On This Date in Minnesota History: September 7

September 7, 1904 – A fatal collision occurred in Montevideo, Minn. early this morning. Passenger train No. 3, going west on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul road, with Michael Buckley, conductor, Kent Ferguson, engineer, and Dan Fillmore, fireman, ran into an extra freight on the main track, Patrick Clifford, conductor, and Dan Tyler, engineer.

Fireman Fillmore jumped from his engine and was killed, and an unidentified tramp riding on the blind baggage was also killed. Gust Backland, also on the blind baggage, was badly injured, but will recover. Both engines and their tenders and a mailcar were wrecked.

The collision occurred because the passenger train was late and the extra freight was attempting to run down the main track to get up on a siding. The freight engineer saw the express in time to reverse his engine, which prevented a more serious wreck. An inquest will be held this evening.

The Minneapolis Journal; “Trains Crash at Montevideo. Fireman Fillmore and an Unidentified Man Killed in a Wreck on Milwaukee.”; Sept. 7, 1904; p. 1.

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