Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 October 1910 — THIRTY-SIX KILLED IN TRACTION WRECK [ARTICLE]

THIRTY-SIX KILLED IN TRACTION WRECK

Oisobedience of Orders Results in Terrible Accident Inquiry into the collision on the Illinois Traction company’s line near StauntOn, which is declared to have resulted from disobedience of orders by “green” train crews, has been started by the authorities. Thirty-six. persons were killed and twenty others injured in the disaster. The identified dead are: Frank Ruble, O'Fallon, Ill.; S. T. Henry. Princeviile; Beatrice Seniger; W. N. Street, division superintendent, Staunton; J. E Berry, land commissioner of the system; A. Price, Champaign; J. W. Miller, Gillespie; J. H Halberger, Jamestown; C. Werner, Chapin; Herman, Bauer, St. Louis, Mo,; D. B. Black. Springfield; T. J. Kerwin, St. Louis. Mo.; Manuel A Inbermill, Baden; Dr. A C. Galloway, Decatur; J. G. Schaefer, St. Louis Mo.; Mrs. William Cloud. Benld; Will lam Cloud Benld; C S. Hill; Princeton, Ind.; John Blotna and wife, Benld; Dr. B. F. Redshaw, Curran; H. B. Robinson, Benld: E. M. Ro®e, Chicago; M. Hicks; Lulu and Lizzie McPherson. Gillespie; Mr and Mrs John Bladain. Gillespie; Earl Settle. Gillespie; Mr 6. B. H Kane, Staunton; Adolph Kuerze. Belleville; Mrs. Herman Bauer, St. Louis, Mo.; Miss B. Swaneden, Springfield. Both cars were going at a high rate of speed ar.d as the curve where they met is at the bottom of a hill, both cars were plunging down hill. They met right on tlj>e curve, and so sudden was the collision the motormen barely escaped with their lives by j jumping. Both cars were demolished and the dead, dying and injured werej piled in one bloody mass, while the screams of the maimed a._d bleeding added horror -o the scene. Car No. 14. north boi.rd. had orders to meet both sections of train No. 72 at Staunton. The orders were carried out so far as the first 5 section was concerned, but it is officially reported that the orders to wait for the second 1 section were overlooked The members of the crews of both 1 cars escaped. They are John Lierman of Staunton, motorman, and M. A. Leonard, conductor of No. 14; W. V. Duncan, conductor, and E. J. Young, motorman. Springfield, car No. 73. Among the injured passengers taken to Granite City and attended In the hospital is Samuel Parrant, of Brooklyn, N. Y., with a badly dislocated shoulder and knees, and Miss Ethel Apee. of Springfield.