Carondelet, MO Railroad Accident, Apr 1885

SERIOUS RAILROAD ACCIDENT.

TWO MEN KILLED AND OTHERS BADLY WOUNDED.

St. Louis, April 27. -- Quite a serious accident occurred on the Iron Mountain Railroad, 17 miles below this city, between 1 and 2 o'clock this afternoon, by which two persons were killed and several others injured. A special train, consisting of a baggage car, Pullman sleeper, and two Directors' cars, bearing a party of Texas and Pacific and Missouri Pacific Railroad officials on a trip of inspection over the former road, collided with the Montesano accommodation. Both trains were running fast, and came together on a sharp curve under a high cliff on the river bank. The crash was terrific and completely wrecked both locomotives, but neither train was much injured. Both engineers reversed and applied air brakes, but there was no time to save themselves, and they and their firemen went into the wreck with their engines. WILLIAM STEVENSON, engineer of the special, received a concussion of the spine and was injured internally. His fireman, LOUIS CHRIST, had both legs torn off, his chest crushed in, and was killed. JOHN McGOVERN, engineer of the Montesano train, was thrown into the river, but was not hurt, and his fireman received only a slight injury.
PHILIP TOLAND, a nephew of GEN. WISTAR, of the Texas and Pacific Road, and connected with the locomotive department of the Pennsylvania Railway, was riding on the engine of the special and was frightfully mangled, one leg being torn off, his chest crushed in, killing him instantly. The other members of the party were in the rear car and were somewhat shaken up, but the most serious injuries were to ex-Gov. BROWN, General Solicitor of the Missouri Pacific Road, who had one shoulder dislocated, and Gen. WISTAR, who was slightly hurt about the head. Medical air was summoned as speedily as possible, and all were brought to this city. Engineer STEVENSON was taken to the Railroad Hospital, and Gov. BROWN and Gen. WISTAR are at the Southern Hotel. The body of MR. TOLAND was placed in charge of an undertaker, and that of CHRIST, the fireman, was left at Carondelet.
The special train had the right of way, but owing to a misunderstanding of the train dispatcher, MR. BURNS, the Montesano train was not ordered to wait until the special had passed. An inquest on the body of TOLAND was held this evening and BURNS was declared responsible for his death.

The New York Times New York 1885-04-28

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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!