The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-12-14
Bad Accident to an Omaha
Passenger.
FIREMAN SCALDED TO DEATH
Engineer Injured; Narrow Escape Of
Tn Sc in Coaches; Passenger
Arrived Here La t Ev ming.
From Fridays Daily.

From Fridays Daily.
Omaha passenger train No. 4. north
bound, due at Mankato at 4:45 D. m
| encountered runaway coal car near
| Onawa, Iowa, yesterday morning, killing
Fireman Newton Field and iniurng En-
gineer Sullivan.
| Had the passenger travelled three see
onds faster the runaway boxcar, which
dashed down from the top of coal
shute just as the passenger reached the
| coal track switch, would have crashed
into the middle of the train, piling the
crowded coaches into the ditch and kill.
ing or manning probably dozens of peo.
pie.
As it was, --.e heavy mogul passen.
ger engine reached the switch at the
identical instant that the runaway car
swung onto the main track, and the
two met with terrific impact The car
was tossed into the ditch, while the en-
CINE careened madly up the track on the
ties for distance of sixty feet, then,
as the trucks swerved beneath it, turned
sharply at right angles and toppled over
on it's side. The mail car was lifted off
its trucks, but remained upright and
aside from the engine crew no one was
injured.
With barely time to set the air brakes
and reverse, the enginemen were caught
like rats in a trap. Fireman Newton
Field of Sioux City, was on the under
side. Before he recovered from the
stunning shock of the collision kissing
steam from broken pipes in the cab
scalded him to death. DIR. TAYLOR of
'Salix, said he could hardly have suffered
an instant. -. a:
Engineer Sullivan, of Council Bluffs,
found himself tumblings from his Seat
as his side of the cab rose in the air.
He fell with one foot beneath the fire.
OK. Within five minutes the news
agent, Charles FilliIgham of Council
Bluffs and j. NJ. Granam, colored porter
OF the parlor ear, made their way for
ward and dashed into the steam that
came in huge clouds from the loosened
flues of the engine boiler They found
Sullivan conscious, and struggling against
the scalding vapor. Quickly calling for
volunteers, the two men set to work
with telegraph pole as a lever and
pried the firebox from his legs.
Sullivan tried to stand up when re.
leased, and his first word was for his
fireman and the passengers. He was
helped to the parlor car, and was there
made comfortable on the cushions in the
smoking compartment. Four hours la
ter all the cars except the mail coach
were pulled around the wreck over a
sidetrack and brought to Sioux City.
Sullivan is now at ST. Joseph's hospital
tside from badly wrenched foot and
severe gashes about the head he is not
badly injured.
The entire property loss to the rail-
road company will be covered by $4,000.
Engineer Sullivan ranks eighth among
the engineers of the Sioux City division
in length of service He had been run.
ing IN engine since 1893, and is con-
sidered one of the nerviest and most
responsible men in the service of the
road. H. is about forty eight years of
age. His injuries are not dangerous,
that to his foot being the most serious.
He has large family at Council Bluffs.
The delayed train reached Mankato
at 9:34 last night.
Field was thirty-three years of age
and single. He lived with his foster
brother, Frank Walker, chief clerk to
the master mechanic, and the latter's
wife, in the Swasey block, Sioux City.
NJ. and Mrs. j. V. Walker of Winter
set, To-, who adopted the boy years ago,
were visiting their sons in Sioux City.
Mrs. Walker was frantic when her son
Frank told her of Newton's death. He
was as dear to her as her own boy, and
Frank and Newton were, if anything,
closer than brothers. They had lived to-
gether in Sioux City for five years.
Those who knew Field speak of him as
an exceptionally fine man, sober and in
| dustrious. He had reahed the rank of
engineer, but had been pressed into SER
uioa &c Groc,o-y