Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-20
MICHIGAN TRAIN
OF 300 PERSONS
IN FEARFUL CRASH
ExCurSionists Were Bound From
Ionia to Detroit.
ELEVEN CARS IN WRECK
Between Thirty and Forty People Re-
ported Killed
COLLISION WITH LOCAL FREIGHT
Coaches Were Filled With Employees
From Pere Marquette Shops and
Their Families on Excursion.
Between Thirty and Forty People Re-
ported Killed.
COLLISION WITH LOCAL FREIGHT

A Pere Marquette excursion train
bound from Ionia to Detroit was
wrecked about 10 o'clock this morn
ing two miles east of Salem, Mich.
1t is reported that between thirty
and forty persons were killed. At
noon there had been twenty-nine bo-
dies taken from the wreck, and there
were probably fifteen more. Five
cars OF the eleven OF which the train
was made up escaped destruction
There are scores of injured. There
were about 500 persons on the train.
SALEM, Mich, July 2o-From thirty to
forty people were killed and about 100 peo-
pie injured this morning when a Pere Mar
quette excursion train of eleven coaches
from Ionia, carrying the members of the
company's shops there on their annual ex-
cursion to Detroit, colided with west
bound freight train two miles east of this
village, at Washburn crossing
AT Il O'Clock twenty-five bodies had been
taken from the wreck and there were many
more known to be still in the ruins.
Orders have been sent to Plymouth, four
miles away. at which is a division point OF
the railway. to make arrangements to care
for thirty injured.
Gen. Supt Trump of the Pere Marquette
railway said that the responsibility for the
wreck rests with some employe who failed
to obey orders. There were 500 people
crowded into the eleven coaches of the
train, many of them women and children,
all bound for a holiday in Detroit. They
left their homes in Ionia at 6 o'clock this
morning
The wreck occurred a perfectly
straight. level piece of track. The heavy
freight and passenger trains came together
with enormous force. and six of the eleven
passenger cars were entirely wrecked
When the uninjured persons recovered from
the shock and crawled from the wreckage,
they at once began extricating the dead and
injured Messengers were rushed to this
village and to Plymouth and all the doctors
from this place and neighboring villages
were hurried TO the scene
II.
Farmers who heard the crash came to
the rescue also.
special train was made up in the yards
at Detroit and sent to the wreck, a dis
lance Of forty miles with doctors. nurses.
surgical instruments ard cots. BY the
time this train arrived there were several
scores of people waiting to receive medical
attention. and over a score of bodies had
been extricated and were lying on the
grass beside the tracks
Mrs Minnie Densmore of Ionia a nos
senger on the wrecked tran, describing
the horror. sa.d
My husband and myself were in the
sixth coach, right 'ehind the first five in
which the greatest loss of life occurred
There a terrible crash, and the train
came TO a sudden STOP throwing US out
of our seats. Instantly our car was filed
with terror-stricken people trying to fgh,
their way out. No one knew just what had
happened. but every occupant of the ear
seemed to feel nsrnctively that there had
been tragedy and seemed to be filled with
fear.
Fight Madly to Escape.
Their clothes were torn and they In.
their mad efforts 10 get to the ground.
That was before they realized that our
car was not damaged and that they were
not in danger themselves When we got
out Of the coach found the engine and
the first five cars piled up beside the
tracks, while shr.eks OF pain and cries for
mercy filed the air
The first five cars We're well filed with
people and it is IN these that most of the
bodies were found.
The engineer Of the train from Ionia
was l. Il. AlVord OF Iouia. He and the
fireman jumped and il is presumed by the
passengers that They escaped with minor
injuries
Conductor B'N'cy Of Ionia is among the
miss sing There were nineteen bodies taken
from the wreckase before the relief train
came ia from Detroit"
After arriving here with the wreckine
train from Detroit and looking over the sit
uation. General Superintendent Trump SAYS
that the blame for the wreck rests with
the crew Of the freight which was a west
bound local They had orders. Mr. Trumr
says, 10 wait at plymouth for the excursion
train. which had the right Of way In
stead they proceeded on toward Salem. and
the collision resulted.
Many of the freight cars were also piled
up in the heap of wrcckage. which is 50
great that ii Will take twelve hours To clear
the track. 1t may be several hours befor,
81 is definitely known whether the twenty
two bodies now recovered comprise the
entire list OF dead, The surgeons at the
scene are giving attention TO the injured