People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 January 1893 — LIVES LOST BY FIRE. [ARTICLE]

LIVES LOST BY FIRE.

An Awful Cataatropho at Alton Junction, Ill.—Collision Between ill* Four Trains by Which an Engineer Was Killed—The Bules Take Hundreds of Spectators Are Viewing the Scene, Tank Cars Explode, Drenching Bystanders With Blazing OH—Fifteen Die of Their Burna and Scores Were Seriously Hurt. Alton, HL, Jan. 23. —A* a result of B terrible accident at Alton Junction Saturday sixteen dead bodies are lying in the temporary morgue in this city, fourteen people are so badly injured that they are expected to die within a few hours and thirty-one others are dangerously hurt. Alton Junction, or Wann, is located 2 miles east of this city, and is a transfer station for the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago <fc St Louis and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroads. The latter road joins the Big Four at this point, running into St Louis over tbe same track. The fast through train known as the southwestern limited was coming out from St Louis at 9 o’clock, thirteen minutes late, and making up lost time at 47 mile an hour speed, when it ran into an open switch and collided with a long freight train consisting mostly of loaded Union Tank line cars. Engineer Webb Ross, of Mattoon, saw the danger too late, but he threw on the air brakes and staid with his engine, being buried in the wreck and burned to a crisp. The shock of the collision was such as to split two loaded tanks wide open and the oil immediately caught fire, the flames shooting 50 feet into the air. The locomotive and baggage car were totally wrecked, but the remainder of the passenger train was removed beyond the reach of the flames. Hearing of the wreck, hundreds of people from this city and vicinity were attracted by curiosity to the scene. And then occurred one of the most awful disasters on record. A few minutes past 12 o’clock there was a light explosion of one tank which scattered the debris on all sides, Betting fire to the stock yards inclosures. This one blow-up caused the impression that the danger from explosions was past, and the throng of bystanders rushed in to save the stock yards from destruction. A minute later there was a deafening report that shook the earth for half a minute and spread a sheet of seething, burning oil in all directions. For those within the circle of a hundred yards there was no escape. Some of them were struck dead by pieces of flying iron and scores of them were knocked flat on the ground. Their clothing caught fire from the spreading flames and was burned from their bodies. Those who could rise did so and ran hither and thither making frantic appeals for help. Some of the sufferers ran to the nearest water and plunged in. Others ran through the fields, and a few of them are missing yet. Of the following list of dead all but the first six and Utt, Miller and Montz died of their injuries after being removed to the hospital. The dead bodies of the last-named were found near the scene of the wreck Sunday morning. The deaths were as follows: Webb Ross, Mattoon, lit: Hiram Cornelius, Iowa; Edward Miller, Alton Junction; two unidentified men; William Shattuck, Upper Alton, Ill.; Henry Penning, Wann, Ill.; Willie M'Carty, Alton; John Locke, Alton; Edward Mauhin, Alton; Daniel Harers, Alton Junction; William Mantz, Fosterburg, Ill.; Charles Utt, Alton: W. H. Miller, Alton; Charles Parris, Alton; John Wilkinson, Alton. Of the injured the hospital physician said that fourteen cannot recover. They are: Otto Hagwan, Alton; John Fred, Alton; Joseph Herman, Alton; Henry Pilgrim, Alton; John Luttrell, Alton; William B. Richardson, Alton; David Richardson, Alton; A. T. Frazer, St. Louis: Frank Barth, Branford, Can.; Frank Scullin, Alton; John Burke, Alton; William Miller, Alton Junction; Murra/, Upper Alton; Ro toft; Upper Alton. Probably forty others received severe injuries but will likely recover. All the dead were burned to death by flaming oil. Of the fatally injured all are more or less seriously burned about the limbs and body. All are also injured internally from inhaling the burning flames, which scorched and parched their throats to such an extent that their escape from instant death is almost miraculous. The scenes in the wards at St Joseph’s hospital occupied by the injured were even more heartrending <han Saturday. Lying on cots, vrapped and swathed in cotton and bandages until they almost lost semblance to human beings, and surrounded by weeping relatives and sorrowing friends, the injured people formed a picture that brought tears to the eyes of even the physicians, accustomed as they are to such sights.

It was not until a visit was made to the morgue back of the hospital that the horrible reality of the accident became apparent Here awaiting the undertaker were the bodies of five of those who died during the night. The bandages had been removed from the bodies and the fearful ravages of the burning oil were plainly apparent Scarcely one of the five could be recognized by relatives. The oil wherever it had touched the skin had burned deep into the flesh, while such portions of the cuticle as escaped entire destruction were blistered and in many places blackened by the intense heat The lips were terribly swollen and discolored and the eyes of all were burned out. Every vestige of hair was burned off face and head and in many places the skulls and cheek bones were exposed.