Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-12-21

TWO DEAD IN WRECK

Awful Mistake Made by Tower.
man Wrecks Great North.
ern Freight Train.
Train No. 243, Great Northern
south bound fast freight, was wrecked
Monday morning about 4 O'Clock at
the crossing OF the Great Northern
and the Illinois Central, one mile
northeast of Hinton, Iowa. Engineer
Peter Gflbertson, OF this city, was in
stantly killed, and Fireman N. T.
Hanson, OF Sioux City, was so badly
Injured that he died few hours after
he was removed from the wreck
Brakeman A. j. Hale, of Plattville.
Wis.,, who was riding in the cab with
the engineer and fireman at the time
OF the accident, was also badly injured
and he is now in a critical condition
at a Sioux City hospital. Towerman
G. +. Kemmerer also received severe
injuries.
The cause OF this horrible accident
Is not definitely known but it is sup
posed to have been due to careless.
ness on the part of Towerman KEN
merer who, mistaking the Great
Northern freight train for the Omaha
Flyer, which was late, threw the switch
wrong, thereby derailing the train
The engine str uck the tower, complete.
ly demolishing it, then it ran about
twenty rods on the ground, after which
it toppled over on it's right side. The
towerman was thrown a long distance
and when he regained consciousness
he found himself half q mile away
running towards Hinton Fourteen
cars also left the track and we're found
piled up in a heap near the engine.
The crash must have occurred while
the train was running at a consider
able speed, for four Of the cars were
thrown over the engine and smashed
to kindling wood. Engineer Gilbert
son remained at his post till the last.
He was found pinioned in between the
cab and the boiler with his head
crushed and bolt driven into his
chest. His right hand was firmly
closed about the throttle and he had
evidently succet ded in shutting Oft the
steam. His body was terribly ecalded
by the escaping hot water and steam.
Although Fireman Hanson had both
his legs cut off he managed to extri-
cate himself from the wrecked engine
He WAS found short distance away
and Immediately sent to Sioux City
hospital, where he died about noon
without having been abe to relate
anything regarding how the awful dis.
aster happened He leaves wife a1d
two children. Brakeman Hale lost
one of his legs and he was also con.
siderably bruised about the body but
it is expected that he will recover.
Conductor w. J. Griffin and second
brakeman who occupied the caboose,
escaped with only few bruises.
Gilbertson' remains arrived here
from Sioux City yesterday afternoon
accompanied by M. Ford and w. H.
Malsi, representing the Sioux City
lodge No. GA B. of L. F.. and were taken
to the l. c. Olson undertaking rooms
to be prepared for burial. The funeral
will occur tomorrow afternoon. Ser.
vices will be conducted in the Nor.
wegian language at the home of the
deceased at two O'Clock and English
services at 2:30 O'Clock at the new
Lutheran Synod church, Rev. Ander.
son officiating. The interment will be
in the Lutheran Synod cemetery.
There is a peculiar fact connected
with the accident. 1t was William
Nelson, of this city, who should have
made the run but as he wanted to GO
home for visit with his family, Mr..
Gilbertson made the run for him.
Peter Gilbertson was born June 10
1877 and was thus at the time of death
q years, 6 months and 9 days old,
He leaves to mourn his untimely and
horrible death three sisters, Martha
Amelia and Helen and three brothers
Ole, Martin and Alfred, all of this
city. He was known among his many
friends as kind hearted and uprigh,
man and an efficient and thoroly reli.
able worker. He entered the service
of the Great Northern in 1896 as su.
perintendent for one of the company 4
store houses. Later he was employed
as brakeman and for the last three
years he was engineer and in that ca
pacity he gained the esteem and
friend ship of all those with whom he
came in contact.
| Mr.. GilbertsOn was a member of tht
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen
in which he carried IN insurance O.
81, ,O0O He also carried 1000 pol
icy in the Union Central Company.
| Willmar now has q dancing clul
with q membership of Sc. At a meet
ing held for the purpose of organic
1 II. lab IL