The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-25
MINNEAPOLIS
GRADE CROSSING
CLAIMS A VICTIM
Switch Engine Crashes into
Street Car and Passenger
Is Killed.

A. L. Jackson, of Roscoe, S. D., was
instantly killed, and three other pas
sengers more or less injured yester-
day morning in a collision between an
1nterurban street car and Northern
Pacific switch train at the grade cross
ing at University avenue southeast,
Minneapolis, the five additional pas
sengers on the car escaping with slight
bruises.
The switch engine was backing a
string of cars when it struck the street
car, smashing it and knocking it over
on the side. A. L. Jackson was pinned
beneath the street car and his head
crushed, death being instantaneous.
Ned Parker, 633 First avenue SOUTH
and F. E. Jones, 81 Washington ave-
nue. south, were more or less bruised,
and Miss Frances Vincent, 141 Aldrich
avenue, was shocked and severely
bruised. H. A. Ralphe, 1921 Hillside
avenue; C. B. Huber, 1924 Penn avenue
north; B. H. Williams, 2803 First ave-
nue. south; R. Steward, 32S Oak street,
and A. M. Sayre, 412 Sixteenth avenue
north, the other five of the nine passen-
gers on the cart at the time of the ac-
cident, were comparatively uninjured.
The accounts of the accident agree
fairly well. Levi Anderson, the con-
ductor of the street car, claims that
he got off his car and signaled for the
opening of the gates when he saw the
freight cars pass, not thinking that
they would back up. William Smiley,
driver of the switch engine, thought
that he saw a signal to back up at
about the moment Anderson gave the
signal to the street car to proceed, and
the outcome was the collision.
Passengers Tell Story.
The passengers on the street car,
and particularly those On the side Of
the car next to the approaching
freight cars, give thrilling account of
the few moments intervening between
the knowledge of danger and the actual
crash.
Parker and Jones were on the same
seat, and directly across the aisle from
Jackson, the man who was killed. They
saw the cars coming and realized that
a collision was inevitable and Witness
ed the effort of Jackson to arise from
his seat. Jackson could have taken
but step or so when the heavy
freight cars crashed into the lighter
street car and he was hurled head
foremost through the window. The
street car was thrown over in such a
manner that his head was caught and
death was caused.
Parker and Jones were hurled in the
same direction and landed on Jackson.
Miss Vincent the only woman passen-
ger was greatly excited and was thrown
against the side of the car that went
to the ground. The other passengers
escaped with comparatively little in
jury.
News of the accident spread rapidly.
Deputy Coroner H. G. Irvine being
early on the scene, followed by a num-
Der OF police officers. Statements were
taken from the street car and train
crews, but no arrests were ordered.
Thomas Owens, the switchman, who
was alleged by Engineer Smiley to
have given the signal to back UP. in
sists that he did nothing of the kind
ana is corroborated by several other
witnesses OF the accident Smiley in
slsts that he was certain he had re-
ce1Ved the signal. Anderson. the
street car conductor, says he did not
give the signal for the street car to
go ahead until the gates had been
raises when he supposed that the way
was clear beyond doubt. Engineer
smiley claims he attempted to stop the
train before the accident happened. and
the street car driver insists that he did
his best to get the car across the track
before it was struck.
A L. Jackson, the dead man. was a
prosperous farmer and lived near Roscoe.
s. D., and had been in Minneapolis on
business connected with the Produce Re
porter, a paper in which he owns an in
terest. He was on his way to st. Paul
when the fatal accident occurred. He
was hfty-two years of age and leaves a
wife and nine children. He was an Odd
Fellow: His body will be shipped to his
home for interment
No inquest will be held, as Hennenin
county has no funds available with which
to pay witnesses or coroner's Jurors. In
cases Of accident Hennepin county has not
known an inquest in the past three years.
When Coroner Williams entered upon his
nrst term Of office he made it a prac-
tice to hold inquests in all such cases
to fix the blame, if possible. When he