The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-03
HELPED INJURED
FROM WRECKAGE.
T. w. STEVENSON HAD SHOCKING
EXPERIENCES AFTER CRASH.
Found Himself Uninjured on Top Of
Debris and Dug Down Beneath Mass,
Aiding Many from Their Prisons
Affecting Scenes When Passengers
Were Rescued from Beneath Car.

T. w. Stevenson, Of the Minneapolis
wholesale house of Patterson & Steven
son, was one Of the passengers on the
500 train that was wrecked Sunday
morning at st. Paul. He escaped in
jury, but tells Of a thrilling experience.
81 shall never forget the first sensa-
ton after our sleeper was struck, - said
Mr.. Stevenson today. Tt whirled
thru the air as if in the grip Of ter
rife tornado. To me, it seemed all over
in an instant. In second the interior
Of the car was demolished and seats,
cushions, doors of berths, splinters anu
broken glass were flying thru the air.
The first thing that fully realized
was that I was on hands and knees on
| top of a lot of debris, I at once real
| lied that I was practically unhurt, tho
one thumb was sprained, my neck and
shoulders sore and stiff, and I had
slight cut in one ankle. Ny first
thought was of danger from fire. I
| looked toward the far end Of the car
and saw one end Of it burst open. See
ing. a means Of escape I breathed more
easily and went to work seeking whom
many injured and probably few as for
tunate as myself.
IT found was the only passenger Of
the car on top Of the wreckage. All
the others were beneath it. believe
| / helped every person in the car out
from their covering Of debris before aid
came from the exterior. The first per-
/ son 1 laid eyes or was the colored por-
ter. A couple Of heavy seats covered
most most Of his h} body His 1 head was Gov;
seats and placing my hands under his
arms, pulled him out. When on his
feet, he staggered and then dropped in
M 9. r. you bad badly h hurts asked.
swered:
women who had sat near me. One whom
the side Of her face deeply scratched
She frantically called for her little girl
could see little child's clothing to-
ward the bottom of the debris, and
dug down to it. It was the little cir!
she had been calling for. She was I'M
hurt. Her mother clasped her to he1
) heart.
VNext I pulled out from the broker
: cut on his forehead. He was conscious
: and began to cry when I got him free
I then gave attention to an old maj
: who had sat across the aisle from me
: His face was cut and bleeding badly
. After freeing him I looked around t
e see if there were any others.
e Is there anyone else who want
8 helpq' I called. A moan answered m.
n from the wreckage in the central par
r. of the car. I pulled away two heav.
g doors, some broken timbers, and ther
J, exposed to view a man I had seen boar
> the car at the St. Paul station: He wa
unconscious and evidently badly hurt
]. I saw he needed attention at once. Jus
" at this moment aid entered the ca
from the broken end. To the men VIII
entered / called to take this man t
the fresh air and see that he had surg
cal attention as soon as possible. The
Is did so. The others were also taken on
by the rescuers and made my way t
the exterior thru a window.
3 "a few moments after, I came to
q realization that I was hatless, withou
e. my overcoat and minus my grip. I II
s, entered the car, much Of the rubbis
Il Il having been removed by this time, an
~ recovered my hat, grip and overcoat.
le knew nothing Of the locality where tn
r. accident occurred. I did not know whic
way to turn, so I gave a boy SO cent
n to show me to an interurban car. an
B. finally arrived at my home in Mime
,e apolis about 11:15 o'clock, very thank
A. full to have escaped so easily"
I'M