Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1904-10-06
STOCKMEN IN WRECK

MON ~ 1No. l. II AAO OAOSN
MEN FROM DICKINSON, N. D.,
LOST LIVES IN CABOOSE.
THREE SLIGHTLY INJURED.
A serious wreck occurred Sunday
morning at the Driscoll water tank.
situated between Sterling and Dris-
coll. Two stock trains were east
bound. The first had stopped for
water at the tank, and the second
came crashing in upon it. The en-
gineer of the second train had reached
such a high rate of speed that it was
impossible to bring the train to a
stop in time to prevent a rear end
collision. There were twelve stock
men in the caboose of the first train
and of these. three were killed, and
three injured. The names Of the
killed are as follows:
Smith w. Dobson.
Fred Volper.
George Davis.
All were from Dickinson, n. D.,
and were helpers on the stock train.
The injured men were taken to
the Bismarck hospital on special
train, which was run from Bismarik
or the purpose. Superintendent
Burt had physicians taken to the
scene of the wreck from Steele and
Bismarck but the injured men had
only slight injuries in the way of a
broken rib. one small bone broken
in the foot, and the other broken
leg. Neither the engineer or fireman
were hurt. The wreck occurred at
$50 in the morning when the men
in the caboose were mostly asleep.
OF the stock killed, there were l6
horses in one car and in the next
three cars that were thrown from
the track, but steers were killed.
Cause of the unfortunate accident is
not made known, but Supt. Burt is
investigating the same to locate the
responsibility.
This is the first serious wreck that
has occurred on this division for a
long time. A wrecking crew was
taken from jamestown, and also
Mandan's wrecking outfit. They
cached the scene OF the wreck at
O'Clock and 1t required nearly all day
to clear the track for the passage OF
trains.
The bodies of the dead stock men
were removed to Bismarck for a
coroners inquest to be held today.
The engine of the second train was
slightly damaged, and the wreck
itself, outside of the sad loss of life
was Of little consequence. Engineer
Cobean and Conductor Keller had
charge Of the first train, and Con-
ductor Henry SEVERN and Engineer
Chilson had charge Of the second
train. None of the trainmen we're
hurt.
The three men who were killed.
were killed outright, anG they were
mangled beyond recognition. Con-
ductor Keller, who had charge of the
first train was able to give warning
before the crash, to ali the men in
the caboose, and six of the twelve
men managed to gett out of the
c2boose before the engine struck.
The other six, it is believed were
huddled together in the end when
the crash came and the three who
were only slightly injured were
thrown out of the car by the break
ing and parting of the timbers and
their escape seems almost miraculous,
particularly with such Slight injuries.
Drisc0ll tank is not regular stop
ping place and as there no
telegraph station, the book of rules
provided for protection in cases of
that kind. The small loss of stock
was also something remarkable. The
three cars of cattle that were
smashed, suffered the loss of put
three head of stock, the cars them
selves being literally smashed tc
pieces. OF the Car OF horses, how
ever, the only one in the tain, II
out OF 10 were killed.
The doctor who examined the in
juries of the three men pronounced
them not serious. The railroad men
acted with great promptnes and
Kindness. Supt. Burt and Train
master Blewett with crews to clear
the tracks we're at the scene of the
wreck as soon as possible, and the
company offered every aid and assist
ance that was in its power.
The cattle in the wrecked cars OF
the first train were released from the
wreck and the majority of them
were scattered around on the prairie
soon after the accident. This stock
was gathered up and returned to the
station at Sterling for re-shipment.
In the second train there were "a