1892 – March 1, passenger and “shop train” collide, workmen killed, Milwaukee, WI– 7

–7 Eastern State Journal, White Plains, NY. “History of 1892.” 12-31-1892, p. 1.
–7 Janesville Gazette, WI. “Seven Workmen Killed in Milwaukee’s Wreck.” 3-2-1892, p. 1.

Narrative Information

March 2: “Milwaukee, March 2 – The inquest on the seven deaths caused by last night’s accident began today. On Switchman Barthels’ shoulders most of the blame is likely to rest. The full list of the dead is as follows:

Dueringer, Joseph, aged 28 years, single.
Duesing J. F., aged 60 years, married.
Grundskowski, John, aged 30 years.
Kabasinski, Stanislaus, aged 28 years.
Preiss, Frank, aged 28 years.
Wagner, Paul, aged 40 years, single.
Weiss, Robert, aged 24 years, single.

“The horror which was caused by the switchman’s criminal neglect occurred shortly before 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon in the St. Paul freight company’s freight yards at the foot of Nineteenth street. A train of seven box-cars from the West Milwaukee ships, bearing more than 300 laborers and mechanics who had quit work on the ‘short shift’ at 3:30 o’clock, was speeding along to town at a rate of fourteen miles an hour on the south main track. The Watertown passenger was running parallel to the ‘shop train,’ as it is called on the middle track, when it veered from its course over a misplaces switch and crashed into the heavily laden shop train.

“The passenger engine struck the shop train just in the rear of the first car, which was, however, only splintered and remained on the track with the engine. The other three cars were thrown off the track by the passenger and baggage car and dragged along the track for several yards.

“Engineer James Little, who has grown gray in the service of the St. Paul road, was the man who handled the lever of the Watertown local engine. Mr. Little tells his story of the wreck as follows:

We had seven minutes to make the run from Merriam Park to the depot, a distance of about two and one-half miles, and you can see that we were traveling pretty fast. As I neared the switch at Nineteenth street I saw the target and knew at once that the switch was misplaced. The target on this switch is flat on the ground and cannot be seen from a great distance. Quick as thought, I had reversed my engine, another second and the crash came.

“Neither the engineer nor the fireman left his post, and both escaped without a scratch. The only damage that resulted to their engine was a broken cylinder head. The engine jumped clear off the track and settled in the roadbed almost as level as if it had remained on the track. Strangely enough none of the cars were badly wrecked. Very little expense will be necessary to put them in complete repair.

“Barthels gave himself up at the Central Police station at 9 o’clock. He was accompanied to the station by his wife and his father.” (Janesville Gazette, WI. “Seven Workmen Killed in Milwaukee’s Wreck.” 3-2-1892, p. 1.)

Sources

Eastern State Journal, White Plains, NY. “History of 1892 – The Chronological Record of a Memorable Year….Demons of Destruction.” 12-31-1892, p. 1. Accessed 2-6-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/white-plains-eastern-state-journal-dec-31-1892-p-1/

Janesville Gazette, WI. “Seven Workmen Killed in Milwaukee’s Wreck.” 3-2-1892, p. 1. Accessed 2-7-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/janesville-gazette-mar-02-1892-p-1/