Bismarck daily tribune., 1908-12-11

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got out Of the shaker, and day car
alive. These cars wore Off the trucks
and lying almost bottom side up.
The sleepers were supported by an
immense snow drift, which was the
salvation Of most Of the people on
the train.
The engine did not leave the track.
the tender, mail and baggage cars
were upright on the ties. but off the
track. The coupling broke at the
rear end Of the baggage car which
let the balance of the train run over
the embankment.
The observation car was THROWN
clear off the roadbed like the boy
at the end of a line playing snap
the whip. This car and the smoker
got the worst shaking up Of any part
Of the train. Il.
The south line Of rails on the main
track was taken off slick and clean
for several hundred yards and the
ties were ground to tinder. When
one saw the wrecked train the won
der, was that any one escaped alive.
That the casualties were so few is
almost a miracle. Il
The Tribune is indebted to w. j.
Phinn Of Watertown, s. d., travelling
for a Chicago house. He was on the
train and when he crawled out of
the wreck he looked the. situation
over and then went to the Mckenzie
depot to volunteer aid as a telegraph
operator, he having formerly been
employed on railroad in that ca
| pacity, and it was through him that
the Tribune was able to get its story
of the wreck published In yesterdays
| paper. He was of great service to
tho company as there was no oper-
ator at Mckenzie at the time, he
| having, it is understood, been up to
this city on a hurried trip between
trains which required his services.
| One of the coolest people at the
wreck was a little old lady with
white hair. She was alone. and was
knocked around considerably, but
| never complained, but on tae con-
| trary insisted on walking to the re-
/ lief train from the wreck and chatted
with Agent Payne all the time in a
happy way, saying the Lord was not
ready to call her and she was glad
she was alive.
One passenger was on his way
home after having been east where
he had recently been operated on for
appendicitis. He facetiously remark
ed that he hoped he had not been
aarred loose again.
One of the greatest losses sustain
Led by passengers and which may form
/ the basis for a great lawsuit was
|a fine lack pot" which was being
built up by some gentlemen in the
observation car. The stacks were
i high In the middle Of the table and
many sinners were gathered together
I in the pile, and cards were just being
drawn when over the car went and
4 that was the last seen of the pot
Each member of the select party is
/ confident that he would have won tae
prize and in addition to physical dam.
ages that may be asked for a large
sum seems justly due for mental per.
I Iturbation and disapp pointment. The
l porter, it is said, Is not kicking be,
cause of the wreck. s sSS
4 Judge N. g. Young, of Fargo, at
torney for the Northern Pacific, whe
was in the high side of the observa
tion car, struck on his fact when ths
car went over and the chairs and ta
bles rolled about, striking the pas
sengers in their travels. He seemed
to be struck In several places at once
As soon as he had climbed out Of tht
car every one began to aid thos'
who were imprisoned What infIu
enced him most was the perfect cool
ness and absence Of panic on the par
OF anyone. Everybody went ait th
n business Of making themselves q
comfortable as possible. The porter
induced many Of the ladies to returl
tosthe sleeper and makes themseIve
as comfortable ais possible until tn
relief train arrived.
One travelling man managed to or
en lie door Id which the liduid re
freshments were served in the oil
serYation car and secured suppl
for distribution among the passen
gers. A bonfire WAS lighted whic
furnished light and heat to the PAL
sengers during the wait for help. Th
wounded were made comfortable an
projected from the cold by materis