| ONE ICELANDER'S EXPERIENCE |
| Karna Coffman sent me an e-mail stating that her great grandfather, Magnus Gislason, and her grandfather, Christian Gilason were on board this train. Christian was 5 years old at the time. Magnus Gilason and his family were immigrating from Iceland. During Karna's research on her family she was made aware of Guomundur Stefansson, who had written an account of his journey from Iceland to Wisconsin. Guomundur was accompanied by his wife Guobjorg Hannesdottir and their children, Stefan and Sigurlaug Einara. They were all onboard in the last car on this foggy morning just east of the Maple river. Karna shared this letter with me and I am going to print here what happened after the group arrives at Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. This morning we arrived at the boundary between the British territory and the United States. There is a large river that separates them and there is a town on either side. The train went as far as the river. There it was shortened in such a way that three rows of wagons side by side standing on a raft. This went out on to the river and crossed over with a steam engine. There was our train then up on the tracks in the other town with us still inside it. Here we got our compartment as our luggage was to be inspected. First we had to wait a long time and then each person who carried bed clothing had to pay 10 cents. From there, we continued at midday. Late in the day we were told to get out at a station and were shown into a big building until another train arrived to take us. [This would be Detroit] It did not arrive until late at night. We Icelanders were put in the last carriage and had never before enjoyed such comfort. We traveled on all night until dawn the next morning when suddenly stopped, because a big axle in the steam engine had broken. It happened to be 29 August, the execution day of John the Baptist. Here was a single track that the broken down train stood on and dense woods on either side. I and a few other Icelanders had gotten up and gone outside many still slept. Dense fog hung everywhere. We then began to hear another train coming along the same track. The supervisor ordered his assistant to walk in the direction of the advancing train to give a warning stop. The servant grumbled some- thing in reply and only went on a short distance. I saw the steam monster approaching and called out to the rest to get out of the train quickly but it was too late. Guobjorg just manage to get out before the engine came up behind our wagon, broke all the rear end and the wagon in front completely. Nothing remained to be seen of it except pieces the size of a man's hand either side of the tracks and half of the third wagon. At the same instant, steam poured into these broken wagons and immediately began to scorch and burn them. I could only see the Icelanders who had come out at the same time as I had. I was not sure that I would see my children or fellow countrymen again. I walked really far along past this terrible site and found my son Stefan in the wood with blood coming from his bare head and both his hands and feet burnt. I asked him if he had seen his sister and he replied that she was further on in the wood, unharmed along with other Icelanders. |
| In brief, God had protected all the Icelanders from death and harm, but five received injuries. Their names are: Stefan, my sister Sigurbjorg, Hallgrimur's wife from Rutsstaoir and a boy, as well as Eirikur from Eyjafjorour. Eirikur and Stefan had the most serious injuries. Those who died were the wife of a Swedish man and his two children, another girl about 20 years old, a pregnant German women and an English man. Two of them survived in great pain until later in the day. Many lost the possessions they had in the carriages: Hats, shoses, blankets, covers, bags and much more that burnt, because the rescurers had naturally concentrated on getting people out through the windows and not thought of anything else. A lot of towns people had arrived by then as it was only a short distance to the next station. [Muir] The wounded were put in a wagon along with others and they were taken by local men into town where the wounded were attended to. More men returned, filled their wagons with passengers and led them into town. [The rescuers had to use the trestle over the Maple river.] We were treated so well that we could not have been better treated by our friends if we were returning to Iceland after many years abroad. I didn't have a hat like many others. An old English man came to me and pointed at my head and I pointed in the direction of the railway line. He understood where I had lost my hat, and told me to come into his house with him. There he took off his own fine hat and put it on my head. I did not receive any other gifts. We stayed in the town until late in the day when a new train was procured to continue with us. The wounded were invited to stay behind but they all wanted to carry on. We set off and came to Lake Michigan that evening. [Grand Haven] We went on board a steamship at seven in the evening and reach Milwaukee at 6 o'clock the next morning where we were welcomed by our fellow countrymen. We stayed for nine days with Haraldur Iorlaksson and paid rent and upkeep. The wounded were paid by the railway officials and also received an additional sum as compensation. The value of all our lost goods was also reimbursed. I have never in my life been so bored as I was those days in Milwaukee, nor seen a place with more temptations. I longed to get into the country and learn the work methods from the farmers. At the end of those nine days, we traveled 80 English miles north into the country in a steam train, which took four hours. The journey cost nearly three dollars for each one of us, Stefan and Eirikur remained as their wounds had not healed. Those who carried on were Mjoidalur, Magnus Gislason and his brother, Hallgrimur. |
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| Karna's great grandfather, Magnus Gislason, and family ended up homesteading in Minnesota. Guomundur Stefansson stayed in Wisconsin. |
| Point Edward Yard where the Gislason family and Stefansson family train were put on the ferry to cross over to Fort Gratiot across the river. The car ferry dock is on the extreme left. |
| The car ferry International was in service in 1873. Note the three rows of cars mentioned in Stefansson's letter. This ferry ran between Point Edward and Fort Gratiot on the USA side. |
| Detroit & Milwaukee station at Grand Haven. The ferry was boarded here for the trip across to Milwaukee. Photo, Gordon Lydeksen collection. |
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| Ferry Dock |