Waupaca Republican01

 

WAUPACA REPUBLICAN

August 25, 1899

 

ALMOST A WRECK  

Sleeper on Fast Train from Chicago Derailed at Gill’s Landing

 

            The fast mail from Chicago, due here at 12:52 a.m. yesterday morning, met with an accident at Gill’s Landing, which was alarming only in its possibilities. As it was, the passengers aboard were considerably shaken up and the engineer and fireman were slightly bruised.

            Just before the train reached the bridge from the east, the tender opened the draw to allow a boat to pass on the Wolf River.  When the bridge is open a switch, known as a derailing switch, is open, so that any approaching train will run off the track and stop before going into the river.

            The bridge tender that night opened the draw for the boat to pass, and in some manner, when he closed the draw, the switch did not close properly.  As the train pulled over the switch all went smoothly until the last sleeper struck the switch.  The car was immediately thrown off the rails and the emergency air was applied, bringing the train quickly to a stand still.  The engineer and fireman, John Curtis and Wm. Doylan, jumped off on either side of the track. Both were slightly bruised and Curtis hurt one of his hands quite badly.  He went back to Waukesha on the next train.  Harry Chapman, who was on another engine, pulled the train through to Stevens Point in the morning.

            After the accident the engine and front end of the train was pulled up to Weyauwega and sidetracked whie the engine and crew went back to get the sleeper back on the track.