The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-02-06
CROWD
SEES men PERISH
Runaway Freight Train Crashes
into Passenger Coaches on
Northern Pacific.
Four Killed, Four Hurt in Coli
sion on the O, R.
N.

Srecial to The Journal.
Helena, Mont, Feb. Cone of the
most disastrous and spectacular
wrecks in the history of mountain rail-
reading occurred here shortly before
midnight last night, when a runaway
Austin, fourteen miles west of here,
rushed unimpeded for that distance
down the Rocky mountains and
crashed into an east-bound stub
passenger train on the Northern Pa
cific, killing five persons and lnjurlng
three others. Perhaps the number of
dead is even greater than this.
The Dead.
Charles Bricknell, conductor, Helena.
j. f. Robertson, bridge inspector.
Edw. Jezick, express messenger.
Foster Senegal, butcher, Helena.
One unidentified passenger.
The Injured.
jeff Brown, brakeman, probably ia
tally.
Ernest Rossman, passenger, collar
bone broken.
A. C. Lightall, head cut.
George Young, slight.
The freight train hit the passenger
with such a crash that it broke the
coupling D0bWCcA OASluO duu X
car, thus forcing the engine ahead.
This fact alone is responsible for the
lives Of Engineer Dietz and Fireman
Ely, as the freight passed under
meath the passenger coaches and was
wrecked by the debris.
More than forty cars were scattered
over the prairie and to add to the hor-
TOR of the situation, both trains caught
fire, and burned. brightly until day
break, Illuminating the whole valley.
Heartrending Scenes.
There were many heartrending
scenes. Those imprisoned in the cars,
who were able to move, made desper-
ate struggles to reach safety. Ross
man severely cut his hand in break
Sing D windew,ethruAwhieh he and~a
woman and another passenger escaped
/ The remainder of the passengers met
death before any assistance could be
rendered.
Particularly horrifying was the
death of the express messenger,Jez
lex. The engineer and fireman OF the
passenger train at once reported the
accident, and residents in that vicinity
were attracted to the scene by flames.
Upon arrival, they saw that Jezick
was pinned down by wreckage, but the
heat was SO intense that approach was
cut off, In the meantime, the mes
senger had engaged in conversation
with the spectators, bearing up stole
ally under the intense pain he must
have suffered, both from heat and In
juries.
Finally the fire became so hot that
the rescuers had to give up the task.
Jezick, still conscious, cried:
cit is hard to lie and burn to
DEATH
He struggled to release himself as
the fire took hold of his limbs, but the
effort was fruitless and after. a few
screams of agony, Inconsistencies
came to him.
Exposed to full view, with blazing
shingles all about him and his beds
mass of red-hot Goals, was the body Of
an unknown man. It was slowly con,
sumed until all that was left was the
skull, and outstretched were two
, stumps that a few hours before had
been arms.
Forty. Cars Burned.
Owing. to the distance of the wrecl
J from the city limits and the absenc'
/ Of .hydrants, the railroad ollcial
t made no attempt to save the wreckag'
from flames. Forty cars, including tn.
: two passenger coaches, were consumed
e The freight cars, laden mostly witt
4 lumber. caught fire and burned quickly
Section hands were able to save not
little of the lumber, while parts OF th,
rolling stock were seen 400 to SO
: Yards from the scene of the wreck
: The track itself was torn up for sew
: eral hundred yards, wniie several tel
I egraph poles were destroyed by FIRE
! Which cut off all southern and wester'
connections.