On This Date in Minnesota History: August 7

August 7, 1911 – Suffering from possible severe internal injuries and from a painful jolt in the abdomen, W. L. Manyen, conductor of an ore train on the Great Northern road, is at the Adams Hospital as the result of a wreck on his train this evening around 5 at Acropolis, near Bengal, about 20 miles west of Hibbing.

Carl Johnson, brakeman on the train, was severely burned. He was brought to the hospital also, but later in the evening left for his home at Kelly Lake.

As near as can be ascertained the wreck was caused by the “breaking” of the loaded ore train five cars from the engine. The train was an exceptionally long one consisting of 120 cars and was bound for the ore docks at Allouez, Wis.

Cars of ore from the Minnesota iron range going onto loading docks at Allouez, Wis.¹ 

Conductor Manyen was sitting at his desk in the caboose when the cars parted, throwing him heavily against the desk. It is not known just how the brakeman received his burns.

Eight cars were derailed on account of the accident. The track was not cleared for a couple of hours after the accident and therefore the “wooden shoe” passenger due to arrive in Hibbing at 6:25 did not arrive until 8 p.m.

The Duluth Herald; “Conductor Is Injured. Brakeman Also Hurt When Great Northern Train Breaks in Two. Train of 120 Ore Cars Bound for the Allouez Docks Is Wrecked.”; Aug. 8, 1911; p. 5.

¹http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/fsa.8c20212/

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