Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 237, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 October 1910 — 29 DEAD IH HORRIBLE INTERURBAN WRECK. [ARTICLE]

29 DEAD IH HORRIBLE INTERURBAN WRECK.

Trolley Cars Crash Together Near Staunton. 111, With Large Number Of Dead and Injured. Another frightful interurban wreck occurred Tuesday night. This one in Illinois, pn a sharp curve near Staunton, where two high speed cars crashed together in a head-on collision, killing 29 and injuring 26. The accident is attributed to disregard of orders by one of the train crews. One train was crowded with passengers en route to St. Louis to witness a parade of the Veiled Prophet. The excursion section was in two sections and the local train crew had orders to wait at the Staunton crossing until both sections had passed, but after the first section passed the car was set in motion and collided with the second section. The cars were so close that it was impossible for either of them to stop orfiplow down and the crews were able termo nothing except set the brakes and jump for their lives. The crew of No. 14 and the crew of No. 73, which was composed of W. V. Duncan, conductor, and E. J. Young, both of Springfield, 111., leaped as soon as they saw the collision was inevitable, and all four men escaped without serious injury.- They were badly shaken up, but were able to lend assistance to the injured an instant later.

For the passengers shut in the two cars there was no chance. And in another second they came together with a splintering crash. The northbound car tore into car No. 73, splitting it wide open, and literally raking the passengers from their seats. Both cars practically reared on end and then fell back into a tangled mass of splintered wood and twisted iron, which was packed with the dead and dying, and down the sides of which, in a dozen places, the blood trickled in streams. Nearly every passenger on the southbound car was killed or seriously injured. The passengers of car No. 14 were more fortunate, and a greater portion of them escaped injury. Word of the accident was immediately telegraphed to Springfield, to Peoria and to St. Louis, and relief trains were started at once from all three points, carrying all of the physicians and nurses that were avail-, able. By the time the first relief car had reached the scene of the wreck the farmers of the neighborhood and the citizens of Staunton had practically cleared tile wreck of the dead and injured. Information available at the present time does not state how many of the passengers escaped uninjured, but it is certain that by far the larger portion of those on both cars were either killed outright or desperately injured. The two trains were so piled up and twisted . together it was marvelous that anybody escaped death or Injury.

Ben Smith, the cement contractor, is now engaged in building a cement garage for Dr. Washburn in the rear of the latter’s residence on Washington and Weston streets. The doctor had a frame shed removed from the rear of the building. Mr. Smith expects to build a fine residence costing about $3,000 for himself yet this fall. It will be located north of t’.e Brady elevator. W. H. Galbraith, who came from Chicago to attend the funeral of his father-in-law, James Lewis, returned to his home today, Mrs. Galbraith remaining for a longer stay. Mr. Galbraith is suffering from blood-poison-ing in his right hand and arm, which is thought to have been produced by a scratch received while handling ice. pe has been having a severe time, the hand and arm having been lanced several times. Harry Griffin, an attorney at Sheridan, was here last evening looking after the advertising of 200 acres of land in Keener township, which was thb property of Adam Griffin, deceased, and of which estate Mr. Griffin is the executor. The land was previously advertized but did not sell, owing to the appraisement being too high. The case is handled through the circuit court of Hancock county. The appraisement has been reduced and the land will be offered for sale at the sheriff’s office in Rensselaer on Nov. 10th.

Both Prof, and Mrs. E. S. Tillman Were selected as judges for the flower and vegetable exhibit given by the city schools of Lebanon last week. Mrs„ Tillman judged the flower show, for, which she was especially well fitted by reason of her training along that line, her father being John King, proprietor of the city green house. The Lebanon Reporter says: “Her selection as judge of the show just held was a splendid one.” Prof. Tillman acted as judge of the vegetable show. He is instructor at the school of botany and zoology. The exhibit of flowers and vegetables is an annual event at Lebanon and judged from the interest the newspaper there states has been created the plan might be valuable here and prove both interesting and instructive, bringing many of the parents into the Bchool room during the period when the exhibits are shown.