Source: The Mining Journal
Marquette, Mi.
September 24, 1887 Saturday

Two Accidents

Monday evening, Robert Dorrie, a South Shore brakeman was
caught between the bumpers of two Lehigh Valley gondolas which
he was coupling on the new stone dock and had his head badly
erushed. The physicians are of the opinion that he will pull
through in spite of the severity of his inuries.

At eight o'clock Monday night the yardmen in the upper yard
were startled by hearing an incoming train calling for brakes
all the way down from near Bancroft. They at once decided that
the train had "got away" from the engine, which was bringing it
down, and prepared to receive it. Engineer Cowden had the
train and when it got beyond the control of the engine his fire-
man drew the pin, by climbing over the tender, so that the engine
could get out of the way if necessary. All the way down the en-
gineer was trying to stop the runaway train, but as the upper yard
was reached he pulled the throttle wide open and the engine gave
a jump ahead and was run into a place of safety, out of the way
of the inevitable smash.

The train of heavily loaded ore cars came thundering down in-
to the yard and struck a train of 60 loaded cars on the switch
by the scale house. The crash was terrific. Cars were torn
and twisted in all conceivable shapes and in places were piled
four high, and over two tracks. Others were hurled from the track
and into the adjoining field. A reporter visited the scene of
the accident and found the confusion indescribable. Two engines
were then at work pulling cars back onto the tracks and large
gangs of men were clearing the debris. At every step of the work
a careful search was made for William F., Mahan, the head brake-
man or conductor of the train. The middle and rear brakemen
escaped with slight injuries. One falling off and the other
jumping before the yards were reached.

Tae engines and men set clearing up the wreck in the upper
yard Monday night worked all night long and by daylight had every
thing straightened up except the two piles of wreckage where the
ruin and confusion was complete. With an engine working on each
end of these piles progress was more rapid, and a little before
seven o'clock, the first pile, or one nearest the scale house,
and marking the end of the train, was cleared away so that the
body of the missing brakeman, William F. Mahan, was brought to
view. It lay in the worst part of the wreck, face downwards.
Cars were piled all over and about it, and the body itself had
been driven into the earth below the level of the track. One
leg and one arm were nearly separated from the body, and it is
thought the neck was broken, yet, strange to say, the unfortun-
ate man's face was hardly scratched. Death must have been in-
stantaneous and it is a relief to know that such was the case
and that Mahan did not linger in agony penned down by the cruel
beams and bars and smothered by rion ore.

 
Pe 2 Two Accidents - Sept. 24, 1887

A jury was impaneled in the forenoon and taken up to the
scale house on a special coach to view the body and the wreck
from which it was taken. They summoned their witnesses while
there and then returned to the city, proceeding with the in-
quest at the recorder's office before Justice Meads, who ser-
ved as coroner, After hearing the testimony in the case the
jury decided upon a verdict of "accidently killed in a col-
lision."

Mahan's remains were taken to Houghton where his parents
and three sisters live, on the one o'clock express train,
Tuesday. He was about 21 years of age, and was a favorite with
all the railroad men because of his fine qualities and perfect
steadiness. His sad death was the one theme on the road here
Tuesday, and expressions of regret and sorrow were heard on all
sides. He died while faithfully endeavoring to do his duty to
the letter.