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.
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.
stayed in Wisconsin.
cross over to Fort Gratiot across the river. The car ferry dock is on the extreme left.
Stefansson's letter. This ferry ran between Point Edward and Fort Gratiot on the USA side.
to Milwaukee. Photo, Gordon Lydeksen collection.
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