The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-09-11
A BAD WRECK
ON P. N. R. R. TAKES
ENGINEERS LIFE
FIREMAN JUMPED AND is IN A
SERIOUS CONDITION AT
LOCAL HOSPITAL.

A disastrous wreck happened just
south of the Pere Marquette depot in
Smyrna Monday afternoon when the
coal tender of Pere Marquette pas
senger train No. 81, commonly called
''the flyer" running ten minutes lat
er than scheduled time, left the track
and striking the switch which led in
onto a side track to the east side of
the station, threw the combination
baggage and smoker and the day
coach which was following it in on
the side track. The speed at which
the train was running made it diff
cult to stop and the tender, acting as
link between the coaches and en-
gine, pulled the latter over on its side
and partially buried it in the earth be-
side the track.
The fireman, Clair Harnden, of
Grand Rapids, when he sized up the
situation, Jumped and in so doing,
| fractured his left arm and sustained
internal injuries among them rup-
tured artery in the right chest,
which made his condition lock very
serious for a time. Engineer James
Robertson, one of the oldest men run
ming an engine, true to the response
bility which hung over him in getting
his passengers through safely, stuck
to his post in an attempt to bring the
train to a stop and was still there
when the engine tipped over and the
heavy load of coal tipping out of the
tender, piled on top of him. He was
conscious when dug out, however, a
! few minutes later. He sustained Sc
we're internal injuries about the back,
head and limbs and had his left foot
very nearly completely cut off just
above the ankle. Engineer Robert
son was taken to Smyrna home and
given first attention there by phvsi-
clans from this city who were rushed
to the scene of the wreck, while Fire
man Harnden was rushed to the Beld-
ing hospital where he was given at
died Monday evening at 1880 o'clock,
while his fireman is still alive and
chances are good for his recovery.
The train is due in this city at 2:22
D. m, and according to an eye wit
ness who was blowing in the field
near by, the train was running no
faster, if as fast, than usual. The
idea was advanced by some that the
water in the tender undoubtedly got
to sloshing around and unbalancing it
let the wheels get off the track and
that after the heavy engine had pass
ed over the switch, the derailed ten
der sprung the locked and closed
switch SO that the coaches which fol-
lowed went in on the side track. How
ever, one remarkable fact stands out
clearly to the credit of the dead en-
gineer, that he so manipulated his
train that he brought it to a stop with
the coaches right side up and without
single injury to any CT the passen-
gers.
Grand Rapids papers stated that
the train had struck an open swith
but this is not true, the switch was
closed as it should be and was open
ed by the derailed tender.
A crowd of people soon collected al
the spot and the wrecking crew were
also there and by morning the dam
aged and overturned engine and the
coaches had been removed and the
\ track repaired. Section men from
all along the line were rushed to the
scene and the work progressed rapid
ly. There was hardly an hour dur
ing the night but that people we're ar.
irving to see how the wreckers work
Engineer Robertson, brave old fel-
low, was one of the oldest engineers
on the Pere Marquette road, havin"
run an engine on this line continuous
ly since 1875. His home was at Grand
Rapids and his family was soon be-
side him at the hospital where he had
been taken. He was however, uncon.
scious at the time that they arrived
and passed away shortly afterwarf
His remains were taken back immed-
tiately to Grand Rapids, where his
funeral will be held Friday afternoon
under Masonic auspices.
Robertson drove the first passenger
} train from Grand Rapids to Saginaw
and at the time of the accident was
driving Pere Marquette engine No
J 383, the same engine which killed the
J Merriett family at the railroad cross
ing just north of Greenville about two
years age, although he was not driv.
! ing it at that time.
J The train was in charge If Con-
ductor Bert Hotchkiss of Grand Rap
ids and the passengers were taker
through to their destination on No. 3E
the regular passenger train which
comes up from Grand Rapids, due
here at 6:44 o'clock.
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