OF the
Lake Shore train standing at Garfield
avenue. but as this rs a common occur
renee .Alh no dll'NNioH " ~ ht |
light from the other engine was shin
ing IN my eyes, and II was impossible
FOR me 10 see the crowd on the track
until passed the other engine.
when ! first noticed the crowd the
people were scattered all over the
track and after blowing the whistle |
applied the brakes, but could not stop
my train In time TO prevent running
into them, We were running about
twelve miles an hour the usual speed
al that place, and Il was impossible
for me TO bring my train to stop In
the short distance between my train
ana the crowd.
MANY IN the crowd became excited
and threatened to take my life. They
threw bricks ana stones through the
cab windows, and | was finally forced
10 send for the police TO protect me.
several Of the crosd came into the cab
with me"
AFTER TRAuPs.