GC1ZWK6 The Wreck On The Wabash-1901 (Traditional Cache) in Michigan, United States created by TeamMina

This cache has been archived.

-allenite-: As there's been no response from the cache owner to my previous note, I'm archiving it to keep it from continually showing up in search lists and to prevent it from blocking other cache placements. Please note that if geocaches are archived by a reviewer or Geocaching HQ for lack of maintenance, they are not eligible for unarchival.

GC1ZWK6 ▼

A cache by TeamMina Message this owner

Hidden : 10/15/2009

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Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

On November 27, 1901, Thanksgiving Eve, one of the worst railroad disasters in Michigan history occurred about a mile north-east of the tiny village of Seneca in southern Lenawee County. The number of people who died in this head-on collision is still wrapped in controversy and mystery to this day. The official number of fatalities as reported by the Wabash Railroad still holds today at 23. However, most newspapers at the time, and reporters on scene, claim at least 80 passed away, and possibly closer to 100.

It was late afternoon as the "Continental Express", Wabash train #4, began loading passengers in Montpelier, Ohio, on their way to Detroit. Pulled by Engine #609, the train was engineered by Aaron T. Strong. The train consisted on the engine and six cars: two sleepers, one dining car, a coach, a chair and a baggage car. Engineer Strong was expecting a straight run to Detroit, but received new orders.

Train #13 has been having an awful day. It had delays in Detroit that backed it up 75 minutes. Then in Milan, the lead engine broke down, and had to wait for Engine #88 to help Engine #151 pull its eight cars on westward. And by the time it reached Holloway, it was 2 1/2 hours late. It consisted of 2 sleeper cars and a chair car, a coach, and three baggage cars. However, the second and third baggage cars weren't filled with luggage, but with immigrants from Italy heading westward from New York City.

Typically on a single-line track, even-numbered trains have right-of-way over the odd-numbered trains. However, in this case, they decided not cause further delays for Train #13 and have Train #4 let the westbound go by at Seneca. The engineers of both trains received these orders at about 6pm before heading on their respective routes.

Many different reasons for the accident have been given by the surviving Wabash rail men. Engineer Strong blamed a gust of wind blew a corner of the orders and only saw "Sand Creek" and not "Seneca". Another was that the names "Seneca" and "Sand Creek" sound familiar and were confused, which caused the Wabash to change Seneca's station name to "Ennis". Each train saw the other's headlights in the distance, but blamed the light now being electric that they couldn't tell if they were stationary or moving at that distance.

Either way, at 6:45pm on this Wednesday, with each train full of mostly passengers on their way to family Thanksgiving celebrations, Engineer Strong ran past Seneca at full speed without stopping.

Proving those working on Train #4 knew the orders, except for Strong, the brakeman and the conductor immediately contacted the Engineer that they ran past Seneca at 65 m.p.h. and applied the rear brakes. There was only enough time for Strong and the fireman to leap from the cab after just crossing Tuttle Road on the other side of the little bridge over Bear Creek as the trains came together only seconds later.

As news got out around the countryside, many local residents came to help in the recovery and care of those injured. Many of the homes became makeshift hospitals as they awaited for emergency medical care to come from down the line in Peru, Indiana, and doctors with staff from Adrian. Within 24 hours, many large newspapers had reporters on site, and the wreckage had drawn thousands of spectators. The Wabash acted hurriedly to clear the accident to get their line reopened as fast as possible, and much too quickly and recklessly in the minds of many who searched for answers and remains.

All the cars on the "Continental Limited" (Train #4) survived but the day coach, which telescoped and was destroyed. Most of the deaths on Train #4 were those inside this day car.

However, Train #13 fared much worse. The baggage car, and the two full of immigrants, took the full force of the collision. Lighter in construction, all three shattered at impact. As the immigrants in the cars were just coming to realize what had happened, a fire ignited underneath the wreckage of their cars and soon those remaining alive after the initial damage were caught without escape in an inferno. Very few survived.

The Wabash acted quickly to downplay the number of immigrants on their train as no more than 50 or so. Recently found records from Detroit show the number well exceeded 100. As the wreckage was removed, on-lookers watched as some of the remaining larger body parts were placed into 3 or 4 coffins. The rest was apparently unceremoniously buried alongside the side of the track with the rest of the loose wreckage.

At the inquest that quickly followed, it was found that it was the negligence of Train #4 that caused the accident. The Wabash only claimed the number of ticketed passengers who perished in the accident, and about a half-dozen of immigrants, in their total count of 23 dead.

If you wish to learn more about this accident, please read Laurie C. Dickens' book "Wreck On The Wabash".

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Whfg abegu bs TM vf gur oevqtr jurer gur ratvarre & sverzna whzcrq sbe gurve yvirf frpbaqf orsber gur pbyyvfvba.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)

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The Wreck On The Wabash-1901 Traditional Geocache

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