Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1908-12-09
DYING ENGINEER AT THROTTLE
ASLlblITED RUSHES INTOSTATION
Engineer George Irwin Killed in The Cab His Head Striking
Bridge Support While Leaning Out and The Coast Train
Rushing Into Minneapolis at Terrific Speed

George P. Irwin, who lived at
Willmar about IA years ago, run
ming as engineer on the Breckenridge
division, was accidentally killed
Monday afternoon near Robinsdale,
while in charge as engineer Of the
Great Northern Oriental Limited.
The following account Of the acct.
dent is taken from yesterdays min.
neapolis Tribune:
1.-THE throttle clinched in the
viselike grip of a senseless and dy.
ing engineer, who lay half out Of
the cab window, blood streaming
from a CHASTITY wound in his head,
the Oriental Limited, the crack
train of the Great Northern rail.
road. tore into the city limits Of
Minneapolis late yesterday after.
noon.
Past speed-warning signs, gates
and semaphores it rushed at a ter.
rifle speed. while $50 homecoming
passengers from the west began to
don their fur coats expectant'y for
the moment that would land them
among waiting friends-all uncon.
scious Of their danger.
"Half a mile outside the station
the fireman. appalled, at the terrific
speed, shouted at the engineer.
No answer - then he turned and
saw his chiefs face covered with
blood. He leaped across the cab
and, prying apart the nerve|ess
fingers in their death clutch on the
neartstr,ngs of the great machine,
,auled back the throttle and ran
the string Of Pullman's into Clear
water Junction.
There he detached the train and,
in race with death, drove the en-
CINE to the Minneapolis & St. Louis
depot. Pale and haggard,> he
dropped from the engine and shout
ed for help-but too late. The vet
eran of the throttle breathed his
last as he was lifted from the cab.
1.-The accident which cost Engi-
neer George P. Irwin, GIG West
Central avenue, St. Paul, his life,
occurred at a steel bridge about
Two miles east of Robbinsdale.
The train was about an hour late
out OF that station, and in an effort
10 make up time, he threw the
throttle wide open. Forgetting
caution as the train neared the
bridge, it is believed he stuck his
head out of the window to look
backward and was struck by one OF
the spans.
1.-The top of the skull was crushed
and CHASTITY wound several inches
in length inflicted. Sinking back
into his seat in a ha'freclining po-
sition, the dying engineer still kept
MS grip on the throttle. unnoticed
by the sweat grimed firman, Ru-
dolph Doerr, Spaulding Hotel, S.
Paul, who was furiously stocking
coal into the roaring nav of the
steel monster.
"For nearly four miles the en-
CINE rushed on and then the acct
dent was noticed simultaneously by
the fireman and Brakeman Bert W.
Westcott, 474 Wabasha street, St.
Paul, who, alarmed at the furious
progress thru the city limits, looked
out and saw part Of the engineers
limp figure hanging from the cab.
He threw on the airbrakes as Fire.
man Doerr leaped at the throttle
and a disastrous wreck was thus
averted.
1.-The train was stopped and
Brakeman Westcott and Conducto,
Edward Marston ran forward to the
engine. The train was then put ir
motion and ran to Clearwater juno
ton with the fireman at the
throttle. where the engine was de-
tached and the losing race with
death begun.
1.-The body of the dead engineer
was taken to the undertaking room.
of M. J. Gill, 255 Second avenue
south, where it was viewed by thu
coroner. His verdict was "deatl
due to accident.''
1T was late in The Afternoon
when the waiting family in tn,
Central avenue home was notified