Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-07-24
A NARROW ESCAPE.
ID. Swenson of This City Tells of His
Experiences i'm Great Northern
Wreck.

d. Swenson, we'll known resident
of DEBORAH, who has been travelling
in North Dakota for some weeks past
was in the recent Great Northern
Oriental Limited" wreck at Melby,
Mimi, and tells our readers of his
experiences in the following letter:
we left Minneapolis Sunday the
| 18th Of July at 11:45 a. m. and came
to Alexandria, Mimi, about 4 D. m.
From there to where the catastrophe
occurred between Melby and Ashby,
is % miles. The wreck took place
about AIS or 1920 p. m. and it was
said that at that time we were going
at the rate of between so and 60
miles an hour. Nine cars left Min
neapolis and but three came through
to Grand Forks, N. d., six burned
up. The cars were in this order:
Baggage, smoker, day coach, two
tourist cars, diner, two sleepers and
the observation car, nine in all and
the first six burned up.
| was in the smoker at that time,
had had lunch and smoke, and fell
to sleep. / was sleeping when this
miraculous wreck occurred. Miracu-
lous, indeed, because we had fast
speed, on 25 to 80 foot high grade
and five cars left the track, down the
bank into a slough and but one car
turned over, and only one death, the
fireman. What visibly helped us was
partly the very soft condition of the
grade, so that when the cars went
n hn cd
in the sand, and next that the first
three or four cars were in zig-Zag
position. But certainly a strong and
merciful hand above all of us partic-
ipants, was the source of our help.
He commands His angels to service
wherever he wants..
1t was awful when / awoke in the
smoker. The train had left the track
and was going down the grade, doors
were broken loose and thrown in the
aisle and the laundering and roar
| ing of escaping steam from the en-
CINE came right over us and we were
humping and jumping down our way,
the car cracking, breaking, squeak
ing and jolting, and we expected ev-
cry second to be smashed entirely.
| got down between the seats, think
ing thereby to get some protection;
it was looking death in the face.
hope | may be spared from another
experience like it.
The baggage car broke loose and
next came ours, and we landed be-
low and not far from the engine,
which turned over higher up the
bank. Steam, smoke and sand filled
our car and the water from the en-
CINE and tender came swishing down
on us and made me think we had
landed right in front of dam break
and that we now were in peril of be-
ing washed away.
AS the car now stood still got up
and tried to hunt for my valise
could not stand, my head was SWIM
ming, and | swayed and went from
one side of the car to the other. i
found my satchel broke a window
in the rear end, got the door opened
and got out. The day coach was
then burning badly, fire having bro
ken out right after the wreck. What
caused it we don't know. Ladies and
men got in up to their knees in the
slough in getting from the car to
higher ground. / found my things
from the day coach by the track
Some one had carried them there.
lost only my umbrella. / walked
back to one of the sleepers and stay
ed there, and did not go up to the
wrecked cars again as / was afraid
of an explosion from gas in the burn
ing cars. | was very badly shaken
up and in highly nervous condi-
ton. Aside from this l don't think
| was hurt.
About six p. m. we were taken by
a relief train back to Evansville,
where we had supplies and stayed
till five a. M, when the track was
fixed and another relief train from
st. Paul took us to Grand Forks,
where we arrived at eleven a. M, on
the 18th. / consulted doctor and
have stayed in Grand Forks this
week, trying to rest up and get over
it, Will try and work tomorrow
ID. Swenson."