Smyrna times., 1911-09-27
13 KILLED AS
TRAINHITS WAGON
MGrrynakarS Returning From
DanGa Run Down.
SEVERAL INJURED WILL DIE
Express Tram Ploughs Through farm
Wagon Containing Thirty People.
Bride and Groom Among the Dead.

Bride and Groom Among the Dead.
Thirteen persons were killed, ten
instantly, and nine other seriously in
jured, when a Northwestern passenger
train, northbOund, struck a hayrack
filled with Menasha merrymakers, at
a grade crossing on the southern out
skirts of Neenah. Wis.
OF those not killed instantly two
died on the way to the hospital and
one died after reaching the hospital.
OF the injured two will die. Others are
probably fatally injured
The thirty young people were re-
turning from a dance at the home of
Peter Hanson. who lives on the road
to Oshkosh, and were singing as the
big hayrack was pulled up the slight
incline to the Northwestern crossing,
a mile south of the station in Neenah
The next instant the speeding passen-
ger train, bound for the north, had
plOugheS through the rear end of the
big farm wagon, and twenty-five of
the thirty occupants were scattered
for 200 feet along the railroad right of
way dead, dying or dangerously hurt.
Those who were seated in the front
Of the wagon escaped almost without
bruises.
q thought | had plenty of time to
cross the track ahead of the train"
groaned Peter Hanson, who was re-
turning with his guests, and when l
started to so down the hill on the far
side of the track | was so sure the
train ~-as Still a considerable distance
away that l even checked the horses
to go down the incline slowly, when
the train tore off the wagon just back
of the drivers seat"
While the fast passenger train was
being brought 20 a stop a couple of
hundred yards from the scene of the
crash, one Of the survivors had rushed
to a fire 3larm box near the grade
crossing and pulled the alarm. The
fire department responded with all the
apparatus in the city and the injured
were soon being hurried to the Clark
hospital Automobiles were summoned
and in half an hour from the minute
Of the crash all of the injured were
| being hurried to the hospital.
The dead were frightfully mangled.
| Decapitated bodies were scattered all
along the right of way and six corpses
were taken from the pilot of the loco
motive when the train was finally
brought to a stop.
The injured were so terribly hurt
that it is likely that several more will
| die. Meanwhile there was hardly a
silver left of the wagon which had
carried the party, so thoroughly did
the heavy train Of Pullmans sweep
the vehicle out of existence.
The members of the party were
nearly all young people employed in
the mills about Neenah. The oldest of
the party, except the driver, were two
young married couples, who were out
for the daLcing with their chums of
the days before their weddings. One
young bride and bridegroom died to.
gether A brother and sister are at the
hospital dangerously injured Two
brothers were killed, one instantly and
the other not living long enough to
reach the hospital, though he was the
first to be started to the hospital. An
other young man and his wife are al
the hospital together, neither able &C
be informed of the condition of the
other.
The party was a Saturday might
dance at the farmhouse of Peter Han
son, a young farmer, who was in hi:
bachelor days one of the group which
he was entertaining.