River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1906-11-01

Kelly, of Jeffersonville, N. Y, who were
passengers on the train, got off at Pleas
antville for no other reason than that
something told them to change their
minds about coming to Atlantic City.
They heard of the accident afterwards
and came over thankful that they had
not remained on board.
About Is people got off at Pleasant
vile. said they, and nearly as many
more got aboard. They said fully 100
passengers were on the train, a great
many being women.
John Fades, of 112 Bay street, this
city, parlor car man, was on the
train and escaped by crawling through
a window of the rear car and swim
ming ashore.
Says Bridge Was Closed.
The other man who attends the
bridge in speaking of the accident,
declared that the bridge had been
opened about 80 minutes before the
train came along. A yacht passed
through. He says that he saw that
the bridge was properly closed and
that the tracks were inspected. He
cannot explain why the rails spread
as they did.
Among the dead at the hospital was
an unidentified woman wearing a
wedding ring marked "T. P. P. to l.
N. G." and two diamond rings and a
pearl ring. She wore white shirt
waist, black skirt, new shoes, and is
apparently about 80 years old.
A man lying at the hospital Is
named Vincent, residence unknown,
with fractured skull. He is in dy-
ing condition. Oreste Ray Meatielle,
supposed to be resident of Atlantic
City, is also at the hospital badly in
jured
One of the rescuers at work on the
top of submerged car discovered a
woman's jewelled hand sticking
through the roof ventilator. He worked
heroically to get her body, and finally
succeeded in drawing it through the
aperture. 1t has not yet been identi-
fled.
j. s. DeFord railroad man, saw a
man clinging to the trestle crying for
help and succeeded by crawling along
the edge of the bridge, in reaching
down and pulling him safely up. The
man was cut and bruised and declined
to give his name.
When the rear car of the train
caught on the abutment of the bridge
where it hung poised for a minute
there was a frantic rush of the pas
sengers for the rear door. Probably
score or more got out and as the car
plunged over the edge others leaped
into the water. The last car that went
over the bridge fell upon the others
and slowly slid off into the water. The
moments delay, however, gave several
passengers the opportunity to leap in
to the water before the car was finally
submerged.
Trainman Is Hero.
Motorman Scott stuck to his post
and went down with his train. Con-
ductor Curtis also persisted. The third
trainman, Brakeman Wood, proved
himself hero. When the train left
the rails and was humping over the
ties Wood ran to the rear door of the
last car, threw it wide open and held
it for the passengers to escape. He
held the door open until the car slid
off the bridge and went into the water
with it. He then swan to the shore.
His action in holding the door open
probably saved many lives.
When the third car dropped into the
water Henry Roemer was in the act
of crawling from window. Freeing
himself with an effort and being a
strong swimmer Roemer set about to
help others. Swimming along the side
of the fast sinking car kicked out the
glass and thus gave several passengers
an opportunity TO escape. One man
was caught in window and was
drowned before he could extricate
himself
Tide Forces Back Rescuers.
The accident was witnessed by
many people and rescue work was
prompt. Strong swimmers endeavored
to dive to the submerged cars in
search of bodies, but SO strong was
the tide that they were forced to de-
sist. Professional divers were then
SGCurGu WHO uOUuGue JuGlI duu
went down. But even they were I'M
able to do anything against the tide
that swirled around the sunken
coaches.
An Italian named Marco Bona, was
rescued from the third car but died
from his injuries. Boats soon swarmed
about the spot where the cars went
down, their location being marked by
the tops of their trolley poles. Al
though the cars get power from a
third rail they also carried trolley
poles to take power from above il
necessary.
AS quickly as body was brought
up or floated to the surface it was
removed to the city morgue.
Bridge Tender Is crazed.
The man who may best be able to
tell what caused the accident is DAN
lei B. Stewart, the bridge tender.
Stewart, however, is in no condition to
talk. The horror of the accident has
temporarily bereft him of his reason.
He is IS years old.
He was the only person who wit
messed the plunge of the train with it's
human cargo from close point of
vantage. The scene which followed
caused him to lose his reason and
when he was found afterward he could
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