Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 62, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 April 1898 — THREE MEN KILLED. [ARTICLE]

THREE MEN KILLED.

Cur Load of Dynamite Explodes in Montana—Train la Wrecked —Terrible Resulta. Minneapolis, Minn., April 9. —A special to the Journal from Great Falls, ■ Mont.,i says: The worst wreck that ever happened in Montana occurred on the Montana Central at about seven i o’clock Thursday night. The dead are: L. Openheim, engineer; Charles W. Cockrell, fireman; A. J. Martin, head i brakeman. West-bound freight No. 25 i arrived at the Dry Forks bridge, 60 ! miles from here, at 6:30 and proceeded' 'to cross. The train was composed of 16 loads, one car of dynamite and five empties. 'When 25 feet on the bridge the dynamite exploded, wrecking the bridge and tearing ten cars to kindling wood. A hole was torn in tjie earth 50 by 25 feet and five feet deep. Telegraph poles and wires were blown out and communication from Great Falls shut off until Friday forenoon. The bodies of two of the trainmen were hurled from the wreck, which immediately caught fire and'was consumed, one of the bodies is slightly burned. The cause is unknown, but the supposition is that the car containing the powder was derailed on the bridge, the jolting cans- ! ing it to explode.