Station: Wilder, MI

Wilder, or Wilderville as it was also known, was settled in Calhoun County around 1831. [MPN] It was located on the Detroit, Toledo & Milwaukee railroad about 5 miles southeast of Marshall.

Notes

Time Line

1897. December 20. A bad wreck occurred on the DT&M railroad, one mile east of Wilderville station, at 9:10 Monday night. An extra freight consisting of a few empty coal cars and a caboose left Marshall at 8:50  p.m. with positive orders to meet the westbound evening passenger train at Wilderville. The freight crew failed to obey orders and the two trains met on a curve in a deep cut with disastrous results. The two locomotives were literally ruined. They were stove [sic] together almost inextricably and one coal car was thrown on top of them. Two or three more freight cars were piled up in a shapeless mass.

Webb Lott, engineer of the passenger locomotive, had his left leg broken and received internal injuries from which he did at the Washington house in [Marshall] Wednesday night. To the Marshall Statesman, Mr. Lott said Tuesday morning that he did not see the other engine, and only knew of its presence by the reflection of its headlight on the embankment.

The engines could not have been more than 15 rods apart when Lott applied the air-brakes and jumped after he had accomplished all he could for the safety of the passengers. In jumping he struck a tie at the side of the track used for a handcar station and broke his leg. It is stated he lay in the snow nearly three quarters of an hour before he was found. His fireman, Frank Butler, also jumped and sprained his ankle.

The engineer and fireman of the freight train jumped in time to escape injury.; The engineer admits frankly that he forgot orders. He says Eckford was in his mind as the meeting place and he could not get it out. He had been promoted from fireman to engineer only about two weeks ago.

None of the passengers were seriously hurt. An extra train was sent out and the injured were all brought to {Marshall] in charge of Drs. Green and Church. Dr. Foote also assisted in caring for the injured at the Royal and the Washington House. [DFP-1897-1224]

It is now feared that W. Lott, engineer of the locomotive that drew the passenger train in collision on the Detroit, Toledo & Milwaukee railroad about five miles west of [Marshall] on the night of the 20th will not survive the injuries sustained by him. [DFP-1897-1223]