Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1905-04-14
FATAL RAILWAY WRECK

Engineer Murray Killed in
Collision near Cushing
Friday Morning
A head-end collision between the
Pacifi, express and Freight No. "a,
near Cushing, at 2 O'Clock last Fri
day morning, resulted in the instant
death of Engineer Robert Murray of
the passenger train, 'one of the Oldest
engineers in the service of the North.
ern Pacific. No one else was seriously
injured.
Freight No. 81, east bound. was in
charge OF Conductor Frank Hamlin,
son of L. Hamlin of Little Falls
There is heavy grade west Of Cush-
ing, and long freight trains have to be
cut in two to get over.lt. Conductor
Hamlin's train was long and heavy,
and he decided to double in, and he
had sent half of the train on to the
Cushing siding, and the engine had
gone BACK and was pulling the other
hall. Knowing that No. 8. the Paci.
iic express, was due about that time.
Brakeman Frank Leech was sent out
to signal her with torpedoes and red
lantern. The rules are that two ex'
plosions direct the engineer to take
warning, and one to stop. The BRAKE
man placed two tnrpedoes at dis.
tance from each other and farther
down two opposite each other. No.
is q fast train, and when the acoi-
dent occurred was probably running
IS miles an hour. Leech also swung
his red lantern.
According to the testimony of Fire.
man Montgomery of the passenger, En-
gineer Murray must have ecaught the
signal and heard the torpedoes, and
either thought that he had given the
freight time to clear or that he was
following a train, as is sometimes the
case. There is a very sharp curve
west Of the station, and an eneineel
cannot see another train till almost
on 1t. When too late Engineer Muir.
ray must have seen his mistake, and
while one theory is that the engineer
was about to jump when the collision
occurred, tho other is that he stuck to
his posi-. The last thing Fireman
Montgomery is reported to have said
to the engineer: They are still on
ahead of U.S. and the engineer re-
piled, mo, they: are in the clear. -
Engineer Ford of the freight, his fire.
man, and the head brakeman. were
on the freight engine and saw the
passenger coming. They jumped and
had just reached the ground; when
the smash occurred. Fireman Mont
gomery saw the freight coming, and,
jumped, just in time. Conducto,
Hamlin was In the caboose
The big passenger mogul engine.
No. 22S, and the smaller freight,
came together with" tremendous
crash, telescopinQ each other. In
stantly there was great confusion and
excitement. There were probably SOC
passengers on the express train. most
of whom were" asleep at the time,
and they were terribly frightened.
The train men at once realized the
situation, Staples and st. Paul were
notified. The -wre"king crew from
Staples arrived In short time. '7The
engines were 'jammed together. and.it
was not until 4..o'clqck that Engineer
Murray's body was found, in stand.
Imposition, crushed and mangled in
a horrible manner. It's said 1.-THE
head....wss crushed fiat a. a man Z
hand. The tender had jammed the
engineer up against the boiler head.
The body was taken to the Gushing
station and.'later removed to Staples.
A few passengers were injured In q
slight way, with bruises and contu-
sions. but otherwise all escaped.
The big mail car. with eight tons Of
mail on board, with which FIVE clerks
we're busy. was badly smashed, ''and
1t is q miracle no one was hurt. One
clerk tainted away and was not re-
vived for some time.
DR.. Cameron of Staples came with
the wreckin9 crew and attended all
who needed help. The express train
was backed no to this oitv and sent
around bv way of Brainerd. az were
the other trains, until the line was
cleared.
Traiumaster Craven of St. Paul and
wrecking crew passed through Little
Falls at 8 80 In the morning. and took
with them Coroner Chance and Coun-
ty Attorney Lindbereh. The coroner
heard the stories of the traiumen and
decided that no inquest was neces-
sary. Fireman MONTGOMERY said that
Engineer Murrsv heard the torpedoes