The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-27
Disastrous Collision in Michigan Caused b High Winds
 Blowing Out Light
TRAIN RUSHED BY WHERE
 SIGNAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN
Locomotives Met With Terrific Crash, the Baggage and Smoking Cars on Each Train Being Reduced
 to Pile of SpIlnters.

to Pile of Splnters.
 Grand Rapids, December 26.-Eighteen persons are dead and thirty-one injured several of them fatally, as the result of the collision early this evening of two passenger trains on the Pere Marquette road, one mile west of East Paris and six miles east of this city
 The collision, which was head-on, was caused according to a statement by the officials al the general offices in Detroit, by the high wind blowing out the red signal lamp at MeCords where the west bound train No. ,, should have stopped and received orders to pass the east-bound train at Fox.
 The officials deny a report that a mis- understanding of orders on the part of one of the engineers was responsible for the accident.
 According to the statement of one of the officials the trains were originally to have met at Oakdale Park, but to help the east-bound train. the dispatcher is- sued new orders, fixing FOX as the meet ing place
 Wind Blew Out Light.
 The east-bound train received it's orders to this effect and the west-bound should have received this order at McCords. h. stead it rushed by this station, and the operator thereafter reporting this fact, found, on going out to the platform, that his red signal lamp. which had been btlrn- ing two minutes before, was out presum- ably extingulshed by the high wind that was blowing.
 The Killed.
 Engineer Charles A. stoddard, Detroit.
 William Helmerich, Grand Rapids.
 Charles A Devin, Grand Rapids.
 William Smith, farmer, Saranac.
 Allen Ii. Wells, Grand Rapids.
 Peter W Weirengo, ''rnd Rapids.
 Seven unidentified bodies at men.
 Two women and boy unidentified.
 Fireman Edward Burns. missing and supposed to be under the vfe k
 Lester Williams of Boston died in hos pital.
 The Injured.
 Charles West. Saranac, Mich, skull fractured, both legs broken, left hand torn off, probably fatally injured; George Palmer, American express agent east bound train, scalded badly, gashed on hand, injured about head and breast; Michael Malburge Hart Mich, badly burned about legs, hands and breast by escaping steam; Timothy Queley Grand Rapids seriously injured about neck; J. T. Gould. Grand Rapids. injured about shoulders and hands; John Ross. Lansing. Mich. leg and arm injured; Lester A. Williams. Lansing left arm torn off in- iured about head and body; Rev. James Humphrey. badly cut about head; Mrs. IT. R. Streeter Grand Rapids; Howard Miner, Grand Rapids; W. J. Barber Mus kegon Heights, MichG Harry Marcus, president of the E. II. Marcus company, New York city E. B. Mood, Detroit fire man; Mrs H. Kent. Grand Rapids; c. V. Rotsford Pennington. Mich; mail clerk; Mrs. ]. A. Gray, Grand Rap ids; II. O. Branst, Sunheld, Mich; Mrs. IT. o. Branst; George Crammons. De- troit; Andrew sprague, Allegan, Mich; Miss Gale Sprague, Allegan. Mich; Miss Sprague Allegan, Mich. John Post, ClarksvilIe. Mich; Charles T. Chambers, Ionia. Mieh Claude Brown, Grand Rap ids; Frank w. Ferman, Detroit; J. C. Woodworth. Salem. Mich; Gerrtt Mott man. Grand Rapids Ed Weigel. Grand Rapids George Neil, Grand Rapids. con- ductor Brakeman R. E. Gray, Detroit.
 Thirty-one others, nearly all residents of Michigan towns injured
 The trains met with a terrific crash, the baggage and smoking cars behind each locomotive being instantly reduced to pile of kinding wood The engines were completely driven into each other. the boilers of which were torn completely from the running gear and were standing perpendicular in ditch at the side of the track.
 Engineer Frank Waterman, who snrviv cd the catastrophe, says he and his fire man. F. R. Moon, were caught like rats in trap. He says he never saw the east bound train.
 Moans Heard by Farmers.
 The crash and the means of the injured were heard by nearby farmers who rush. ed to the scene to lend assistance. No person occupying cars other than the bag gage and smoking cars, with q very few exceptions, were seriously injured.
 Within two minutes the uninjured male and those Of the train crews who were not 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 telegraph office and telegraphed for I wrecking train and surgeons. Guided by groans and cries from the wrecked cars, the rescuers by the light of lanterns delved into the wreckage and with fence rails and timbers for levers. pulled out the sufferers. A special bearing surgeons and officers was made up here nmedi- ately after the news was received. and ar rived at the wreck at 7:15 o'clock. Those of the injured who had been extricated were immediately taken into the train and given emergency surgical aid, and the off, ficials joined in the reseuew ork. When all the injured had been taken ont of the wreck. the hospital train was rushed back
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