The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1933-12-21
Six Persons
Are Killed bv
N. P. Train
Entire Big Lake Family Kill
ed Sunday Enroute Home
From Church
SIX LIVES SACRIFICED
Highway Was Clearly Mark
ed; 3 Women, 2 Children,
Man, Victims

Big Lake, Dec. 18-4Six persons,
five of them members Of one Sher-
burne county farm family, were
killed outright Sunday night in an
automobfle-trai crash at highway
No. rs and the Northern Pacific
tracks in Big Lake, Mimi, 40 miles
north Of Minneapolis. The dead are:
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Magney;
their two sons, Ansel, 16 years old,
and Melvin, II; a daughter, Ethel,
and Mrs. Knute Vein, a friend
and neighbor.
The Magneys and Mrs. Vein
were returning from Sunday night
services at the English Lutheran
church at Big Lake. To drive to
their farm homes, 10 miles north
Of Big Lake, they travelled several
blocks north on No. rs to the inter-
section with the Northern Pacific
tracks. They intended turning on
to highway No. 3 just across the
railway tracks.
The crossing Is in the center Of
Big Lake and a line of cars, COM
ing from the church services, was
moving along the highway. The
car with the Magneys and Mrs.
Vein brought up the rear.
Hit by the second section Of
the Northern Pacific eastbound
train No. 2, the car was thrown
about IS feet. Several of the bod
les were picked up 100 feet away.
The highway is clearly marked at
the crossing with a stop sign and
bell which was in operation at the
time Of the accident, officials said.
It is believed the driver of the
car, seeing others driving across,
thought he had plenty of time to
cross in front of the approaching
train.
Big Lake is in Sherburne county,
north Of Elk River on highway No.
3. The bodies were taken to a Big
Lake funeral establishment. Mrs.
Vein is survived by her husband.
The entire Megney family were
killed.
Emil Zindars, Of Big Lake told
authorities he tried frantically 10
stop the Magney car as 1t approach
ed the crossing. Nndars, with his
wife and several others was wait
ing for the train to pass. He said
two automobiles had stopped but
Magney, continuing at a slow pace,
drove on up to the tracks.
In telling how he attempted to
warn Magney, Zindars said: II was
standing right near the tracks with
my wife, my 5-year-old child, Ruth
Hall, and 1O-year old Irva CARRIER,
waiting for the train to pass.
There are no gates there but the
bell was ringing" he said. with
the windows Of an automobile
closed, Of course, it would be hard
for a driver to hear. Two automo-
piles drove up and stopped at the
tracks.
II saw car coming down the
middle Of the road" Zindars con-
tinued. II figured the driver might
not stop SO stood at the side OF
the road and hailed him. I waved
my hand thinking he would see
me and stop. I didn't get out in the
middle Of the road because I was
afraid I might get run down. The
highway was slippery.
He wasn't coming fast at all and
II can't understand why he didn't
stop. But maybe he didn't see me
hailing him. Just as he got near
the tracks he speeded up his car,
evidently realizing train was ap-
preaching and thinking he might
be able to get by.
"Then there was a big crash"
Zindars continued. THE train
struck the car squarely in the mid
die. The automobile bounced abou.
20 feet and came down near the
depot 100 feet away. It was an aw-
full sight"