New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1916-06-07
PRESENCE OF MIND
.~-AVERTS BAD WRECK
CONDUCTOR ON OMAHA SAVES
PASSENGERS LIVES BY
QUICK WORK
FORMER NEW ULMITE HAS BEEN
IN SEVERAL RAILROAD
4 DIASTERS

TO the presence of mind of Conductor
Joseph Weber, formerly of New Ulm, is
attributed the prevention of loss of
life and serious wreck on the Omaha
road four miles south of Mankato last
Thursday evening, when an entire train
OF steel cars went over on it's side.
Conductor Weber was in the baggage
car, when he noticed a peculiar grind
ing of the wheels. Without hesitation
he pulled the emergency cord and brought
the train to a stop within it's own length.
Eight of the cars were derailed, how
ever, only the diner and mail car re-
naming on the rails. Only three
persons were slightly injured and taken
to Mankato hospital. The cars were
tipped on their sides and leaning up
against the side of the embankment in
, several places. Others were flat on
&heir sides. The fact that the train
was made up of cars of steel construction
no doubt prevented a more DISASTROUS
wreck.
The track was torn up to such an ex-
tent that the trains during Thursday
night had to to be routed by the way of
New Ulm and from here to St. James
over the Minneapolis & St. Louis.
Friday forenoon temporary track was
constructed, enabling trains to pass.
This is not the first wreck Mr.. Weber
has been in, although he is regarded as
one OF the most efficient railroad men on
the Omaha and the wrecks never could
be attributed to his carelessness or
negligence. The worst wreck he was
in was about three years ago, when two
cars OF the same train wrecked last
week went into the ditch at Mendoza,
causing the death of several people and
lnjuring a score or more. At that time
the cars left the track at switch and
plunged headlong into a deep gully
T. he cars stood on end and the tangle
ri human bodies was frightful
Speaking of the recent wreck in an
interview with the Mankato Review
Conductor Weber said: II was in the
baggage car at the time and the train
was running along nicely until we crossed
the Pigeon Hill crossing about a half
mile east of Minneopa Falls, when all
of a sudden the baggage car in which
was riding began to bound and scud
along the ties. I grabbed the emer-
gency cord Immediately and pulled the
same which brought the train to stand
still in it's own length.
'"Then went outside to see what
damage had been done, and found the
entire train derailed. After assisting
in getting the people out of the train,
found that there were but three people
slightly bruised and that no medical as
sistance was necessary.
81 attribute the saving of lives to the
splendid equipment of the train which is
absolutely steel construction through
out. If the cars had been of wood, the
loss of life would have been tremendous,
>,and the number of injured would have
been large, for the train at the time of
the wreck was running about forty miles
an hour.
Passenger train No. IL had just
preceded us to Mankato. AS soon as
I saw how luckily we had all escaped,
went to the home of F. J. Melvin just
across the tracks and telephoned to
Mankato that no medical assistance was
needed, but to send out train to pick
up my passengers. No. IL backed up
to the scene of the wreck and picked up
the passengers and proceeded to Mankato.
81 consider the wreck a very fortunate
one indeed, and you can bet your life
i if it had not been for the splendid steel
equipment, many of us would not be
here to relate the story AS it was
had lively time of it lodging trunks in
the baggage car for time," said Mr..
Weber in closing. ....
Mr.. Weber is son-in-law of Mr.. and
Mrs Henry Fortwengler of Cottonwood
township and well known in New Ulm
Two hoboes were picked up by the po-
lice last Wednesday in the southern end
y 4 ll -