The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-02-01
RAILWAY COLLISION
ADDITIONAL DETAILS OF THE
ACCIDENT ON THE MADI-
SON-BRISTOL LINE.

Bristol linz at 3 o'clock Wednesday
morning, Conductor William Blake
was killed, according to additional re-
ports, when the northbound passen-
ger train for Bristol collided with the
caboose of the stalled snowplow
train, which had preceded the pas
senger out of Madison by four hours.
Mr.. Blake did not expire until Q
o'clock Wednesday afternoon. The
accident took place three miles north
of Garden City.
1t is said the engine of the snow
pillow train was off the track at the
time and that Engineer John Kaiser
satt, Fireman Clifford Hill, Brake
man M. l.. Adkins and Roadmaster
w. II. Crabb were all in the cab to
keep warm.
Brakeman Lars Westby was sent
back to flag the approaching passen-
ger and covered a distance of two
miles in the binding snow and the
biting cold. He took every precau-
ton, it is alleged to warn the pas
senger. such as placing t%orpedoes on
the track at regular intervals and
keeping a sharp lookout.
After distributing the torpedoes
Mr.. Westby placed himself in a po-
sition where he could flag the pas
senger. The snow was sc binding
that the engineer did not see the
signal, 1t is believed, and as the train
rushed past him, Mr.. Westby hurled
his lantern at the cab window in a
vain attempt to attract the engineers
attention. Either the bowling of the
wind or the noise of the wheels I'M
der him prevented the engineer from
hearing the explosions of the tor
Oedoes.
Mr.. Westby, according to reports,
hen walked every step of the way
into Garden City tt warn the people
of what had happened. He suffered
intensely, as it is easy Il guess, and
his progress was slow. In places the
now was so deep as to make walk
ng almost impossible. All this after
he had previously walked two miles
II placing lOrpeuOeS
How far away he was from the ca
boose at the time the crash occurred,
no one knows. 1t is stated. by vari-
gus authorities, that he was back far
enough to warn the train in time. and
he accident happened, not through
he lack of attending to their duties
on the part of either the engineer or
the fireman, but because of the at
mospheric conditions which prevent
ed the keenest eyes from seeing only
the objects extremely close at hand.
Mr.. Blake had been in the cab of
the engine, but had walked back to
the caboose alone and was within at
the time of the collision. The ca
boose was split. according to the re-
ports, and Mr.. Blake hurled out up
on the right of way. He was picked
up by members of the crew and
rushed to a farmhouse nearby. He
died there in the afternoon and the
body was taken TO Bradley by team
shortly after.
Conductor Blake lived in Madi-
son and his niece, Mrs. Letcher, a
widow, kept house for him. He was
estranged from his wife and she, with
his daughter, ii is said, are residing
in Sioux City. He was considered a
popular man among his railroad as
s~ociates and has been in the employ
of the c., M. & st. p. road for over
4 txxro ~ " five roarc Annnnnaanannt &C
to the funeral will be made later.
Engineer John Kaisersatt, of the
snowplow. was only slightly injured,
as far as 1t can be learned, and no
other members of the train crews
were injured. Those in the cabs of
the three engines-the passenger
train was double headed out of Mad
ison-received no more than a shak-
ing up. The passenger train was i'll
charge of Conductor p. ]. Hooval,
Engineers William Larson and Earl
Geer, and Firemen Daniel Hagen and
A. B. Halter.
Passengers on the train were re-
lieved by teams sent out from Garden
| a I IL ok D1Ah6 1aA to ioA az t1t
farmhouses along the track. as are
the train crews. From all that can
be learned, they are as comfortable
and safe as the circumstances permit.
Traffic was "~demoralized" on the
line today and all the regular runs
were annulled. An extra was billed
to go south at 11:20 this morning.
but it vas to carry nc passengers. A
work train went east to Egan to re-
lieve a freight train stalled there and
to haul the train to Jackson If pos
sible.
Every effort is being made to get
the lines clear, but as the wires are
reported down on both the northern
and the western ends Of the division,
it will be another day at least before
the traffic is resumed. The dis
patcher did not dare to run the risk
~ candfpu ont froipc hov;nu M 1iEa