Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-03-03
Many Remains SO Mutilated lden-
| LITIGATION Is Said to Be
Impossible.
THIRTY SEVEN IDENTIFIED
Michigan Central Opens Investigation
at Niles, Mich. - Indiana Railway
Commissioners are Conducting a
Quiz at Scene of Catastrophe.


were taken to the Chesterton morgue.
Many of the bodies were so mutilated
Identification was said TO be impos-
sible. One batch of human remnants
and clothing jumbled together in a
basket was officially labeled zone
body"
The last body was believed to have
been taken from the wreck last night
when the New York Central locomo-
tive was undermined.
The task of clearing tracks of
wleckage practically has been ended.
The New York Central locomotive,
which charged through two day pas
senger coaches of the Michigan Cen
trail train, was lifted by special ma
chinery last night.
Railroad Begins Probe.
The Michigan Central investigation
of the catastrophe began behind closed
doors at the Offices of the Niles divi-
siOn headquarters.
Long and Block, the principal wit
nesses in any investigation which may
be started, were taken to Niles in a
special train from Michigan City. Of
ficials of the railroad were reported
hurrying to Niles from all parts of
the country.
The New York Central train had
been travelling toward Chicago through
the darkness at so miles an hour
when it reached the crossing. Stimuli
81, tn
which had missed a block signal and
struck a derail near Porter on its east
bound journey, was humping over the
ties TO stop across the right of way
of the Interstate limited.
Wooden Coach Trap.
The wooden day coach of the Mich
| igan Central train was squarely in
the path of the Oncoming locomotive.
The electric headlight warned the oc-
cupants of the coach of their danger
too late. They started from their
! seats. Some leaped TO the doors. But
none escaped. In an instant the power
fui engine had struck.
/ Two Michigan Central coaches were
| hurled westward from the rails more
than fifty feet Three other cars OF
| the Canadian limited were turned
over on their sides. Both tracks were
strewn with scraps of iron and wood
and the bodies of the victims.
The darkness and the immense
amount of wreckage spread across the
! junction made rescue work almost i'm
possible until dynamite had arrived
and the mass of debris could be
! lOoSened
Indiana Authorities Investigate.
Investigation by the Indiana public
railway commissioners shows both
railroads equipped with a block sys-
TEN of signals. The Michigan Cen
trails first signal is Also feet from the
crossing. The New York Central sig
nails are approximately the same dis
lance.
There also is huZZer system, on
the Michigan Central the alarm being
5000 feet from the crossing and on
the New York Central 1000.
The first train to enter the buzzer
system is automatically registered in
the crossing tower and the signals set
by hand against trains on the other
road.
The New York Central train came
into the block nearly a minute before
the Michigan Central train and the
towerman gave the New York Central
crew the right of way. Meanwhile the
Michigan Central engineer had passed
the first signal before il was turned
against him.
A freight train and engine stood or
the sidetrack. Smoke from this en-
CINE Is believed TO have blocked ou'
the home signal, which was set agains
the Michigan Central.
The Michigan Central train hit III,
derail, which clearly showed that tn,
block had been set against il. aAC
plowed over the ties and tracks, tear
Ing them up as II went across the New
York Central right of way.
! Revised List of Identified Dead.
; Howard Arney, Cleveland, O.. Fan
. ME +. Ballou, Wheaton, ILL.,. Mrs. Ill
liam Baehr, Michigan city, wife of ]
w. Baehr; Mrs, George Baker. Michi
gan City; Mrs. Emma Bevier, Angus
tn. Mich; Peter Cain, Regina, Sas
katchewan: Gordan Campbell. Revel
stoke Il. c.; I. ]. Campbell. eighteen
Pearl Cavanaugh, nine, Michigan City
niece of Mrs. See; Justin Collins, Lon
don, Ont; Mrs. Justin Collins, Lon
don, Ont: Karl Deland, Elkhart. Ind
fireman New York Central train: Al
thur c. Eckman, two, nephew of Mrs
Baehr; C. w. Engler, Detroit, Mich
: gan Central accountant; Mrs. Richar
Eva. identified first as June CamI
: bell: +. NJ. Giddings. Klrhky. wyo.
y c. II. Goldstein, Detroit; Mrs. c. L
, GoldStein, Detroit; woman believed Z
! be Mrs. Giddings; Louis Heck. Jacl
= son, Mich; Claude johnson. Elkhar
Ind, engineer New York Central train