Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-03-03
Many So Muti!ated Identification
Is Said to Be Impossible.
81 HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED
Indiana Railway Commissioners Start
investigation at Scene of catas-
trophe, While Michigan Central
Opens Probe at Niles, Mich.


and clothing jumbled together in u
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
wreckage 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, engineer and fire
man of the Michigan Central train the
principal witnesses in any investi-
cation, 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 ha
been travelling toward Chicago through
the darkness at so miles an hour
when it reached the crossing. Stimuli
taneously the Michigan Central train,
which had missed block signal and
struck derail near Porter on it's east
bound journey, was humping over the
ties to a stop across the right of way
of the Interstate limited.
The wooden day coach of the Michi
gan Central train was Squarely IN
the path of the Oncoming locomotive
The electric headlight warned the &C
cupants of the coach of their danger
too late. They started from their
seats. Some leaped to the DOORS But
none escaped.
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-
tenn of signals. The Michigan Cen
trails first signal is 4,78O feet from the
crossing. The New York Central sig
nails are approximately the same dis
lance.
There also is a buzzer 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.
A freight train and engine stood on
the sidetrack. Smoke from this en-
CINE is believed to have blocked out
the home signal, which was set against
the Michigan Central.
Revised List of Identified Dead.
Howard Arney, Cleveland, O.; Fan
ME f. Ballou, Wheaton, ILL.,; Mrs. Lii
liam Baehr, Michigan City, wife of J.
w. Baehr; Mrs. George Baker, Michi-
gan City; Mrs. Emma Bevier, Angus
ia, Mich. Peter Cain, Regina, Sas-
katchewan; Gordon Campbell, Revel-
stroke, B. c.; T. J. 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; Ar
thur c.. Eckman, two, nephew of Mrs.
Baehr; C. W. Engler, Detroit, Michi-
gan Central accountant; Mrs. Richard
Eva, identified first as June Camp
bell; e. NJ. Giddings, Kirby, WyO.;
C. III. Goldstein, Detroit; Mrs. G. Ell.
1Goldstein, Detroit; woman believed to
be Mrs. Giddings; Louis Heck, Jack
son, Mich; Claude Johnson, Elkhart,
Ind, engineer New York Central train
Mrs. Barnhart Kramer, Michigan City
Fred Leggett, Niles, Mich; Samuel
Livingston, Chicago; - McCray,
Chicago; Mrs. Sarah Moss, Montreal :,
Esther Louise Miller, address I'M
known; A. Matthews, Muskoda, Wis.,;
Mrs. - McCray, Chicago; ]. l.. Null
Ter, Elkhart, Ind; Mrs. J. L. Muller,
Elkhart, Ind; Mrs. Fred SchWier,
Michigan City; Schwier, three,
infant of Mrs. Schwier; Mrs. Ralph
See, Michigan City; Addison Van
Ripper, Michigan City; Mrs. Addison
Van Ripper, Michigan City; - Wool
er, Detroit.