Jasper County Democrat, Volume 10, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 September 1907 — INTERURBAN HORROR [ARTICLE]

INTERURBAN HORROR

Most Terrible Accident on a Trolley Line Which Has So Far Occurred. FIFTEEN VICTIMS ARE DE&D Fifty Others Are Wounded, and Some of These May Die. Victims Were En Route to the Colea County Fair at Charleston— Both Cara Smashed Into , Kindling Wood.

Mattoon, 111., Sept. 2.—Latest reports from the scene of disaster show that fifteen persons were killed ahd about fifty Injured In a head-ou collision between an Interurban express train consisting of a motor car and a trailer and a traction car on the Mattoon and Charleston eleetrlc line. The crash occurred on a sharp curve one mile west of Charleston, 111. A confusion of or; ders received over the telephone is said to have been the causfe of the terrible accident. The ears approached each other at a high rate of speed, and the impact was so terrific that the motor car and railer were telescc|)ed by the traction car. There was no warning, and* few passengers had time to escape by jumping. Scene at the Wreck Was Horrible. The passengers, nearly all of them eu route to the Coles county fair at Charleston, were crushed or' maimed where they sat in their seats. Some of these who escaped death and were able to talk say that the scene at the wreck was grew some. The dead and dying were jammed together in a mass. Women were shrieking with pain and children were crying for unconscious mothers who were thought to be among tbe dead. When the news of the wreck reached Mattoon special cars were flurried to the scene and the dead and Injured were broguht to the morgue and hospital here. Some of the Injured are in a critical condition, and there Is little hope for their recovery. The dead are: Nell Fugate, Garys, Ill.; Thomas Weakley, Mattoon, Ill.; William Nelson, North Okawa, III.; Charles Nelson, son of William Nelson, aged 8 years; "“Howard Cole, Cook’s Mills. 111., aged 6; Harold Cole, aged 8, brother of Howard; Zack Vandeventer, Mattoon; Edward Reynolds, Paradise, Ill.; Albert Smith, Mattoon. Til.; W. A. Price, North Mattoon. 111.: Douglas Logan. Humboldt. Ill.; Edna Walbalm, Cook’s Mills, Ill.; tferee unidentified bodies.

THIRTY-ONE SERIOUSLY HURT Line Hu Only One Track and la Ran by Telephone. Following are the names of those seriously injured: Albert Mapes, Mattoon; G. G. Armentrout, badly bruised and Internally hurt; Mrs. G. G. Armentrout and two children, badly bruised and cut; Charles Joseph, Salisbury, Ind., side and leg hurt, also internally; Mrs. L. M. Price, Mattoou, Ill.; shoulder and face bruised and cut; Samuel Boyer, right leg broken and back bruised; Porter Myers, Humboldt. injured in back and hips; Jas. Casstevens, Garys, leg broken and cuts and bruises; Mrs. William Cole, Cook’s Mills; G. W. Davies, aged 89; Glee Miller, North Oknwa, may die; A. C. Ealy, Mattoon, badly hurt; G. H. Jones, ribs broken; C. R. Curtis, Mattoon, left arm broken and badly bruised; Mrs. Alex. Langston, badly hurt; Mrs. Sarah C. Phillips, bpdly bruised and hurt Internally; A. J. Phillips, ribs probably broken and seriously hurt; Otto Tower, Humboldt, leg broken and otherwise hurt; Chas. Redman, Mattoon, right arm broken and seriously bruised; Grace Young, legs crushed; Mrs. J. G. Monroe, her two little boys, and Will Jones, badly hurt; William Switz, Garys, seriously Injured; S. F. Enos, Mattoon, both legs broken; Jerome Goss, Mattoon, back badly hurt; Charles Jones, ribs broken and injured internally; Mrs. Chas. Jones, legs badly injured. Medical aid was summoned from this city, but in the meantime doctors and others had hurried from Charleston, a mile from the scene of the disaster. The dead and injured were extricated from the mass o# broken timbers and seats. First aid was given the maimed and bruised and the dead ytetfi laid, alongside, the track.. The

victims could not be taken to Charleston because the track was blocked in that direction, and consequently were brought to this city. The line on which the disaster happened is but twelve miles long, running between Mattoon and Charleston, 111., and has but a single track. Telephones are placed every few miles at which orders are transmitted to the conductors and motonnen of the cars passing over the road. A misunderstanding of one of these telephone orders is said to have caused the disaster. Three More Wreck Victims Dead. Mattoon, 111., Sept. 4. —Three more victims of the Mattoon-Charleston Interurbiln wreck last Friday have died Jiere, making seventeen deaths. S. F. Enos and wife and James C. Stevens are the latest victims, and William Swltß cannot survive. The Mattoon city court grand Jury is now 111 session, and it is genera lly believed that It will make a searching investigation of the causes of the wreck, the management of the road and operation of cars. * Feeding drain to Mare*. The mare that Is suckling a young colt, even though she may have the run of a good pasture, should be fed a little grain In addition. Bran and oats will not only enable her to give more milk, but will furnish the elements in her milk needed for the growth and development of bone and mnscle in the colt Farm Manure Beat Farm made manures are the most valuable In Improving the physical condition of the soil. Commercial fertilizers are apt to make soil heavy, while the barn yard article lightens up the soil and sets other factors to work. Subscribe for the Demoorat. *