, 1906-11-20

Joe Collins, section foreman of the
Laramie section, was run over in the
south end of the yards about 1870
this afternoon and almost instantly
killed, and John Reimers, foreman of
the section just south of the Laramie
section, received a broken leg and
other bruises and abrasiors. Mr.. REIN
ers was taken to the section house a
few hundred yards south of the point
of the accident, Coroner Fitch taking
charge of the body of Collins. Both
men were at work in the yards at
the time of the accident. The body
of Collins was taken to the Stryker
undertaking rooms on Third street.
The accident is a most deplorable one,
as Mr.. Collins was a splendid young
man, about 35 years of age, and was
well liked by everybody who knew him.
He resided at the section house on
Grand avenue, just west of the tracks.
Avoided a Freight Train.
From the information at hand, it is
learned hat the two foremen were
working together at the south end of
the yards, repairing a switch leading
to n of the sidetracks to the west
of the w~est-bound track. A train was
pulling into the yards, having taken
the siding at a road crossing not
| mora than ho1f hoturaan thn
switch and the section house. The
foremen were on the track with their
men when the freight from the east
approached, and they stepped to one
side. Just as they move cut or the
way of the freight train switch engine
No. 1895, with Engineer Hugh White
at the throttle and Foreman Martin
Hansen in charge of the switch crew,
came up from the north. The men
were standing with their backs to the
track upon which the switch engine
was coming, watching the moving
freight train, and both were struck by
the running board on the rear Of the
switch engine. Mr.. Reimers was
thrown to n side and received a
broken leg just above the left ankle.
Drawn Under the Engine.
Collins was not so fortunate. He
was drawn under the engine, the
wheels passing over and horribly
mangling both legs and his right
arm, the hand being cut off entirely
just above the wrist. There was a
frightful cash on his head n a hun-
bred other wounds of more or less
severe nature. AS soon as possible
the engine was stopped and the man
taken from the track. The stump of
the right arm was caught in the frog
of the track, and it was with difficulty
that s%witchmen drew his body to II
side and laid it t~enderly OF the gravel.
Collins groaned one or twice after
the engine was stopped, but he did
not speak and perhaps knew nothing
after being drawn under the engine.
Carried by Engine.
Mr.. Collins was carried about 100
feet by the engine. Pieces of bone and
bits of flesh were scattered along the
track, there being a considerable pool
of blood at the point where he fell
under the tender of the engine. His
hat was thrown up on the tender of the
engine, where it was found by the
switchmen and later taken possession
of by Mr.. Van Sickle, the Waterman
in the yards.
Almost Ground to Pulp.
Drs. Stevens and McCollum We're
hastily summoned to the scene, being
taken to the section house on the
engine which had struck the men. Mr..
Reimers was taken there after being
picked up and is being properly cared
for by the surgeons. The body of Mr..
Collins was viewed by the coroner as
it lay where the men had placed it,
the breath OF life leaving it there. 1t
was horribly mangled, n of the
worst spectacles witnessed here for a
long time. Both legs had been liter
ally ground to a pulp both above and
below the knees, the right arm being
ground off, and the head and face
SCARED and abraded. His gold watch
was twisted and almost ruined, his
measuring rule, in one OF his pockets,
being bent and broken.
) Did Not See Switch Engine.
AS far as known, Mr.. Collins had no
relatives in this section. He is said
!. to have come to Laramie last July and
y been placed in charge of the yards
. here, with Japanese and other section
r men under him. The men were work
ing within a few feet of him when he
was struck, but they stepped to the