Grand Crossing

 

Grand Crossing

Something that is grand  evokes a sense of awe and magnificence. Think Grand Canyon or imagine a centuries old cathedral with towering spires that poke into the sky like fingers probing for God’s attention. The sheer scale and artistry inspire reverence, making it a place where time seems to stand still, drawing visitors into its history and beauty.

 

Grand Crossing isn’t grand. It’s about as remarkable as a  hot dog, sandwiched between two halves of a bun (Woodlawn and Marynook), mustard (Park Manor), Onions (South Shore) Neon Green Relish (Stony Island) and  a cucumber wedge (Chatham). Grand Crossing is a small Chicago neighborhood named after the surfeit of tic-tac-toe grids of railway track that was the most dangerous railroad crossing in the world. On September 1, 1907,  a Chicago newspaper reported “  After 30 Years of Accidents and Deaths, Railway Crossing to be made  same safe. Grand Crossing, as a terror to life, limb, and vehicle, will have ceased to exist, unless something unforeseen appears to interfere with the work of track elevation now under way.”

The exact details of most of the 30 year-old trail of mishaps, mayhem and mortality are buried history – like historical artifacts - old ticket stubs or lost personal items of travelers, concealed in the earth, ballast or gravel  near abandoned tracks, representing the lives and journeys of those who once relied on the train for work or play. These buried histories might offer a glimpse into the significant role railroads played in shaping local economies and communities, waiting to be unearthed by those curious enough to explore the remnants of the past. Perhaps you? For now, we will uncover only one.

 

In 1853, Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway and the Illinois Central Railroad were both involved in a fight over right-of-way and possession of railway lines . This dispute is known as the Frog War. Now the older readers may recall actor Burt Lancaster (1913-1994)  In the movie "The Train" (1964), Burt Lancaster's character, Paul Labiche, uses a frog to derail a train and  causes it to derail as part of his efforts to thwart the Nazis and protect valuable art. It's a clever and dramatic moment in the film. The frog is essentially a switch.

The two opposing railway lines intersected in Hyde Park, Chicago, resulting in the creation of the Grand Crossing. Roswell B. Mason, the Chief engineer for the Illinois central Railway ordered the illegal installation of a connector track that allowed the Illinois Central Railroad to cross over the tracks of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway.

On the night of April 26, 1853, at around nine o'clock, the Michigan Southern Express made a stop to board passengers from a Rock Island Line train. The Rock Island train had been delayed thirty minutes. A second train, Michigan Central, was also running seven hours late because of equipment problems. When the engineer complained the engine did not have a working  headlamp,  the machine shop superintendent told him he would take care of it sometime tomorrow.

Around 10:00 p.m., both trains had reached the Grand Crossing. Thomas Backman, the engineer of the Central train, assumed he had right-of-way according to operating rules and continued toward the crossing but reduced his seed speed down from twelve miles an hour to  only four. Edward Davis, the engineer on the Southern, could not see Central because it was dark, very foggy, and Davis’s Central’s engine headlight was “out.” . Davis sped through the intersection probably to make up  lost time at 25 miles per hour. The brakeman on the Southern applied the brakes at the last minute but by that time it was way  too late. The Two trains collided at the intersection. The crash shocked the community and raised serious concerns about railroad safety and regulatory oversight.

 Even though  the major accident at Grand Crossing in 1887 was not directly caused by someone throwing a frog, it is often referenced in discussions about the accident. The frog—used in track switching—was, however, improperly set, contributing to the accident. As railroads expanded in Chicago, the need for track switches and junctions increased. Competing railroads wanted control over key rail junctions and the lucrative freight and passenger traffic they represented. Tensions escalated as one railroad, seeking to assert dominance over another in overlapping territories, would sometimes install  switches (frogs) at critical junctions without telling the competitor. This led to a series of smaller accidents and  retaliatory actions, including the destruction of switches and rail stock, i.e., the Frog War. This was the cutthroat nature of railroad competition in the 19^th century and the term “railroaded” came to  mean being  pushed through a process unfairly or without due consideration, often implying coercion and a lack of proper procedure.

 

After the 1853 train crash, there was significant public outrage, but Roswell B. Mason did not face any legal punishment for his actions regarding the illegal connector track. While the accident raised serious concerns about railroad safety and accountability, the political and economic climate of the time made it difficult to hold railroad executives accountable.

Victims were pulled from the wreck and piled along the track. Survivors would describe the horrors of the scene stating that the coaches looked like heaps of wreckage. Other passengers described the intense emotional agony that followed the crash. One infant was pulled from the wreckage unharmed, but no mother would claim him. Other victims in the pile ranged in age; one account described three children who had perished (but only one would be identified). The  number of the dead is often listed as either 18 or 21, with an additional 40 to 60 being injured.

Inquiry and Trial

After investigation, both engineers, plus the conductors of both trains (Moses M. Tyler and Herbert I. Whitney), were all said to be at fault. All four were convicted of gross negligence. Additionally, the machine shop superintendent disregarded changing out the headlamp was also held accountable.

Mason  continued his railroad career and eventually became the mayor of Chicago in 1870.

But this was Chicago ……. As Chicago grew, ambitious developers often prioritized profit over public safety. For instance, buildings were constructed without following safety codes, leading to incidents like the 1871 Great Chicago Fire, exacerbated by inadequate fire safety measures.

The rapid expansion of streetcars led to numerous accidents involving pedestrians and vehicles. The lack of regulations often resulted in tragic outcomes, mirroring the negligence seen in the Grand Crossing incident.

And the interplay between business interests and politics often resulted in corrupt practices. Influential figures, like Mason, could  manipulate regulations or bypass safety standards to achieve their goals, reflecting a broader culture of prioritizing profit over public welfare.

The Crossing itself was  at ground level and treacherous to pedestrians and vehicles, killing about 20 people a year. Changes were needed, but it took the death of a 15 year-old schoolgirl to prompt any action.

In early September 1902, a special train was taking railroad officials, members of the  City council, newspaper reporters and some prominent  citizens  on  a tour when the train abruptly stopped after passing the crossing  at  Seventy-sixth street. Everyone piled out to see what the trouble was. The trouble was caught on the last wheels of the tender. It was a 15 year old girl, and in her hands were a book, a slate, and a handful of flowers for her teacher. By the end of the month, the Chicago City council  passed an ordinance  ordering that the tracks be elevated. It took five years.

 

Meme: Thanks and a tip of the Yarnspinner’s chapeau to my friend Ronald Collin who put me “on track” to write this post