Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-08-14
PASSENGER ON WATERFOWL d.
VISION DERAILED.
NEAR EAST MADISON DEPOT
Railroad Men Believe That Switch
Was Thrown While Train Passed
by, Causing Three Coaches to Run
off Track-No One lnjured-Case
Will Be Investigated.
Madison, Aug. 10.

MdQ1SOu, Aug. IO'
An unsuccessful attempt was made
at East Madison last night to wreck
the passenger train from Milwaukee
on the WATERFOWL division OF the st.
Paul road. Three coaches were de-
rallied, but fortunately no one was IN
iured. The train arrived at the east
side depot at 7:45 o'clock. All the
passengers with the exception OF SIX
got off. At 7.55 the train pulled out
for West Madison. The engine ana
baggage car passed safely over the
switch at the end of the platform, put
the smoker. ladies' coach and parlor
oar went over on the sidetrack and
were derailed Tle passengers were
badly shaken but none received IN
juries.
Crooked Work a&:ep5~ted.
How the switch was turned while
the train was passing by is mystery.
IT is a safety switch and was securely
locked. An investigation after the ac-
cident revealed the fact that the LOCK
was missing. Railroad men are OF the
oninion that it was the work OF some
discharged employe who was proVloeu
with a kew to the lock and Wno en-
deayored to get revenge on the ralf
road 'company. Ticket Agent JOnn u
prinn who cot on the train when II
loft for, the west side, said that prev
ious to the accident four trains passeu
over the switch. He is hrnly VI 'l,o
oninion that the switch was secui0l9
1oclxn3 and that the cause OF the aoo.-
do,+ con not he attributed to the neSll-
oance of any present employe' ~
+ion Foreman Kerwin OF the MOI n-
wastarn road said he was slCCln5 -
fron+ of the playhouse on the Wllllani-
S,+,.oo+ crossing and when he heafu
+oa noise that was caused by 'ne
railing he also saw the llghI on 'op
the switch change about
The fact that the train came 10
halt soon after derailment possibly
cavn1 loss of lives or serious injuries
Tho train went about 25 feet AFTER Inc
coaches left the track. One Oh JIG
III, MOS torn from it's fastenlngs.
81 got on the train at the East Mad
ison DEPOT" said Ticket Agent Prlen.
ST wac in the smoker. After we had
naeead fine switch at the end OF the
nlatform felt as though the WneelS
under the coach were moving along oll
sand 7 hurried outside and dlscoVereu
that the train was off the TRACK. To-
tunately there were only about SIX per
sons on the train, as most OIL TIC poo
r,or,onro oot off at East Madison. Inc
oirbrolxes came apart from the force OF
t,o Jolt and the train came to a stand
still"
SLIGHTLY Injured by Jumping
A man named Kruger received
c1ioht injuries on his knees by jumping
from tine train before it stopped.
Tracks Cleared in Three Hours.
Immediately after the accident
wrecking crew was sent to the scene
from West Madison A switch engine
from the Northwestern yards assisted
in oetting the coaches back on the
tracks At II o'clock the tracks hao
been cleared and the Portage traln'
which is scheduled 10 le"V0
was able to proceed.
Detective Will Investigate.
The headquarters of the road IN MIL
,waukee were at once notified OF the ac'
.cident and it is expected that a com
pany detective will arrive in the city
today to work on the case
The derailed train was in charge OF
Conductor James Usher, who S sub
shutting for Conductor Dudley Fitz-
gerald, who is on a vacation. Engi-
neer Crawford Wilbur was at t1e
throttle.
Attracts Big Crowd.
News of the accident spread quickly
and within a short time several hun
II i 4