Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-07-31
PASSENGER TRAINS
COLLIDE, ONE HURT
Great Western EARLY Morning
Passengers Crash Together
Near First Street
BRAKEMAN HAS RIB BROKEN
South Bound Train No. /, While Watt
ing for North Bound Passenger to
Pass, Is Run Into-Ensinemen Jump
and Escape-Passensers Shaken Up,
But None Is Injured.

One trainman was injured scores
of persons We're badly shaken and
frightened, and two engines We're badly
damaged in head-on collision OF
Great Western passenger trains Nos.
l and 6 at 4:35 o'clock this morning,
a short distance west of First street.
That there was not great loss of life
and property was due doubtless to the
fact that neither train left the track,
and that one of them was standing
still. Had the south-bound train been
moving as rapidly as No. 6, which
collided with it, bad disaster could
scarcely have been avoided.
Harry Norton, of Des Moines, a
brakeman on No. G. had one rib broken.
He was standing in the vestibule OF
the train and was thrown against the
side of the compartment. He was able
to walk and was taken to Des Moines.
Charles zwisler, engineer OF the
north-bound train, had his hand very
slightly injured in jumping from his
engine.
Enginemen Leap and Escape.
1t is not known at what speed No.
6 pulled into the yards, but judging
from the rate the trains pull into the
west yard it is presumed it was going
twenty-five miles an hour. When
Zwisler and his fireman, c. F. Little,
saw a collision was inevitable, both
jumped from their engine. Zwisler, in
leaping, struck the wires along the
track which control the train signals.
but aside from slight scratches on his
hand he was unhurt. Little leaped
entirely over the wires, landed safely
and was uninjured
Ed Stevens, Of Oelwein, who was
pulling the south-bound train, was on
the ground alongside of his engine oil
ing it. Escape for him was easy, when
he saw the north-bound train APP
preaching. His fireman, D. A. Meow
ern. also Of Oelwein, was in the cab.
He got off in time to avoid being hurt.
Conductor D. v. Cavanaugh. OF Des
Moses, was in charge Of No. s, and
j. (. Welch. also Of Des Moines. was
the conductor of No. l Neither was
hurt. # 81
Cause Of Accident Not Plain.
The cause Of the accident, or why
the trains should meet on the main
line is not clear. No. l is due to
leave here for the south at 4:25 O'Clock.
No. 6 is due to leave for the north at
4: 80 and the usual meeting place is in
front Of the station. This morning
No. was few minutes late
and the passing track usually
used by No. in getting out of the
way of No. was blocked by de-
rallied engine. The orders were for
the two trains to meet in the Wess
yards. The southbound train pulled
out on the main line, and stopped
short distance north of where the
switch leaves the main line. Eithe:
the time intervening between the ar
rival of No. 1, at it's stopping place, and
the approach of No. 6 from the south
was so short that John Turek, the tow
err man who controls the switches, did
not have time to head No. 6 on the
siding. or there was a misunderstand-
ing Of signals. Trainmaster Slayton,
who was on the south bound train,
would not say who was at fault. He
said it would not be de- armined until
after the investigation. No. 8, how
ever. coming rapidly from the south,
dashed over the crossing at the inter-
locking plant and up the main line and
thru the SWITCH which leads to the
siding, on to the main line and into the
waiting train.
Engines Badly Damaged.
Both, engines remained on the rails,
the forward truck of the baggage car
of the south-bou train alone being
derailed. Engine No. Ill, which pulled
the south bound train, was very badly
damaged. The boiler head was caved
in, the tank damned up against the
cab, and the forward end of the boil
er and the pilot were caved in and
broken to splinters. The head end of
the boiler and the pilot of No. 172, the
engine pulling No. 8, were splintered,
but otherwise the engine was not bad
ly damaged.
Passengers Thrown About.
Passengers in both trains, while
none Of them were hurt, were shaken
up and jostled about their seats and
in their berths. Confusion prevailed
in both trains for a short time follow
ing the collision, until 1t was known
that there was no further danger.
Some passengers became excited and
jumped from their berths in their
night clothes. eager to save themselves.
They We're soon quoted, however.
Both trains were pulled away from
tho of 1,o of or1
sent on their way with other engines.
Traffic was only delayed for a short
time, as the passing track was clear.
A private car containing Great
Western railroad officials was attached
to the rear Of the north bound train,
but it could not be learned who was in
the party.