Morris tribune., 1917-03-23
Engine Coming to Pull Snow Plow
From Big Drift Has Rear End
Collision Saturday
In CUT NEAR AG. SCHOOL
Conductor Dalrymple Has Three Bro
ken Ribs and Fireman McClagan
Injuries Back and Hip

Seven employees of the Northern
Pacific Railroad, all living in Morris,
were injured Saturday morning
when the passenger engine going to
pull the snow plow train from big
drift east of the spur near the Agri-
cultural School farm crashed into
the rear caboose of the stalled train.
The engineer on the passenger train
did not understand the location Of
the passenger train and because of
the snow that was in the air could
not see the snow plow and train un-
til within fifty yards distant. The
passenger engine plowed almost
through the entire length of the ca
boose. Most of the force of the
shock was relieved by the engine
smashing through the pine body Of
the caboose. The snow train was
not moved more than eight inches
altho if it had been pushed one foot
more several men that were working
between the drive wheels of the en-
gines stalled in the snow drift would
have been ground to death by the
drive-wheels.
The men that were hurt are Con-
ductor Dalyrmple, Engineer Barton,
Robert McClagan fireman, Amos
Mumbleau, Oscar Hovend, John
Johnson and Mr.. Getchell. The lat
ter four men all live in Morris and
were in the tender of the passenger
engine when the collision occurred.
They we're a part of the crew cf
shovelers that were taken. Conduct
or Dalyrmple is at the Merchants
hotel suffering with three broken
ribs and numerous bruises. En-
giner Barton injured his shoulder
and Fireman McClagan severely
hurt his back and left hip. Amos
Mumbleau hurt his neck severely
and Oscar Hovend is at his home to-
day with a bruised nose and abra-
siOns on the back of his head, John
son and Getchell were only slightly
injured. McClagan was taken to the
Morris hospital and the rest were
taken to their homes or rooming
houses in the city. Drs. Caine and
Leuty we're called to the wreck and
Bert Betters was the only person
of the snow ploW train crew to see
the, collision. He was coming down
the steps of the rear caboose and
barely had time to jump from the
cabOOse before the passenger engine
struck it. There were several men
in the second caboose. The passeng-
er engine jumped the track and the
rear trucks of the engine are resting
on the rear trucks of the caboose.
The collision upset the stoves in both
cabooses of the snow plow train and
started fires. The train crews were
busy for about twenty minutes fight
ing fire.
1t was originally planned for the
morning passenger train to follow
the snow plow to Little Falls, but
when the plow was stuck in the drift
Conductor Dalrymple was sent back
to get the passenger engine to pull
it out. DR.. G. r. Christianson of Star
buck, was in the cab Of the passenger
engine at the time of the accident
but escaped without a scratch.
Saturday was a bad day to tramp
thru the snow to the scene of the
wreck but nearly every able bodied
citizen made the trip thru the deep
snow and against stiff wind.
| A rotary snow plow was sent from
Little Falls Monday and succeeded in
breaking thru the drifts to Morris
Wednesday morning. The morning
| passenger train, scheduled to leave
here at 7:45 a. M, left Wednesday
noon. AS the passenger engine is
mass of twisted iron lying in the
ditch at the side of the scene of the
wreck, the freight engine was used to
pull the passenger train to Little
| Falls