The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-12-26

FORD, Ore.
Mrs. r. kearN, Waseca.
n. Howe. ST. Charles.
Carl r. Mike, La Crosse.
c. w. Twiss, Rochester.
L. Williamson, La Crosse.
Bud Scheffer, Chicago.
J. D. Wilson, indianapolis, Ind.
) Charles Mills, Chicago.
LIT was the worst wreck ever
aw on this division" Conductor c.
A. Richardson of the Northwestern
Dad. in charge OF passenger train
10. SIC, the greater part of which
oiled into the ditch near Sanborn
esterday morning, stated last even
ng as he passed through Mankato
or his home in Winona.
''S'seel coaches are all that pre-
'ented many fatal inj1ries," he de-
I. Had wooden coaches rolled into
We ditch they would have been
plintered all to pieces. | consider
re got out of it pretty lucky as it
vas, pretty lucky"
Conductor Richardson was cut
bout the head and face in the acct
lent With him in Mankato last
evening was Brakeman Floyd Smith.
Ir. \Smith's head was swathed in
,andages. When the train went over
he embankment he was in the smok
with Conductor Richardson The
Sudden lurch pitched him headlong
through the transom above the door.
lie was proceeding to his home cat
vinona last evening.
All over in Second.
Conductor Richardson declared the
Whole affair happened so suddenly
hat twas all over before anyone
ealiZed exactly what had occurred.
Il was in the smoker when it hap
9ened," he said. I'VE were going
llong all right one minute, the next
sc were over a fifteen foot embank
nent in the ditch. | don't know yc
What did happen, what caused it."
Trainmen said the train was going
long on a straight track, two and a
(lalf miles out of Sanborn, the wreck
ccurred at exactly 5:35 a. m. AT
5:2S the train left 'Sanborn. There
:ere eight coaches and 102 people
IN the train. not including the train
coaches when the big crash occurred.
One sleeper and the mail car Were
all that remained on the tracks, the
est going down the bank and rolling
lver on the side. The two engines,
orning the double header, were
turned directly crosswire of the
tracks.
Train in Darkness.
When the coaches went off the
track the train was, of course, in
complete darkness. Trainmen, as
soon as they realized what had hap
pened, cautioned passengers against
lighting any matches for feax that
escaping Gas might be ignited. Grad
ually, as daylight came, the injured
were carried back to the sleepers,
-.hich were kept as warm as pos
sible. The special train from Spring
field arrived about seven o'clock, with
doctors from New Ulm, Sleepy Eye
and Springfield.
Passengers were all loaded on the
special and taken back to Springfield
where they were fed and arrange
ments made to take those seriously
hurt to the. hospital there or nearby
where they could be cared for
l. Company Was Thoughtfuk
THE railroad company did every
thing possible for the comfort and
assistance of the passengers and they
I, all felt 1t was fortunate more did
not sustain> serious injuries" one OF
the trainmeh stated.
at was bleak looking sight" said
enc of the members of the crew oil
the special train that went to the as
sistance Of No 5i6 "Out on the
windswept prairie there. cold and
splitting snow, with the track torn up
engines crosswise of the rails and the
coaches piled down in the ditch N
certainly looked ugly for while. n
was the worst looking wreck / ever
saw"
and William Hack, express messen-
ger on the train we're amongthe most
seriously injured. Both men live in
Winona Van Horne was buried un
der a pile of trunks and sustained in
juries to his back and body and it is
thought was badly injured internally
William Hack was not the regular
messenger, but was acting as q sub
stitute on that trip. IT is understood
that he was struck by big steel
safe which stood in the corner OF
the baggage car This was fastened
to the floor by steel bands but the
sudden lurch of the, train snapped the
bands and is crashed across the car
Frank Manlcy. ticket takey> on the
train. narrowly escaDed injury mir
Manly was proceeding through the
aisle In the last day coach when the
train went on the track. Just as he