News: Marshfield (29 Nov 1906)

Contact: ken@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Ketchum, Quinn, Maskewitz

----Source: Marshfield News (Marshfield, WI) 11/29/1906

One of the worst wrecks yet to befall the Wis. Central happened at Stanley Monday evening, resulting in the almost instant death of two and probable death of a third man. J.E. Ketchum of this city (Marshfield, Wis.), with eight others had a miraculous escape from the same fate by jumping from the caboose. The story of the disaster as told by a survivor is simple in detail, but one which shows gross carelessness on the part of the trainmen. An accommodation freight train leaves Stanley for Eau Claire about 5 p.m. In the caboose of this train Monday evening were 12 passengers. In order to allow a through freight to pass, the Eau Claire train pulled in on a side track. When the through freight, running at a good rate of speed, was within a hundred feet of the scene of the accident, someone yelled "Look out for the train." Nine of the 12 men succeeded in jumping from the caboose and escaped with their live, but the other three were buried in the crash of broken timbers that followed, with the above results. It was found out that when the Eau Claire train pulled on the side track, a part of the caboose was left standing across the main line. The two men killed are Chas. Quinn of Madison and S. Maskewitz of Chippewa Falls. Had not the approaching train the fate of the 12 men would likely been the same as thee three that remained. Mr. Ketchum arrived home yesterday in time for Thanksgiving, and his lucky escapee is one of the things he has reason to be thankful for