Train Crews Mangled.

Dubuque, Iowa, Sept. 19.-Special Telegram.

During a dense fog this morning passenger train No. 4, bound south, and passenger train No. 3, bound north on the River division of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad collided at a sharp curve about two miles north of this city.

The train going north was in charge of Conductor Wolcott, of Savanna; Elmer Winchester, Dubuque, engineer; Ed. P. Cummins, Dubuque, fireman, and John Pernetta, lately of Milwaukee, brakeman. The south bound train was in charge of Conductor A.A. Clarke, Dubuque; Charles Fales, Dubuque, engineer; Will Richmond, Dubuque, fireman; Robert Mimmo, Dubuque, brakeman. Train No. 3 consisted of two sections, the first being an engine sent from the shop here up the Volga Branch. Orders were received by the north-bound train to pass No. 4 at Peru, about five miles north of this city. The order from Train Dispatcher Fowler, at la Crosse, simply mentioned No. 3, and Engineer Winchester called Conductor Wolcott’s attention to the fact that both sections of the train should be specified to avoid accident. Train dispatcher Fowler was notified, and the order was changed, as was supposed No. 4 south-bound, passed the engine at Peru, and not being aware that No. 3 had two sections, dashed on toward Dubuque. The density of the fog prevented clear vision, and both trains came together with a frightful crash at a speed of twenty-five miles per hour before the engineers could set the brakes. The mail car of No. 3 was hurled down the embankment to the edge of the river, and the tender of No. 4 crashed into the combinations smoking and baggage car next to the derailed mail car, which in turn telescoped the first coach in the rear nearly its full length. Both engines were badly demolished, the mighty machines being merged into one shapeless mass of broken iron and shattered wood.

Five faithful employees were killed in the wreck, their names being as follows:

Engineer CHARLES FALES, taken from the wreck broken and bleeding, having been instantly killed.
Engineer ELMER WINCHETER was removed from under the heavy mass of iron with his leg cut off, right leg broken, skull denuded and face fearfully mangled. He lived a couple of hours.
ED P. CUMMINS had both legs broken, and only lived until noon.
JOHN PERNETTA, brakeman, was on the pilot of the engine when the collision occurred. He was instantly killed and his mangled body buried under the debris.
WILLIAM RICHMOND, fireman, was instantly killed.

The Injured are:

Express Messenger, J.J. O’Brien, on the couth-bound train, was badly hurt in the groin and about the head. His recovery is doubtful.
Baggageman Blair was severely injure don the arms and legs.
J.T. Nicholson and James Hurley, mail clerks, were in the car when it rolled down the embankment. Both were slightly injured and the car was demolished. Their escape from death appears miraculous.
Mr. Mimmo, United States Express Messenger, going north, was hurt in the breast.
Mr. Stokes, American Express Agent, slightly injured.
Richard Wright, of Holy Cross, passenger on No. 4, badly injured in the spine and lower limbs. He was a member of Company K, Fourth Iowa Calvary, and on his way to Dubuque to be examined for a pension.
A. Frummelt, of Dubuque, arms injured.
W.W. Kitchen, of West Union, injured in the back and breast.
Dan Glasser, of Dubuque, knee bruised.
The Hon. J.B. Powers, of Dubuque, neck injured.
Mrs. Carney, of Turkey River, jumped from the train down the embankment, being only slightly hurt. The passengers in the sleeper attached to No. 4 all escaped injury with the others in the day coaches of both trains. J. B. Lovereighn, Union labor candidate for Governor of Iowa, was on the train and escaped unhurt.

The dead and wounded were put in a coach and brought to this city. Thousands visited the scene of the wrecks. The engines, mail car, combinations smoking and baggage car, and two day coaches are complete wrecks. The loss to the company is nearly $100,000, outside of liabilities for damages. There is a strong feeling against the railroad company for its policy in regard to a night telegraph operator. Had there been an operator at Peru the accident might have been averted. In that case the conductor of No. 3 could have ascertained where No. 4 really was, instead of running behind time at such a fearful risk.
Daily Inter Ocean, Chicago, IL 20 Sept 1887

Buried In The Wreck.

Another Shocking Railroad Disaster in Which Trainmen Lost Their Lives.

A Runaway Freight Dashes Into Passenger Coaches, and Five Deaths Instantly Result.

Victims of the Dubuque Wreck Sinking-Accident on the Milwaukee ad Northern Road.

Fiver Persons Killed.
Inwood, Iowa, Sept. 20.-Special Telegram-A terrible accident occurred this morning on the Western division of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad. A heavy freight train pulled out shortly before the passenger, and was ascending a heavy grade, when it broke in two, leaving no one on the rear train with the exception brakeman names Williams, who was asleep in the caboose.

The detached part started back down the grade, and was running at the rate of twenty miles an hour, when it collided with the passenger, going at the rate of thirty miles an hour.

The engine, baggage-car, and smoker were completely wrecked.

The following were Killed:
ANDRES DERRATH, Rock Valley, Iowa, line repairer.
W.A. PLOOG, McGregor, Iowa, fireman.
------ WILLIAMS, trainman, of Dubuque.
Two bodies are still in the wreck, and wrecking trains are now at work.

Thirty passengers escaped uninjured. Six cars of wheat, one of cattle, one caboose and the passenger coaches were demolished. Trains are now running via Rock Valley, Iowa, and Eden. Twenty members of the Canton Band got out of the smoker at Canton ten minutes before that car was smashed into atoms.

This is the third wreck on the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul within the last twenty-four hours.
Daily Inter Ocean, Chicago, IL 21 Sept 1887

Dubuque Wreck Investigation.

The Train Dispatcher Held responsible for the Disaster-Suits Against Railroads.

Dubuque, Iowa, Sept. 22.-Special Telegram-The Railroad Commission this morning began an investigation of the cause of the recent disaster on the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Road. Prominent witnesses before the commission were Train Dispatcher Rogers, who sent the fatal order, and Division Superintendent Underwood. Rogers said he endeavored to inform the conductor of train No. 4 that train No. 3 consisted of two sections, but the operator at Specht’s Ferry was not in the office. He was not sure it would have availed anything if he had been there, as No. 4 had probably passed the station before his telegram reached it. The absence of the operator at Peru rendered it impossible to reach train No. 4. Regarding the change in the first order to the conductor of train No. 3, who refused to leave Dubuque until the order specified both sections of his train, Rogers could give no explanation of his ignorance as to the real situation, and why he did not hold No. 3 at Dubuque. Division Superintendent Underwood placed the responsibility for the accident on the train dispatcher for issuing indefinite orders, and on the conductor and engineer of train No. 4 for not obeying orders by waiting at Peru for the second section of No. 3 when the red flag was visible on the first section.

The railroad commissioners served notice on the agents of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul and the Illinois Central Companies of suits to be entered at the October term of court to compel them to obey the decision of the commissioners in the switching case.

Daily Inter Ocean, Chicago, IL 23 Sept 1887
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Transcribed by June. Thanks June!