The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-05-07


Lamberton, Mimi, April 29.-Five
persons were killed and twelve in
jured when trains No. SIG and SIT
on the Chicago and Northwestern
railroad met in a head on collision
early today.
The accident is said to have been
caused by misinterpretation of orders,
whereby the trains were supposed to
pass at Sanborn instead of LANDER
ton.
Four cars were wrecked and both
engines.
Orders Were Misunderstood.
The collision occurred at $40 a.
m. according to statements of the
train crew on No. Sic, orders had been
received to meet the Westhoupd- train
No. SIT at Sanborn. When two miles
east of this place the headlight of
the approaching westbound train was
seen. Engineer T. ]. Currey, Waseca.
applied the brakes and with Fireman
Niesser jumped; moment later the
engine of No. SIT plowed into the
eastbound train which had virtually
stopped.
Engines Were Smashed.
The engines were smashed almost
beyond recognition, the boilers driv
ing into each other and twisting to
one side. found Judgement under two
baggage cars, baggage car and the
smoker Of No. 517I
The smoking car, the only wooden
car in the wreck, was telescoped and
began to Turn. Feltz and Augustine,
dead, were riding in this car, but their
bodies were removed ty passengers
before the flames reached them.
d. D,r
The bodies of Clark and Fuller,
conductor and engineer respectively
on train No. SIT, were burned beyond
recognition, but that of Larson, the
fireman, was thrown out of the wreck
age and far enough to one side to
escape the flames.
The spot where the trains met is
on an open track. To. the east is a
curve, but there are no distractions
to the view, according to those who
are familiar with the roadbed at that
point.
Train No. 517 Running at High Speed,
Reported.
Train No. SIG was twenty five min
utes late into Tracy and was speed
ing to make up lost time when it
reached Lamberton, that No. SIT
might not be delayed at Sanborn,
where the crew in charge of the east
bound train understood the meet was
scheduled Although all members of
the crew of train No. SIT, who were
familiar with the orders received,
were killed, it is believed that their
train was racing at high speed to be
on time for the meeting at Lamber
ton, which order, according to the
crew of the eastbound train. had been
cancelled. and a new order isued to
meet at Sanborn.
Engineer And Fireman Jumped.
Six persons were killed and twelve
injured, one seriously, when two pas
senger trains on the Chicago and
Northwestern railroad met in head
on collision two miles east of here at
$40 o'clock this morning. A mis-
take in orders, which should have held
the westbound train at Sanborn for
the passage of the eastbound train
is said to have cause the accident.
Engineer. T. J! Currey of Waseca
and Fireman Niesser of the eastbound
train, saw the approaching west
bound train in time to set their
brakes and jump, both escaping un-
hurt. -.s..
The eastbound train had virtually
stopped when the speeding westbound
train crashed into it, smashing the
wooden smoking car of the eastbound
train to splinter, which caught fire
and consumed the bodies of Engineer
l.. S. Fuller and Fireman e. G. Lar
son, both of Winona, engine crew of
the weStbCund train.