1942 — Oct 28, Bus with children/workers goes past flashing lights, hit by Train, Detroit, MI– 16

–16 AP. “16 Die, 20 Hurt as Detroit Bus is Hit by Train.” Joplin Globe, MO, 10-29-1942, p. 1.
–16 AP. “Bus Driver Charged With Manslaughter.” Escanaba Daily Press,” MI, 11-28-1942, 16.
–16 AP. “Driver of Bus To Face Court.” Ironwood Daily Globe, MI. 10-30-1942, p. 1.
–16 AP. “Launch Investigation of Detroit Bus Tragedy.” Ludington Daily News, MI. 10-29-1942, 1.
–16 AP. “Train Hits Bus, 16 Killed.” News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, MI, 10-28-1942, p. 1.
–16 BrainyHistory.com. October 28, 1942 in History.
–16 Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). 1982, p. 424.
–16 Historyorb.com. Today in Michigan History.
–16 UP. “Prosecutor Probing Bus-Train Crash.” Marshall Evening Chronicle, MI. 10-29-1942, 1.

Narrative Information

Oct 28: “(By Associated Press)

“Detroit, Oct. 28 – Sixteen persons, including several school pupils were killed this morning as a passenger train sliced through a crowded Detroit street railways motorbus. Bodies were strewn along the tracks for two blocks, and some were mangled against the front of the locomotive as the train, a Grand Trunk Western passenger train arriving from Chicago, pulled to a stop a quarter mile past the crossing.

“The bus, driven by William F. Clos of Detroit, had stopped at the Caniff avenue crossing while a northbound freight train passed.

“Eye-witnesses said that electric flasher signals were operating, but that after the freight passed, the bus started across the tracks into the path of the southbound passenger train.

Bus Cut In Half

“The front end of the bus cleared the tracks, but the locomotive smashed through the vehicle at its middle doors, cutting it in half. Most of the dead were passengers in the rear end of the buss.

“Schoolbooks of the younger passengers on the bus were scattered along the right-of-way. Many of the bodies, some decapitated and others with limbs severed, were impossible to identify immediately.

“The front end of the bus, hurled aside as the train struck it, was left on its side close to the intersection. The rear end was smashed to fragments and scattered.

“Fred A. Nolan, general manager of the municipal owned Detroit transportation system, said it was the worst accident in DSR history. The bus was one of the regular Plymouth-Southfield line.

Towerman Describes Scene

“Joseph Levinski, operator in a tower at the southeast corner of the intersection, told how he watched the bus start up after the freight passed. ‘The red flasher lights were still working,’ he said. ‘The passenger train was coming fast, southbound, with the engine whistle screaming. I saw this bus start up. I knew it would do no good, but I leaned out of the tower and yelled. I yelled my head off. The bus went right in the path of the train, and there was an awful splintering crash, and then screams.’

“Mary Alla, 12, one of the bus passengers who escaped with slight injuries, said ‘I was in the front end of the bus and all I know is that there was a crash and then I fell down and then somebody cut through a piece of wood and picked me out.’

“Employees of a coal office, against which the front end of the bus was hurled, said two nuns were among the few passengers who were not injured.

Driver In Custody

“Clos, the bus driver who is 25 years old, has been a regular coach operator for two years. He was taken to the police station in suburban Hamtramck for questioning. Nolan said Clos was unable to tell a coherent story of the accident.

“The crash occurred at the Detroit-Hamtramck boundary, on the Hamtramck side. The front end of the bus was tossed into Detroit territory by the locomotive.

“The train, a through passenger from Chicago by way of Durand, Mich., was in charge of John Irwin, conductor; W. McDaniels, engineer, and S. Babcock, fireman, all of Durand.

“Frank Lyman, terminal superintendent of the Grand Truck Western railroad, began an immediate investigation of the tragedy.

“Arthur Curtis, of Detroit, who was in a private passenger car alongside the bus, said that ‘I saw the bus start up as the freight train cleared. I caught a glimpse of the approaching passenger train and threw my hands over my eyes and the next thing I heard was an awful crash.’ Curtis’ car was wrecked as the bus swung sidewise into it, but he escaped injury.

“The accident occurred shortly before 9 a.m. when many children were enroute to schools….Officers worked for nearly an hour to extricate the bodies of several youths who apparently were enroute to classes at Detroit’s Northwestern high school.

“Along the right of way were found the bodies of five women and of two other persons which at first could not be determined to be either man or woman….

“The first identified dead were :

Norbert Turowski, 25, Hamtramck.
Robert W. Beith, 17, Detroit.
Gene Chelbnik, 17, Hamtramck.
Pearl Jones, age and address unavailable, who died in Receiving hospital.

“At least 26 persons were injured sufficiently to require hospital treatment.” (AP. “Train Hits Bus, 16 Killed.” News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, MI, 10-28-1942, p. 1 and 10.)

Oct 28: “Detroit, Oct. 28. – (AP) – Sixteen persons were killed and more than a score injured, several critically today when a Detroit street railways motor bus, jammed to its doors with school children, office workers and factory employees, was ripped in two by a passenger train….

“Marie Giles, 21, a passenger seated directly behind the bus driver, told how standing riders obscured his vision. ‘There was a car ahead of the bus,’ she said. ‘When the freight train cleared, this car started across. The bus driver asked the people jammed against the front door if everything was clear. He could not see for himself; the bus was too crowded. The people said ‘all clear’ and he started across. ‘All of a sudden I saw the train coming. Then there was a nightmare. I don’t know how I got out alive.’

Fourteen Bodies Identified.

“Fourteen of the sixteen bodies had been identified early tonight. They were those of: [We change to alphabetical order and place in list.]

Robert W. Beith, 17, seminary student of Detroit ;
Eugene Chelbnik, 15, Detroit hi school sophomore;
Miss Helene Chocianowicz, 17, Detroit high school senior;
Mrs. Helen Druzgalski, 45, Detroit;
John Feschuk, 15, Detroit high school student;
Miss Clementine Gazda, 20, Detroit department store clerk;
Mrs. Pearl Jones, 38, Detroit;
Mrs. Easter Kemp, 36, Detroit;
Mrs. Marie Le Fever, 35, Detroit school teacher;
Roger Leleman, 19, University of Detroit freshman;
Mrs. Berdele Newby, 30, Detroit;
Mrs. Pauline Osadchuk, 47, Hamtramck;
Miss June Pershing, Detroit, a young girl;
Norbert Turkowski, 25, Hamtramck….

“The other dead were a man who was wearing a badge of General Motors’ Fisher body division, and a youth….” (AP. “16 Die, 20 Hurt as Detroit Bus is Hit by Train.” Joplin Globe, MO, 10-29-1942, p. 1.)

Oct 29: “Detroit – (AP) – In company with railroad officials and the police, heads of Detroit’s war-burdened transportation system pushed an investigation today into the horrifying grade crossing crash which killed 16 motor-bus passengers…..

“Prosecutor William E. Dowling said he would attempt to determine whether the bus was too crowded to permit the driver to exercise proper caution.

“The prosecutor pointed to the statement of one survivor, Marie Giles, 21, that the driver, before starting up after allowing a freight train to pass, has asked his passengers if ‘everything was clear.’

“It also was to be determined whether flasher signals were readily visible in the midst of the motor traffic at the crossing….

“The tragedy focused attention on the war’s effects on the Detroit street railway system. DSR heads have expressed concern that their trolley cars and buses might be unable to handle a huge patronage increase from persons now leaving their automobiles at home to save on tires and gasoline….” (AP. “Launch Investigation of Detroit Bus Tragedy.” Ludington Daily News, MI. 10-29-1942, 1.)

Oct 29: “Detroit – (U.P.) – Prosecutor William E. Dowling scheduled a conference with Grand Trunk Railway and Detroit Street Railway officials today seeking to establish responsibility for a train-bus collision yesterday in which 16 passengers lost their lives….

“Thirteen persons were killed instantly and three others died on the way to or in hospitals….Six of the victims were school students….” (United Press. “Prosecutor Probing Bus-Train Crash.” Marshall Evening Chronicle, MI. 10-29-1942, p. 1.)

Oct 30: “Detroit – (AP) – William F. Clos, 25-year-old driver of a Detroit street railways motorcoach in which 16 persons med death Wednesday in a collision with a Grand Trunk Western passenger train, stood mute today when arraigned in justice of he peace court on a manslaughter charge. A plea of innocent was entered for him and examination was set for November 6 by Justice of the Peace Nicholas Grankowski of suburban Hamtramck, within whose limits the accident happened. Clos was released from police custody after providing $2,000 bond.

“The manslaughter warrant was recommended by Prosecutor William E. Dowling, who had questioned Clos and various other witnesses to the crash, which also brought injury to 27 persons.” (AP. “Driver of Bus To Face Court.” Ironwood Daily Globe, MI. 10-30-1942, p. 1.)

Nov 27: “Detroit, Nov. 27 (AP) – William F. Clos, Detroit bus driver, was ordered held for trial on manslaughter charges today, following a preliminary hearing of a bus-railroad accident in which 16 persons were killed on Oct. 28. The examination was held before Judge Nicholas Gronkowski, of the Hamtramck Justice court.

“Clos said that his 25 seat bus was crowded with 45 passengers, what he termed ‘a normal load for these times.’ As he approached the crossing, he could not see to the right, but stopped because a freight train was passing and a flasher signal on. Three cars in front of him crossed the track after the freight had passd, he said, and he followed them. ‘I didn’t see or hear the train,’ Clos testified. ‘I didn’t see the flasher signal when I started across. I don’t know whether it was operating or not. The next think I knew was the crash.’” (AP. “Bus Driver Charged With Manslaughter.” Escanaba Daily Press,” MI, 11-28-1942, p. 16.)

Sources

Associated Press. “16 Die, 20 Hurt as Detroit Bus is Hit by Train.” Joplin Globe, MO, 10-29-1942, p. 1. Accessed 7-24-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/joplin-globe-oct-29-1942-p-1/

Associated Press. “Bus Driver Charged With Manslaughter.” Escanaba Daily Press,” MI, 11-28-1942, p. 16. Accessed 7-24-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/escanaba-daily-press-nov-28-1942-p-16/

Associated Press. “Driver of Bus To Face Court.” Ironwood Daily Globe, MI. 10-30-1942, p. 1. Accessed 7-24-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/daily-globe-oct-30-1942-p-1/

Associated Press. “Launch Investigation of Detroit Bus Tragedy.” Ludington Daily News, MI. 10-29-1942, p. 1. Accessed 7-24-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/ludington-daily-news-oct-29-1942-p-1/

Associated Press. “Train Hits Bus, 16 Killed.” News-Palladium, Benton Harbor, MI, 10-28-1942, p. 1. Accessed 7-24-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/benton-harbor-news-palladium-oct-28-1942-p-1/

BrainyHistory.com. October 28, 1942 in History. Accessed at: http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1942/october_28_1942_101736.html

Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1982.

HistoryOrb.com. Today in Michigan History. At: http://www.historyorb.com/countries/usa/michigan

United Press. “Prosecutor Probing Bus-Train Crash.” Marshall Evening Chronicle, MI. 10-29-1942, p. 1. Accessed 7-24-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/marshall-evening-chronicle-oct-29-1942-p-1/