The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-24
Passengers on the Wrecked Great
Western Buffet Car Had Mar.
row Escapes.
The Belated Travellers Reach Min
neapolis, Some swathed in
Bandages.

Minneapolis passengers who were OH the
Great Western train wrecked near Free
port, ILL.,, Thursday night, arrived in the
city last evening about twelve hours late.
OF the men who were In the buffet car
at the time Of the accident all had their
faces and hands bandaged, and Eugene
II. Day. was said to be in a dangerous
condition. He was at once taken to his
home, 219 Second street NE. He is a
nephew of w. H. H. Day, with whom he
was sitting when the wreck occurred and
who was killed. ,-..5&.~ . .-
Passengers on the train agree as to the
details Of the wreck. They say that the
engine struck a defective frog, was thrown
from the track and turned half way
around It started to pillow up an en-
bankment and then fell back, completely
demolishing the baggage car and crash
ing into the buffet car, which was at
once filled with scalding steam. The bag
gage car burned.
t. State Senator H.. w. Stone Of Benson,
who escaped with only minor injuries,
describes his experience thus: .....
II was the least injured of any of the
passengers in. the buffet car, and how
escaped instant death is a mystery. I vas
sitting at a small table in the forward
part OF the buffet car with w. II. H. Day,
NJ. B. Lord and Eugene Day. Suddenly
there was a4crash, the lights went out
was torn away and clouds Of scalding
steam filled what was left of the car.
When came to myself was lying at, the
other end of the car with a mass Of
wreckage piled on top Of mo-
Leo Saloman Of Sacramento. who was on
the train, says he heard the engineer
call for help after he had been pinned to
the ground underneath the tender. He
says 1t was impossible to aid him, how
ever, owing to the steam.
OF the other injured men, M. B. Lord
Of Norris left the train at st. Paul and
was taken to st. Luke's hospital. He was
badly scalded, bruised and cut, but his
injuries are. not serious. John Washburn
of the Washburn- Crosby Milling compa-
ny came through to. Minneapolis and was
met at the train and promptly driven to
his home. Mr.. Washburn was completely
swathed In bandages, but will suffer no
permanent bad effects from his expert
ence.. In speaking Of the accident he said:
"Mr. Bell and myself, with a number of
the other passengers, were in the buffet
car. : Our first intimat1on that there was
anything wrong was when the car left
the. rails and commenced humping over
| the ties. 8
Ina "a second the lights were extin-
guished and the glass globes were shiv
ness. The entire side Of the car was torn
off in the shock that followed. and we
were enveloped in a cloud Of steam from
the engine.
''Mr. Bell and myself felt. our way to
the passageway, where Mr.. Bell broke
open a window and managed to let in a
little air. We made our escape through
the door. Mr.. Day was with US at the
time, and did not seem to be severely
injured; as he was able to walk some little
distance to a house.
| J. 8. Bell was only slightly injured. With
! other passengers Mr.. Bell worked to gel
the cars still upon the track after the
srnashsup, at q safe distance from the
Iburning. baggage car! The men pushed
the remainder Of the train away, a task
that was made comparatively easy by a
down grade. After they had been started
the cars ran Of their own accord and ha6
to be braked before they could be brought
1 to a standstill.
u I'D. .Nesse, the baggagenan, Is resi-
/ dent >of this city and lives at sol Henne
pin avenue. He Is unmarried and has
! no relatives here. He was severely cu
and bruised but will recover, u
! Other Minneapolitans on the train were
Mr.. and Mrs. Max Stearn, who escaped
with only a shaking up; and Leonard A
Day, who was not hurt.
Following the wreck the local Great
i Western officials did everything in theil
power to relieve the fears Of people who
l had friends or relatives on the train
"Details Of the accident were given out a.
once "A list Of the dead and injured was
furnished to the newspapers, and every
effort was made to make the information
complete. ,-