The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1921-03-05
GRAPHIC STORY OF
BIG TRAIN WRECK

One of the most terrible wrecks In
the history of the nation was record
ed according to dispatches. The scene
of the wreck was a crossing on the
line of the Canadian Express and In
terstate Limited and the lines of the
New York Central. The crossing
was diamond shaped which permitted
the train of the New York Central,
which struck as the other train
sprawled across the intersection, to
rake two cars from end to end. in
stead of striking them at right an
giles.
The train of the Michigan Central
missed the block signals which were
set against it and was derailed by the
automatic block. 1t ran ahead on the
across the right of way of the New
York Central with two coaches at
the point of intersection. Running
at sixty miles an hour the New York
Central train came on, the glare of
its headlight foretelling the dreadful
disaster that was to follow. Many o.
the doomed passengers leaped from
their seats. One or two reached the
doors but none escaped the crash.
The New York Central engine was
stripped as it struck, wreckage flying
above the telegraph wires with a
cloud of dust. Witnesses likened the
happening TO an explosion. All the
dead were in the Michigan Central
coaches. Upward of fifty people.
bound for Canadian points, were
aboard the eastbound train. Their
cars were not much damaged. The
New York train was running to Chi
cago.
A statement by the towerman sta
toned near the switch was to the Ell
feet that the block two miles away
was set against the Michigan Central
train while the track was left clear
III tHe NeW ioih iidill. AdllIodu Ol-
ficials stated that Engineer Long, of
Jackson, Michigan, who escaped I'M
hurt, declared he had received a clear
signal and had checked it with his
fireman.
1t was admitted by railroad men
that the engineer of the Michigan
Central had not gone to his home but
was secreted in the neighborhood.
The enginman and fireman of the
New York Central were killed. The
engine crew of the Michigan train
were able to escape because their To-
connective was far from the scene of
the collision.
The story of Edward Fiedkre of
Grand Rapids, Mich, who was stand
ing on the platform of the day coach
just a few feet from the point where
the New York Central engine struck
it and who saw the passengers trying
to escape as they saw the headlight
bearing down upon them, is as fol-
lows:
"The car swayed suddenly and less
the tracks," he said. I'VE bumped
along the ties for a few feet at full
speed.
Couldn't Move From Fright.
From one side / heard blast of
whistle. l looked out. There was an
other train bearing down on us at
full speed.
Il couldn't move. My tongue stuck
up in the roof of my mouth. l tried to
open the door into the day coach to
shout to the people inside. My hand
refused to function.
1T perhaps wasn't over thirty sec
onds between the time | saw that |
train and the moment it hit US. 1t |
was ten years to me.
Side Of Car Buckles In.
"The light from the headlight of
the approaching train made every
hing as bright as day where l stood
thought l was surely going to be
killed.
AS l stood | could see into the day |
coach. On the side the New York
Central train was approaching, l
could see that other passengers had |
seen it. A woman jumped up from
her seat. She held a little girl to
her breast. Men jumped up-one /
started for the door
Then suddenly the side of the car
buckled in. l remember hearing a
scream that I'll never forget. And
then came darkness.
Sees Them Die.
Il was thrown from that platform
nearly fifty feet. l alighted on the
breath knocked out of
ne. When / sat ND the whole middle