Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-06-25
SA WE'D MANY LIVES
PROMPT ACTION OF A TRAIN DIS.
PATcHER PREVENTS TER.
RIBLE CATASTROPHE.
H. H. Berry Formerly An Operator in
the Burlington Offices in This City
New Sleeping Coaches - Railroad
Notes.

H. H. Berry, train dispatcher at
Washington, Ind, whose quick action
prevented fearful loss of life in the
wreck on the Baltimore & Ohio at
Caseyville, Ill, last week, was for sew
eral years an operator In the Burling-
ton offices in this city and for time
was clerk to Chief Dispatcher G. w.
Messenger. The wreck was caused
by collision of two passenger trains
and Engineer Lawrence B. List was
killed.
4 Mr. List was engineer on the west
bound train and it is said that it was
because the crew of this train forgot
that they we're to meet the east bound
Worlds fair flyer that the wreck re.
suited. The latter train was stopped
lat Caseyville, but before it could be
got onto the siding it was struck by
the west bound train. Several Of the
passengers and trainmen sustained
slight injuries, the only fatality being
that of Engineer List. Both engines
were smashed and the baggage cars
were demolished.
Quick Action of Dispatcher.
Regarding the action of Dispatcher
Berry the Herald of Washington, Ind,
says:
But for the quick thinking and ac-
tion of H. H. Berry, train dispatcher
at the local shops, the wreck Thursday
at Caseyville would have been the
worst that ever occurred in this sec
ton of the country, and the loss of
life terrible. Berry managed to avert
the loss Of life, but he could not pre-
vent the wreck.
".rhe dispatcher had charge of that
district Of the road Thursday at noon
and train No. was running about
forty minutes. late on the west end
The train passed Hanover. ILL.,, anG
the dispatcher thought that the crew
meant to sidetrack at Furmans, {
7sssalH y sta tfoI a. miles east of Casey
vile, to allow, No. 6, east bound, tt
pass. He was sitting at his desk when
the telegraph operator at Furmans re
ported mo 5, by 1894 p. M" The
dispatcher knew at once the crew OF
No. had forgotten that train No. G
was coming eastward and was, only q
few miles away.
mo. has rights over No 5, and
the last was also running behind time
Hardly had the operator at Furmans
finished his brief report OF No. 5 until
Berry realized the situation.
Stops Train No. 6.
Quick as flash he began calling the
operator at Caseyville, and instructed
him to stop trains and g. and to get II
the clear the first train that arrived
No. 6 was due at Caseyville at 1888
and No. has passed Furmans A miles
away at 1884 going at high rate Of
speed.
The frightened operator swung
around his block and half minute Later
mo. 6 swept in from the west. Seeing
the signal to stop, w. A. Borders, engi
lneer, threw on the emergency ali
brakes and the train stopped near tn,
station. They started to back and thel
looking to the east the crew saw bear
ing directly upon them, the great ma
chine going at the rate of sixty t
seventy miles an hour. Reversing
Borders started his train backward an
had gone forty feet when the cras
came at 1898 o'clock.
The two seconds from the time Berr
sent his instructions to the Caseyvill
Operator until the brief message came