The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-10-10
SIX STYLED.
 IN A TUNNEL Railroad Men SuffOcatcd
 to Death. TRAIN BREAKS IN TWO Heroic Attempts at Rescue
 Are Fatal. Engineer and others Lose Life h Att tempting to Penetrate Gaseous Att mosphere-Fireman Makes
 Miraculous Escape.

Port Huron, Mich, Get 9.-Six em- ployes of the Grand Trunk railroad were suffocated to death by coal gas early today in the St. Clair Tunnel which runs under the St. Clair river. from Port Huron to Sarnia Ont. A coal train broke in-two while pass | ing through the tunnel and three of | the train crew were suffocated while part of the train lay stalled in the | tunnel. The engineer lost his life | when he returned and endeavored to push the stalled cars back to safety. and two other rescuers perished in vain attempts to penetrate the great tube. The dead: A. s. Begg, Port Huron. superin- | tendent of the terminals.
 Engineer John Coleman, Port Huron. Conductor, J. B. Simpson. Sarnia, Cnt r Conductor, D. T. Tfnsley, Sarnia. Ont Brakeman, Thomas McGrath. Sarnia | Ont.
 Brakeman, D. A. Gillis. sarina. Ont Engineer Realizes Accident.
 The train. which entered from ths American side of the tunnel, was made up of seventeen coal cars. When Il broke. Engineer Coleman realized tha' the three cars that were still attached to the engine. steamed out of the tun' nel into the Sarnia yards. He hastily detached his engine and went back in to the tube for the stalled cars. When his engine reached them, h' attempted to push them back througf the tunnel, and out on the American side. The grade proved too steep however. and the attempt was fail | ure.
 The engine and cars rolled back int the gas laden tunnel and Engines Coleman was suffocated at his post h the engine cab. His fireman. Free Forester. with great presence of mind jumped into the partly filled wate tank of the engine. where there wa enough air to preserve his life, al though he Ae n "a serious conditiol tonight.
 | other wauId Be Rescuer Dies. When the news of the broken trail reached the American side of the tun nel. Superintendent Begg. accompanie' by two employees, started on foot. hop | ing that the train was near enougl l to the entrance so that they might res cue and carry out some of the crew They had gone but short distanc when the gas became stifling an, | Begg succumbed. The other rescuer succeeded in crawling to the end of th' | tunnel on their hands and knees
 Meanwhile. preparations were beinI
 made at the Sarnia end of the tunne to rescue the imprisoned train crew An engine with a party of rescuer entered the tube and had proceeded bu short distance when they four John Haley, a track walker, lying un conscious on the track. He was takei | out, and again the engine plunged int l the gaseous atmosphere.
 The rescuers were overcome, how
 ever. by the gas before the train wal ] reached. and Brakeman McGrath died Switchman Blake, who was a membel
 of the party, after time made another attempt to penetrate the gas. and thii time succeeded in reaching the stalled engine, coupled 1t to the cars. and rar
 the train out into the daylight. Simpson. Tinsley and Gillia wer.
 found dead in the caboose. Fireman
 Forester was found in the water tank
 of the engine nearly two hours after being rescued and his escape is regard
 ed as almost miraculous.