A Collision On The Central

Ad accident that might have proven one of the most disastrous of the year occurred in the Michigan Central yards this morning at 6 o'clock. The result of the collision was two empty freight cars badly smashed, a loaded car slightly and the engine of No. 8 passenger train only slightly damaged.

Conductor James Slattery of a through freight, had orders to place a car load of beef for the Hmmond Co. on the side track. His watch indicated he had time to do so before passenger train No. 8 was due from the west. He divided up his train and placed the cars on the side track at the freight house on the train track, whilhe pushed in the Hammond Beef Co. 's car. Passenger train No. 8 came in from the west and ran into the cars on the track smashing two empty box cars and badly jamming a loaded freight car. The passenger train had slowed up in coming in the yards. This is all that saved the train from having a terrible loss of life. As it was the passengers were not much shaken up. The cow catcher of the passenger engine was nearly broken off, and the front indented. The loaded freight car jammed, contained the finishing stuff for the Barbour women's gymnasium. How much of this is injured Superintendent Reeves could not say, but he thought some of the ends of the curved pieces were hurt.

The cause of the accident is claimed to have been the fact that Conductor Slattery 's watch was 12 minutes slow, which has not been explained. If the semaphore had been turned, the passenger train would have been warned. Conductor Slattery's home is in Ypsilanti. He has the reputation of being a very careful man, and why his watch should be slow seems inexplicable.

The wreck was removed during the morning under the direction of John Howard the assistant road master and James O'Connell, section boss. By noon the main line was clear for the passage of the regular trains, which during the blockade had to use the sidetrack.