Evening star., 1945-08-10
More Than 70 Killed
50 Hurt in Train Crash
In North Dakota
Py the Associated Press.

Ry the Associated Press.
MICHIGAN, N. Dak., Aug. TO-
Seventeen bodies were recovered
today from the wreckage Of an
observation car into which a To-
comotive plowed as the two sec
tions of the Empire Builder,
Great Northern trans continen-
tai train, collided here last night,
killing more than 20 and injur-
ing so more, Is of them seriously.
Railroad officials said the bodies
of women, 10 members of the
armed forces and a Negro porter
were recovered. One of the women
was identified as Mrs. L. H. Lofthus.
wife of Ensign L. H. Lofthus, of
Lowell, Wash. The porter was J.
Pearson of Chicago, who was on
duty on the combination observa-
tion-sleeper.
John Cameron, Dakota Division
said he had seen
the bodies of 8 other passengers in
the wreckage. He said they were
those Of women, 4 men and o.
child. This would establish the
dead at Is.
Hotbox Caused Delay.
A railroad spokesman said the
collision occurred on a curve a
short distance west of the Michigan
station shortly before 7 pm. after
the first section had stopped for a
hotbox on the locomotive. With a
crash which shook every house in
this community of less than 500l
population, the speeding second
section plowed into the rear end
Of the, train. 1yaabr-5 - dos. 81
The first section, which normally
preeedes the second by Is minutes,
previously had stopped at Peters
burg, 6 miles east of Michigan, be-
cause of hotbox.
At Michigan, the railroad spokes-
man said. the fiagman had time
only to get six or eight car lengths
behind the train before the second
section bore down on it.
near Gar IelcScOped.
The rear car Of the standing train,
a combination sleeper and observa-
tion car, was telescoped, its furnish
ings and berths jammed into a COM
pact mass at its front while the cars
steel shell remained superimposed
on the locomotive of the following
train.
Train attendants estimated n
persons occupied the cars two por-
tions.
Definite check of the number of
injured was difficult as they were
scattered among half dozen
communities which
have hospital facilities, completely
lacking here. Michigan has mol
doctor.
John Burnham, a staff corre-
spondent for the Fargo, N. Oak,
Forum, who was at the scene, said
only two men among the passengers
on the ill-fated car escaped. These
were an unidentified sailor and SOL
dier who saw the second section
bearing down on them and jumped,
the soldier suffering severe cuts in
going through a window.
Coroner Graham said an inquest
would be held today, with the en-
gineer and fireman of the second
section, both of whom survived, to
be called as principal witnesses.
Engine Crew Uninjured.
H. E. Nelson, Grand Forks, N.
OAK, the engineer, although suf-
fering from shock, was pulled un-1
hurt from his cab which was be-
meath the steel observation car shell.
The fireman, George Harris, also
from Grand Forks, saw the crash
coming and leaped from the cab.
G. w. Moore, advertising manager
for the Great Northern. said each
train carried II steel cars, and that
all but four we're movable. These
18 cars, with the unhurt passengers
aboard, proceeded west in a single
unit, pulled by the engine of the
first train, Mr.. Moore said.
The accident was the first in
which a passenger had been killed
on the Great Northern since 1919,
Mr.. Moore said.
Because the majority of the casu-
alties were reported to be service
men. Capt. F. E. Wood at Fort
Smelling, Mimi, said the Army was
prepared to send a first aid party to
the scene by air transport as early
as weather conditions permitted.