The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-01-23
Canadian Railroad Wreck Promises 10 Become
One of the Great Horrors of the Present
Year In America.
CARS CRASHED THROUGH THE ICE
Divers Cannot Work on Account of the Intense
Cold and Seventy Five Bodies Are Sup
posed TO be lin River.
,aate City Leased Wire Service. ]

,Gate City Leased Wire Service.] /
SUDBURY, Ont, Jan. 22.- Officials
OF the Canadian Pacific railway adj
mited late tonight that at least fifty !
persons were killed in the wreck OF
the Boston-Duluth train, which went
into the Spanish river at Weddwood,
Ont. at noon Friday.
Survivors OF the catastrophe who
have reached here express the bellef
that at least seventy-five persons lost
their lives Owing to the circumstan-
ces surrounding the wreck, 1t Will be
several DAYS before the full extent OF
the disaster will be known.
Victims Frozen.
Divers descended late this afternoon
through the crust of ice on the Span
ish river into some of the submerged
cars. Hardy submarine workers
could remain in the frigid water but a
few minutes. Their uncovered hands
were almost frozen as they were haul
ed to the surface. The divers sue
ceeded in reaching the smoking COM
partment OF the first class and brought
to the surface four bodies of travelling
men who were playing cards at the
time of the disaster. They We're froz-
en- In q great block of ice when sent
to the surface and had scarcely moved
from their playing position.
At the scene of the wreck tonight
raging blizzard is wreaking its fury
upon the gangs of wreckers who are
working IN the teeth of the bitter wind
and binding snow.
Among the injured are:
THOMAS PARRISH, st. Paul.
MIKE NIKOLA, Max, N. D.
L. MCDONALD, Minneapolis.
SAM BOLLARD, st. Paul.
The cause of the wreck, it is declar-
60. was broken rail The train, rum
ming down grade at the rate OF fifty
miles an hour, approached the steel
bridge over the Spanish river just
about noon. The train consisted OF
an engine combination mail and bag
gage car. express car, second class
car co.,rsst car, first class coach'
diner and Pullman sleeper.
The ergine. mail and baggage and
express ear passed over the bridge in
safety TIE second class car struck
the broken rail and was torn loose
from the express car. Careening alons
the cross ties, drawing the other cars
- = IL cln a GtrI1ct
stone abutment at the river bani
and broke in two. One half Of th'
car remained on the bridge, while tn
other half plunged forty feet through
The ice and sank in the river, pullin
with it the packed colonist car, tn
first class coach and the dining cal
The Pullman car was not thrown int
the river, but remained at the river
edge. turned over on its side. Tn
passengers we're not hurt
Car Load Lost.
Practically all the passengers in tn
half CT the second class car. in I'll
cnlonist car and the first class ca
all cf Which plunged into the rive
are believed to be dead.
The diner was not completely su
merged and most of its passengers e
capped
That portion of the second c;
which remained on the bridge caugl
fire and was destroyed killing al
burning ncst of the passengers wi
wore not thrown into the river.
r. J. Pcarcc. d commercial travel
Of Toronto is believed to be the on
paseerge, who escaped alive from Il
firs. class car. He tells a graph
story Of his escape.
How One Escaped.
81 was standing near the drinlSil
fountain when ] heard the glass ;
around me break and walls rush
upon me.
'Then came singing in my ears al
suddcply the car lurched over to O.
side and / found myself thrown wi
my head above water. There was
window light above me. | broke
glass first and then the wire protecu
Il and struggled through | crawl
along the roof of the first class G
and finding space of about six fe
between 1t and the dining car,
thought / would risk floating throu
and getting out that way. ] tried