The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-21
THIRTY.EIGHT DEAD IN WRECK
SIXTY ALSO WOUNDED IN RAIL
EOAD EMPLOYEES OUTING.
Freight Train In Michigan DID Not Wait
for Excurslonist special and the Two
Trains Met Head On-The Conductor
Responsible for the Wreck Escapes.

for Excurslonist special and the Two
Trains Met Head On-The Conductor
Responsible for the Wreck Escapes.
SALEM, Mich. July 2o.-Thirty-eight per-
sons are known TO be dead and sixty injured
asa result Of a wreck on the Pere Marquette
Railroad here shortly before 10 o'clock
this morning.
As2ccial passenger train OF eleven coaches
left o n this morning with between 500
and 1000 OF the employees Of the Pere
Marquette on board for the annual ex-
c,Irsion to Detroit. About half way bet ween
this place and Plymouth there was a head
on collision with a freight rrain going west.
The passenger train had the right Of
way hut by some blunder on the part Of
the crew Of the freight train il kept on
instead Of waiting az Plymouth. which
is the despatching headquarters for this
division OF the Pere Marquette, to let the
passenger train pass.
The passenger train was Just rounding
the curve at Washbourne Crossing when
it sighted the freight train. Both engineers
apparently saw their danger at the same
moment. They shut on steam and applied
the emergency brakes. With the rss-
senge train travelling at the rate Of forty
Ave miles an hour the shock Of collision
was terrific.
Above the crash rose the screams Of the
passengers. who had been pitched into
the middle Of the cars. There was a hasty
stampede. the people fighting with ono
another TO get out OF doors and windows,
while from the pile Of wreckage came the
cries Of those who we're pinned down by
heavy timbers. There was no hope of
being extrioated until n wrecking train
arrived from Detroit.
The fear that the pile Of w~reckage in
which many persons, both dead and alive.
were buried might catch fire nerved the
survivors to the work Of rescue, a work
in which they were assisted by the farmers
in the neighborhood. With their bare
hands or with improvised .ools they set
to work to raise the timbers and one after
another victim was released until hen
the wrecking train arrived from Detroit
nearly twenty bodies had been taken out.
besides n number Of wounded people. The
dead were nearly all crushed beyond
recognition.
Two deputy sherirs from Detroit assisted
In getting out many Of the dead and sew
eral injured who were pinned In the wreck
age and for some time after the arrival
Of the relief train they were the only ones
about the wreck. barring the doctors and
nurses. who had the least oomposure.,
OF the sixty injured who have been taken
from the wreck IL is believed that fully half
will die. There are probably other wounded
men under the debris. which the wrecking
crew is moving asrapidly NJ possible. Gen.
eral Superintendent Trump. who came
down with the wrecking train. brought
with him all the doctors and raine nurses
he could find. The train also brought a
full supply of bandages. splints and other
material for caring for the injured and
rough collins for the dead. As many az
possible Of the injured will be taken 70 the
Detroit hospitals to be cared for there. The
others were taken TO homes near by.
or the $50 or more children who accom-
panied the excursion IL lie believed that all
escaped.
As soon as the injured had been looked
after and disposition made Of the dead. all
Of whom were Iona people, the officials Of
the Pere Marquette began TO investigate
the cause.
II did not take them long to agree that
the blame rested with the crew of the
freight II. which had received instructions
to h effect that the passenger train had
the right Of way and to lie at Plymouth
until this special passed. The order left
Iona less than an hour before the accident.
The conductor had the right Of way direct
TO Detroit.
The responsibility for the wreck rests
upon the conductor Of the freight train, "
said General superintendent Trump. He
had specific instructions 70 allow the special
excursion train to have the right OF way"
Conductor Hamilton Of the freight. who
will be held to blame for the accident,
escaped. Conductor Pixley OF the pas