Amherst Junction, Wisconsin
Train Wreck
November 11, 1909
HORSE KILLED; MAN HURT
Train on Green Bay Road Demolishes Rig Near
Amherst Junction, Thursday Night.
When John Klopotek
gives up the earthly ghost, it is safe to wager
that the cause of his shuffling off this mortal
coil will not be on the account of coming in
sudden contact with a railway locomotive. John
had an experience last Thursday evening that he
is not likely to repeat. Klopotek is a farmer in
the town of Lanark, having last year purchased
the J. J. Stadtmiller
farm, which he occupies with his family.
On Thursday morning the young man came to
Stevens Points to pay part of the purchase price
still due on the property, leaving his
three-year-old driving horse and top buggy at
Amherst Junction until his return that
afternoon. Among his accumulations while in the
city was a comfortable jag, part of which he
carried internally and the balance filled a
flask which reposed in a coat pocket. John
hitched up his colt at the Junction at about 6
o’clock and presumably started for home, but
instead of going south and west he crossed the
bridge over the Soo tracks, at the east side of
the village, and thence guided his steed across
a field and onto the mail line of the Green Bay
& Western railroad. For nearly two miles the rig
continued up the track, crossing a bridge at
least sixty feet in length which spans the
Tomorrow river, and a smaller culvert, until it
reached the entrance of a deep cut, where the
animal came to a stop. It is presumed that
during most of this time
Klopotek was
enjoying a gentle slumber, and he continued to
sleep even after the outfit halted.
The Green Bay train is due at the Junction at
8:25 p.m., but that evening was about 25 minutes
late. Just to the east of where Klopotek’s rig
stood there is a reverse curve. A considerable
down grade at this point tended to give
additional speed to the train, which together
with the fact that the engineer was endeavoring
to make up lost time, sent the train at the rate
of at least 35 miles per hour.
It is evident that the horse was standing
almost parallel with the ties when struck by the
locomotive, as it was severed into almost two
equal halves and portions of the body were
hurled to either side of the track. The buggy
was literally smashed into kindling wood and
Klopotek
thrown many feet in the air, landing face
downward about three feet beyond the rails.
A portion of the debris got under the trucks
of two freight cars which were included in the
mixed train, derailing them, but before any
further damage was done the engine and cars were
brought to a stop. The crew and passengers soon
located Klopoptek and lifted him to the
locomotive which pulled out for the Junction.
Dr. F. E. Webster
was summoned from Amherst. An examination
of his patient showed a gash across his forehead
and another cut on the back of his head. It was
feared that the young man had also been
internally hurt, but as he is now on the road to
recovery, the external marks are nearly the
extent of his injuries.
People acquainted with the vicinity of the
accident are amazed that a horse could travel
across the bridge and culvert without slipping
between the ties and becoming stalled. The night
was “pitch dark,” which fact increases the
wonder of the animal’s performance.
And how a man could be thrown through a top
buggy by a train going at terrific speed, and
live to tell the tale, is no less amazing.
Gazette, Stevens Point, WI 17 Nov 1909
Transcribed by
Jenni Lanham. Thank you,
Jenni!
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