Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-02-03

it was too late. The engine going at
. high rate of speed, struck the front
part of the sleighs, and in the next
moment the young man was lying dead
about fifty feet farther down the track.
One horse was instantly killed and the
other so mangled that it had to be
killed at once to end Ito sufferings.
The sleighs were broken into pieces
and the box was smashed to splinters.
When the train came to stop the
horses we're as much as sixty feet
down the track from the middle of the
crossing, and the harnesses were near.
~ oil torn OFF from them. Doubtless
the engineer did what he could to stop
the train and avert the accident, but
the speed was go great that the engine
almost reached the mail crane near
the depot before it came to q stop.
A crowd at once assembled at the
scene of the accident, and after the
conductor of the train had secured
what information he desired, the train
proceeded on its journey, and the
body was carried over to Nels Lund.
gren's store to await the action of the
coroner who came from Willmar on
the afternoon train. After inquiring
into the facts of the case the coroner
decided that no inquest was necessary.
The sad news was carried to the
young mans home by Rev. Wagner
in the afternoon and the body was
taken homo to prepare it for burial
The funeral will be held at the Swed.
ish NJ. E.. church in Atwster on Mon
day afternoon beginning at 2 O'Clock.
Fred Elmer Lund was born in the
town of tennessee, in this county,
August 80, 1885, and was thus in his
nineteenth year. He was q young
man of good habits, and was we'll
liked by those who knew him. he
leaves surviving him his father and
mother, two sisters, Mrs. Carl Uner
and Mrs John liner, and two broth.
ers, Charley and Frans. His brothers
and sisters have all been residing of
late At Hopkins, MINI. The family
will have the sympathy of all in their
sorrow.
This accident Is sad In the extreme
and the question naturally arises a.
to whether any one Was to blame.
Doubtless the railway company, and
also its friends. will hold that the
young man was careless, but the CIR.
cumstances are in his favor. With
the elevators and other buildings
standing 90 close to the track 1t Ii
often difficult to observe the approach
of . train. On the day OF the acct.
dent, the weather was cold, and he
naturally had his cap down and hii
coat collar up and in this way what
little noise the approaching train made
WAS deadened. The steam and smoke
at the mill tended to obscure the view,
and the air was filed with light snow
and frost. Those who saw the trair
state that 1t was approaching at
very rapid speed. This we do no,
doubt because We have on many occa|
sions, observed this train to reach
this crossing at speed OF from Is tc
Is miles per hour. 1t may be sale
that the young man could have seer
the approach OF the train as he nearei
the track. SO like wise could thu
engineer have seen the team, and i
the train had not been going At sucl
ahieh epeed 1t could have been brough
to sop sooner. There is q limi
fixed for the speed of trains through
cities and villages, and. If this limi
were observed more stric ~ by th,
railroad companies there would b.
fewer accidents -Atwater Republica
Press.