The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1911-12-21

Odessa, Mimi. Dec. 10. - Ten t.
twelve persons We're killed and as
many more injured. some OF them seri-
ously, nea this station about 5 a.. M.
when a fast silk train on the Milwau-
kee road crashed into the Columbian,
II of the crack trains Of that railway
system. also running east.
The sleeping ear of the Columbian.
which had been attached at Aberdeen
and was Of lighter construction than
the other cars of through coast trains,
was t%elcscoped by the engine of the
silk train at II end and by the heavy
dining car at the other end. Only two
cars were hurled from the track, the
sleeper and the diner.
Ten Dead Taken Out.
Ten bodies have been taken from
the ~wreckage, and all but one identi.
fled. There is some reason to believe
other bodies are still under the debris.
and men are at work in the ruins.
All of the injured will recover. All
the bodies of the dead and most of
the injured We're placed on a train and
taken to Ortonville, where good hos.
pital facilities would he obtained.
Relief From MiIbank.
The news OF the disaster was flashed
to Milbank. a freight division head
quarters of the road, and to Ortonville.
Two OF Ortonville's surgeons, Drs. Bert
Karn and Charles Bolsta, were hurried
to the scene in automobiles and did
heroic work in succoring the injured
and giving first aid. Section crews
We're sent on the relief special from
Milbank.
Engineer Sorby and Fireman San
dell Of the second section jumped
when The collision was seen to be in.
evitable. Sandell's ankle a broken.
The accident occurred a short. dis
tancc from the signal tower at Odessa.
The first section of the train had been
stopped by the towcrman because of
a freight train in the block ahead of
it. The second section, which closely
followed the first, is what is known as
a silk" train. carrying merchandise.
The railway officials attribute the
accident to the failure Of the operator
to set the signals against the second
section. They also believe that the
brakeman Of the first section failed to
run back to flag the second section.
Because Of the darkness the engineer
of the second section did not see the
rear light of the train in front in time
to avert a collision. =.
The wreck tore down the telegraph
wires and there was some delay in get.
ting word of the disaster to the head.
quarters of the road.
The operator at the Odessa station
says he left the station and block
open for the train to go through and
went off duty. When the train
reached the station the block was
closed and the engineer applied the
air. The second section was following
so closely and at such high speed that
there was no time to warn il of the
danger.
Worst Since Rio Disaster.
The wreck is said to be the wors,
the Milwaukee road has had for TWEEN
ty-seven years, or since that near Rio
Wis, in 1884, when a train southbound
from Minneapolis to Milwaukee, left
the rails. The wooden cars then in
use, took fire from the heating stoves
and thirteen persons were burned tt
death. The entire train was consumed
by the fire.
Mrs. j. +. Richard and her daughter
Vessie were wife and daughter of the
superintendent of the Trans-Missour
division of the Milwaukee road with
headquarters at Mobridge, on the Mis-
souri, river, west Of Aberdeen.
Nearly every person in the sleeping
car was killed or injured. Ten are
known to be dead and twelve were in
jured. There we're twenty-seven occu
pants Of berths and two or three o.
those not on the dead or injured lis,
received minor cuts or bruises. It 1:
regarded as miraculous almost tina,
anyone in the car survived the fearful
impact.