The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1915-06-10
FOUR VICTIMS OF
RAILROAD WRECKS
DEATH LIST FROM ACCIDENTS ON
MILWAUKEE AND OMAHA
INCREASED.
DIES ON WAY TO HOSPITAL
Enqineer Thomas Sheehan Succumbs
to Injuries Received Near Hudson,
Wis.-Divers Find Body of Chas.
r. Brooks at Lake City.

Lake City, June 8.-The death list
from the railroad wrecks of Saturday
night caused by washouts on the Mil
waukee at Lake City and the Omaha
near Hudson, was brought to our
when wrecking crews discovered the
body of Charles r. Brooks Of White
water, Wis, in the wreckage at Lake
City, and Engineer Thomas Sheehan
of the Omaha train died while being
taken to st. Luke's hospital in st.
Paul. two men were injured.
The bodies of Wilbur p. Taber, 2621
Bloomington avenue, Minneapolis, en-
gineer, and Ray F. Brobert, $50 st.
Anthony avenue, st. Paul, fireman, on
the Milwaukee train, were located
in the cab of their engine, which is
still under water in the deep ravine
into which it plunged. Divers from
La Crosse located the bodies, but they
were pinned in the cab and could not
be e~xtricated.
Body Found by Divers.
The body of Brooks was found by
the divers. Brooks, 1t is thought,
was beating his way on the blind bag
gage of the Milwaukee train. He
was a carpenter and had been employ
ed at Red Wing, but went to Lake
City Saturday to look for work, and
1T is thought was on his way back to
Red Wing. He was 80 years old,
The body was taken to Red Wing.
Roy Fitzsimmons of La Crosse, ex-
ira fireman on the Milwaukee, had a.
narrow escape from death. He had
been riding or the engine and was on
his way to the baggage cal to eat his
lunch when the wreck occurred. He
was thrown into the ravine ahead Of
the engine and was carried into he
Mississippi rver. With his left leg
broken and a bad cut on his head he
swan until he caught hold of a small
tree. Passengers on the train heard
his cries for help but were powerless
to assist him. Finally a farmer set
out in a row boat and brought him to
shore. He had been in the water more
than an hour and was nearly exhaust
Su' ~ was Idhcu W a IllIlOuSo
and medical attention by a physician
summoned from Lake City. His con-
dition is said to be critical.
Fireman Seriously Hurt.
Frank Gault, fireman on the Omaha
train, is in a serious condition at ST.
Luke's hospital in st. Paul. Sheehan.
engineer, was badly scalded by water
from the engine boiler, and died on the
relief train. Both men live in AL
toona, Wis.
j. W. Lacey, the Wells Fargo ex-
press messenger. thought killed, has
been located in Minneapolis. He lives
at 1025 Nicoliet avenue Lacey was in
the forward express car, which was
ditched and like Fitzsimmons was on
his way to the baggage car to eat his
lunch. He had just stepped into the
baggage car vestibule when the wreck
occurred. He was slightly bruised by
the shock.
All traffic on the river division of
the Milwaukee was blocked. The
bridge, which was washed out by the
~cloudburst, was of reinforced concrete.
The ground at that point is in such
shape that a detour track cannot be-
installed, so a temporary bridge will
have TO be constructed. Three wreck
ing crews worked all day and all night
clearing away the wreckage of the
mail and express car and putting in
the new bridge.
Worst Wreck On Division.
Two trains on the Milwaukee road,
both of which were coast trains, were
routed over the Omaha. The wreck
age there was cleared by 3 a. M, the
engine, one baggage and one mail car
having been deraiied. As the Burling-
ton route was washed out badly across
Lake Pepin from Lake City at Stock
holm and Maiden Rock, Wis, it was
III a. m. before service was resumed.
Two trains on that road were also
sent over the Omaha. After the Bur-
lingtor tracks were repaired all Mil
waukee trains were sent by that route
to La Crosse, where they joined the
Milwaukee system again.
The wreck on the Milwaukee is de-
clared by officials of the road to have
been the worst on the river division.