THE WAUPACA REPUBLICAN

September 14, 1906

 

TWO KILLED IN TRAIN WRECK

 

Engine And Tender on the Way to Waupaca From Weyauwega, Jumps Track,

Engineer Armstrong and Fireman McDonald Killed.  Others Hurt.

 

 

     One of the most horrible accidents happening on the Wis. C. Ry., for years took place between one and two o’clock Monday afternoon in which engineer D. C. Armstrong and fireman Earl McDonald who run the engine of the gravel train, lost their lives and other members of the crew on the engine and tender were more or less shaken up and a traveling man for an Oshkosh lumber house had an arm broken and was somewhat scalded by steam and water.

     About one o’clock when at the County Hospital siding the gravel cars and Ledgerwood were act out and as the water was very low it was decided to make a hurried run back to Waupaca to take water and coal and allow the crew to get dinner at their boarding place at Wakefields near the Bowman crossing.

     Ted Zilmer who travels for an Oshkosh lumber house desiring to go to Waupaca in a hurry, happened to appear on the scene and as both the engineer and fireman were friends of Zilmer they invited him to ride in the engine cab.  Stationed on the tender and pilot were road master, J. W. Lyman; conductor, Harry Pettengill; engineer of the Ledgerwood loader, Harry Patch; brakeman, D. C. Dore and also several others.

     It is said the engine was put under terrific speed owing to the water becoming low in the tender and the engineer did not want to waste any time before getting it replenished.  The tender being light it could not keep the track at the speed they were going and when about a half mile east of the Morey farm where the Royalton road crosses the Central the tender left the rails, scattering things for about twenty rods and tearing up the track, breaking the decayed ties and splitting the many good ones.  The tender was then thrown into the ditch and the engine immediately was thrown diagonally across the track on its side, the trucks of both tender and engine being thrown out rods away from where they lay fit subjects for the scrap pile.  The engineer and fireman who had stuck to their posts were buried deep in the sand and gravel on the north side of the track only the head of one and the legs and arm of the other showing, life being extinct no doubt as soon as they struck the ground.  This was engine 221 the same that a year or so ago killed Halverson a member of the section crew near this city.

     Theodore “Ted” Zilmer a traveling man for Mr. Worden an Oshkosh lumber broker had an experience he will never forget.  He was found over in the ditch and marsh quite a piece from the wreck with his left arm broken and his face and head badly disfigured from being scalded.  In the meantime farmers commenced to arrive and offer relief and aid taking the wounded to Waupaca.

     Will Ware drove out and saw a grip with Mr. Zilmer’s name on, as Zilmer is a well known traveler for Mr. Worden of Oshkosh a prominent lumber broker, his wife being formerly Miss Nellie Bowron a cousin of the Pipe’s, he is well known here also a great friend of Ed Nelson, Will Ware and others.  When Will saw the overturned engine and the workmen trying to dig the bodies of the engineer and fireman out from under the wreck he thought perhaps there is where Zilmer was; but on going around he saw the man propped up in the marsh badly scalded and the bone protruding from his scalded right arm above the wrist.  He wasted no time in getting Zilmer in his buggy and down town where Dr. Christofferson already in the business of doing up bruises, contusions, fractures and scalds.  Dr. immediately attended Zilmer his right arm having sustained a double fracture above the wrist and the hand and arm pretty seriously scalded also his face and head and one leg somewhat burned by the hot steam.

     Zilmer said:  “We were going pretty fast, the tender being light it bounded up and down and left the track.  I saw in a few seconds something must give way and all would be ditched.  Engineer Armstrong reversed his engine and as the lantern and things from the tender commenced to fly back into the cab, I saw Armstrong and McDonald prepare to jump.  I could see no place to jump and concluded I better hang to my seat and trust to luck as the tender leaped down the embankment the engine was jerked over on its side I saw that the fireman and engineer would be caught and almost before one could think this was done I was flying upward and landed close to the side of the overturned engine.  I knew then I had sustained a serious  injury to my right arm, the hot steam was roasting me but I had presence of mind enough to roll down the bank into the marsh grass away from the trouble.  I tell you I was glad to get down to Waupaca with Will Ware.  Doc Christofferson got busy when he saw my condition and here I am at the Park Hotel.  I talked with Mrs. Zilmer over the phone and told her I was all right.  But to tell the truth Mr. Editor, I don’t want to ride on an engine going backwards with any light tender again.  No, not any more for me in a life time.”  Tuesday morning George Zilmer came up from Oshkosh to assist in caring for his brother and Mrs. Zilmer is expected later.  He hopes to be able to be removed to his home soon.

     To go back a little Dr. Pelton went out with Sheriff and deputy, Hess with the engine and caboose made up here about two o’clock which carried some workmen to assist in securing the bodies and bringing them in, together with any persons left of the ill-fated wreck.  Section men were busy clearing the track getting ready to lay new ties and rails as soon as they could be brought to them and the wrecking crew was sent for.  Before midnight all was in readiness for the trains held here and elsewhere to be moved forward to their destinations.

     Those who were in the wreck were as follows:  D. C. Armstrong, engineer killed, unmarried aged about 28; has a mother living at De Pere.

     Earl McDonald, fireman aged about 23; killed, father and mother lives at Oshkosh.

     Theo. E. Zilmer, Oshkosh, hurt, particulars above.

     Geo Burke, time keeper, badly bruised.

     E. W. Lyman, road master, arm hurt.

     H. Pettingill, conductor of gravel train, cut about the head.  Lives at Fond du Lac.

     Wm. Mantz, arm broken.  Lives at Rugby Junction, burned about the face.

     H. M. Patch, engineer of the Ledgerwood automatic steam shovel and loader.  Slightly bruised, lives at Stevens Point.

     Geo. P. Winsell, watchman.  Badly sprained leg, lives at Burlington, Wis.

     Henry Ernst, laborer, somewhat bruised.

     Frank Martin, laborer, slightly bruised.  The above it is said lives near here and possibly the Ernst may be a resident of Dayton.

     D. C. Dore, brakeman, back and shoulder sprained, lives at Fond du Lac.

     All the above needing care received personal attention by the local surgeon here and were then transferred to the hospital at Fond du Lac on the first train through where the Central company will foot the bill.

     On the arrival of the engine and caboose with the bodies Monday afternoon Sheriff Hess notified Justice M. B. Scott who under the rules received the sanction of the Dist. Attorney and a coroner’s jury was enpaneled consisting of John Hebblewhite, Chris Jensen, Miller, Hans Yorkson, Philo Gibbons, F. W. Stanton, W. H. Holmes and swore them in.  They viewed the bodies and then undertakers Holly & Sons was directed to prepare them for caskets and shipment to their homes which undesirable task was done decently and in order.  For further hearing the jury adjourned until Tuesday morning at nine o’clock.  No witnesses were sworn but the majority of the jurymen having viewed the wreck and saw the bodies dug out from under the engine were well satisfied how the accident happened and they rendered a verdict for each of the men killed that they were crushed to death by the derailment and overturning of a locomotive on the track and right of way of the Wisconsin Central Railroad Company.

     Claim Agent Harrington was present in the city Tuesday morning to get all the particulars and personal facts connected with the sad event.

     The accident was no doubt caused by the engineer running his engine and tender backward at too high speed and the tender being light for the want of coal and water caused it to jump the track but the poor boys are dead, they are beyond the power of human investigation.

     It is said they were good young men.  Armstrong spent a few weeks at the lakes the past season and made the acquaintance of a number of Waupaca people who say that he was a very genial and worthy young man.  In this awful visitation and death to these men the parents and friends in their respective homes have the sympathy of our people.  The bodies were forwarded Tuesday afternoon to their respective homes - De Pere where engineer Armstrong’s mother and brothers live, and McDonald to Oshkosh where his parents reside.

     George Zilmer accompanied his brother “Ted” to his home in Oshkosh on Thursday.  All the injured as far as heard from are doing nicely.