Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-02-15

4v4A431 OOAVODA4
ESCAPE DEATH
Bad Wreck at Raymond For
tunately Without Loss
of Human Life.
Engineer Sam Olson and fireman
had an almost miraculous escape
from death in the wreck at Ray
mond last Thursday night. wher
engine 773 at the head of an extra
and going at the rate of twenty
miles an hour ran into the rear OF
the local freight which was unload.
ing way freight. The engine
plowed through the caboose and
three freight cars and then left the
track and ran sixty feet out on the
right-of-way and overturned. The
engine was stripped of the cab.
Even more miraculous was the es.
cape of A. Hightower, advance
agent for the "Is Marriage Fail
ure' company. who was sleeping in
the caboose. There were four pas
sengers in the caboose. Three saw
the engine coming and calling to
the sleeping man they rushed for
safety. The sleeper was not awak.
ened however until the train was
struck. He was carried right thru
the debris four car lengths but was
found lying on the cushion with nc
more serious injury than a broken
leg. He was brought to. Willmar
Friday and Sunday morning taken to
st. Joseph's Hospital. St. Paul. En-
gineer Olson says he could not see
ahead of him on account Of steam
from the engine. and the crew on
the local had neglected to send out
a rear f1agman. The damaged en-.
gine and some Of the cars were brot
to Willmar Monday. The wreck
was an expensive one to the COM
pany. ...
For their special work on Friday
the pupils Of the Raymond school
were asked to write about the R.
R. wreck which occurred there the
evening before. Prof. Isherwood,
principal Of the school, sent the
Tribune several Of the write ups
and from them we have selected the
two following for publication:
8. = - i: Raymond, MINI. Feb. 9, 1911.
" At about half past nine 3 clock.
the Great Northern local and an
other freight train going though
Raymond crashed into each other.
The cars were thrown from the
track by the contact and the rails
were bent and broken from the
strain.
Three men jumped from the cars
as they realized their danger, but
one who was sleeping when the
wreck occurred, was found among
the debris with broken thigh.
The freight lay scattered about in
all directions and the greater part
Of the night was spent by volun-
teers in gathering it together.
The rails in one place were al
most bent double and the huge en-
gine lying on it's side blackened
with smoke seemed to have given
up only after a terrible struggle
to 60 forward. - .n
The cars, some of which contained
grain and merchandise, were still
burning at the time Of this writing
and formed protection from the
cold to the men as they cleared the
wreckage from the track:
Cornelia Greve.
A terrible wreck occurred about
half mile west of Raymond last
Thursday at about $3.50 D. M. when
an extra coming from Granite Falls
ran into the local freight.
The engine of the local was pick
ing up car of stock. while the rest
of the train was left standing on
the main track. The back lights
on the caboose were not lighted.
The engine, one caboose and sew
eral box-cars were ditched and
smashed to kindling wood, and the
track was torn up. But the wreck.
er was soon at work. and the track
was cleared, so the afternoon trains
were not delayed.
No one was killed. There were
four men in the caboose which was
wrecked, three jumped when they
saw the engine, but one man did
not get out. He was picked up af-
ter the fire was put out, and was
found to be seriously but not fatally
injured. Ella Miller.
The recital given by Miss Reeds
music classes for the benefit of the
Willmar Boy Scouts at Bonde Hall
Monday evening. was one of the
most pleasing entertainments Of the
season and added quite q little sum
to the scouts treasury. The Boy
Scouts extend their grateful thanks
to Miss Reed and her pupils and
also to the friends who patronized