The Watertown news. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1917-1919, 1919-01-13
q KILLED IN
Limited WRECK
New York Central Flyer Crashes
Into the Wolverine Ex-
press.
FLARE SIGNALS DISREGARDED
Although Both Trains Were Composed
of Modern Steel Cars, the Two
Rear Sleepers Were TeIe-
scoped, Force Was SO
Terrific

passengers were killed and 10 injured
on the Wolverine express of the New
York Gen raj when the Southwestern
Limited of the same road crashed into
1t in rear-end collision at South By
ron, 30 miles east of Buffalo.
The last two sleeping cars of the
Wolverine were telcscOped.
Those identified are:
Franklin E. Leonard, believed to
have lived in Bear Lake, Mich. Iden-
titled by tag with Inscription "a E.
P, 1917, A. F. & A. M. lodge No. 416."
S. d. Harvey, address not learned.
Identified by service ring showing
service on the Mexican border, which
bears the inscription IS. D. Harvey,
Sergeant, Company F, Thirty-second
Michigan infantry"
Ballard Jones, New York city, negro
porter on demolished sleeper.
Seriously injured at Batavia hos
pital:
Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Lickerman,
Chicago.
Mrs. Frances Dougherty, Flint,
Mich.
Bodies Crushed.
Among the unidentified dead are
four women. In nearly every case the
upper part Of the body was so badly
crushed that recognition OF the facial
feature Is impossible. The Genesee
county coroner said there was no
means of Identification unless relatives
Of the dead would examine the cloth
ing and tattoo marks on several Of the
bodies.
The Southwestern Limited was un-
der the charge of ali experienced en-
CINE driver, who mas spent several
years on the Syracuse division. The
fagman of the Wolverine says when
his train stopped he went back the
proper distance and set red fuse be-
tween the RAILS.
The automatic signals, according to
railroad officials, were tested imlned-
ately after the accident and found to
be working properly. In the ordinary
course there would be two automatic
signals set against the engine driver
of the approaching train beside the
torch which was set by the fiagman of
the Wolverine.
Investigation Starts.
A rigid investigation was immedi-
ately started to determine the respOn-
sibility for the collision.
South Byron is Il few miles beyond
Batavia, and the injured were hurried
to the hospital at Batavia on a special
relief train, which had carried every
available physician to the scene of
the wreck few minutes after word of
it was received in Batavia
Both the Wolverine and the South
western Limited were composed of all
steel cars of the most modern and
strongest construction. Yet so great
was the force of the collision that the
last car was driven into the one be-
fore it, telescOping both.
All the passengers killed or wound
ed were in these cars and asleep at
the time. Both trains were west
bound from New York, the Wolverine
on it's way to Chicago and the other
to st. Louis.
The second section of the Wolver-
inc had stopped to take on an extra
engine The fiagmGn. witnesses agree,
went back about 80 car lengths, as is
customary. and set his fuses burning.
Overruns Burning Signal.
The Southwestern Limited came
tearing along through the night at high
speed overrunning the burning fuses,
according to the flagman and crashing
into the rear of the Wolverine.
The two cars were twisted about so
that three of the four tracks at his
point were blocked with wreckage
The passengers in the four sleeping
cars ahead were shaken up badly and
in some instances were thrown from
their berths, but because of the stanch
construction Of the cars escaped seri-
GUS injury.
None Of the passengers on board
the Southwestern Limited was killed
or injured.
AS fast as the injured passengers
were extricated from the wreckage
they were wrapped in blankets and
hurried aboard the relief train, for it
was bitter cold, and this added to the
sufferings of those pinned in the
wreckage.
AS soon as possible the Wolverine
with it's unchanged cars proceeded
TO Buffalo, while the Southwestern
Limited was continued on TO ST Louis
prevent Diseases.