The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-05-05
TRAIN P[ONS INTO CROWD
Fast Express Kills and Mains
Excurs;ionists at Detroit.
PARTY OF POLES THE VICTIMS.
Had swarmed Through the Gates on
Track-Mangled Bodies of Dead and
Injured Are Hurled in Every Direc.
ton by Fast Moving Train.

ton by Fast Moving Train.
Detroit, May A day of merry
making and celebration by $500 Pol
l1sh eXcursionists from Toledo was
brought to close by frightful catas-
trophe at the corner of Garfield and
Dequinder streets, in which at least
seven of the excursionists were killed.
The excursion was given by the Polish
Lancers OF Toledo, over the Lake
Shore. The eXcursionists left the
train at the corner of Garfield and
Dequinder streets and were met by
number of local Poles and Polish so.
cleties, who escorted the visitors to St.
Josephat's church. An entertainment
was held later at Harmonca hall.
About O'Clock the visitors began to
gather again at the corner of Canfeld
and Dequinder streets to take their
train back to Toledo. Both the Lake
Shore and Grand Trunk tracks run
out from the Brush street station Oh
Dequlnder street. Four policemen
stood at the corner of Garfield street
and endeavored to keep TIE excursion
lists from crowding through the gates
onto the track. Despite their efforts
hundreds crawled under or over the
gates and walked down the dark
tracks to await the arrival of their
train, which could be seen coming
slowly up from the station.
Probably 1000 persons were scat
terfbe along the tracks for two blocks
saig to board the Lake Shore ex-
on train. 1t was only a few
blocks away, creeping carefully along
Suddenly from out of the darkness
came the Grand Trunk Chicago and
New York express, known as the Pan
American flyer. It piowed through the
mass OF people, throwing them to both
sides OF the track, bruised and manned
and grinding a few of them under the
wheels
The flyer was stopped as quickly as
possibly and backed to the scene of
the accident. where for two blocks
the track was covered with mangled
and dying people. Four of the dead
were killed outright by the train and
the others died while being taken to
the hospitals. The tracks are very
dark below Garfield street and Ian
terms had to be brought into use to
ind the victims. Every ambulance
In the city was called to the scene
and the injured were very soon under
the care of surgeons in the hospitals.
The dead: Mrs. Helen Palixki
Frank Rosinski. Watson Ludwig, To.
1edo; four unidentified.
Engineer Harris Story.
When Thomas H. Hart. the engineer
who was in charge of the Grand Trunk
train which ran into the crowd was
seen at his home, he gave the follow
ing version of the affair: when I
first noticed the crowd, the people
were scattered all over the track,
and after blowing the whistle, I an
piled the brakes. but could not stop
my train in time. We were running
about twelve miles an hour, the usual
speed at that place, and 1t was impos.
sible for me to bring my train to a
stop before running into the crowd.
Many persons became excited and
threatened to take my life. Thev
threw bricks and stones through the |
cab windows and was, forced to send
Tor the police to protect me. Several
OF the officers came into the cab with
me-"
Patrolman Fred Schultz, John Syn
da, prominent local policeman. and a
numbers of others who were at the
ts,rsnc, ci =
was not blown nor was the bell rung.