Jackson, Michigan
Train Wreck
October 13, 1893
HORRIBLE R. R. WRECK
Seventeen Passengers Killed and Fifty-two Others
Injured.
THE AIR BREAKS FAILED TO WORK
And Causes a Heavily Loaded Second Section to
Crash Into the First Section Causing Loss of
Life to Many and Serious Injury to Others ---
Every Undertaking Establishment in Jackson is
Overrun With Dead Bodies – List of the Killed.
JACKSON, Mich., Oct. 13. --- One of the most
frightful railroad accidents of the year
occurred here at 9:40 this morning. The second
section of an Oswego special ran into the rear
of the first section, telescoping two coaches,
smashing cars and crushing the life out of
scores of people.
Inside of twenty minutes six dead bodies were
taken out and the work had only been begun. A
wrecking train was just coming to the scene to
shift the cars. The wreck is just east of the
Michigan Central depot on the main track.
Engineer BILL WHALEN, who was running the
last section, in explaining the cause of the
wreck said: “I saw a signal in the yard to keep
back, and had my engine in hand, as I thought,
but when I came down near the train which was
standing still, my air brakes would not work and
I ran into the coaches. The failure of air made
in impossible to stop. I never had such an
experience before.”
WHALEN was badly burned and had one leg
broken, but will live.
All the dead and injured have been taken from
the wreck and the wrecking crew has removed the
cars.
The list of injured reaches fifty-two and the
dead list reaches seventeen. The most of them
are frightfully mangled. Following is a list of
the dead and their addresses.
MAGGIE McMASTER, aged 20, Pennyan, N. Y.
MRS. J. H. KELLER, Hammondsport, N. Y.
MRS. NORTHERN BEARDSLY, Canton, Pa.
MRS. HARRIET BUELL, Pine City, N. Y.
MRS. CHARLES STARR, Elmyra, N. Y.
MRS. DARWIN GIBBS, Wheeler, Steuben county, N.
Y.
JAMES WOODBURY, Bath, N.Y.
MRS. LEONIE WOODBURY, wife of LLOYD WOODBURY,
Bath, N. Y.
An unknown baby found besides MRS. DARWIN
GIBBS. No inquiry up to noon has been made for
the child and it is believed the parents were
killed.
There are two dead at Bolton and Pittsburg
besides the babe. One is a man with dark skin,
flowing gray beard, about 60. There is no means
of identification. The other is a woman of 35,
dark hair, sallow complected, having some sign
of beard on upper lip.
The scene at the wreck and in the town of
Jackson is beyond description. LLOYD WOODBURY,
of Bath, N.Y. , called up the Western Union
Telegraph company at this home and wired the
following: “My father and wife are both killed.
Every undertaking establishment in the city is
overrun with the dead.”
A telephone message from the hospital
physician says all the injured up there are no
worse and seen in no danger of death except
JOHNNA HEALY. The scenes at the wreck were
heartrending. Two lovers on their wedding trip
died in each other's arms. One old man sought in
vain for his wife. He found her among the dead
with her head cut off. He fell and died at her
side with the word “MARY” on his lips.
Aspen Weekly Times Colorado 1893-10-14
Submitted & transcribed by Stu
Beitler Thank you,
Stu!
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