People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 September 1893 — AWFUL DISASTER. [ARTICLE]

AWFUL DISASTER.

Two Section* of • “Big Four” Pa**enger Train Collide Near Kankakee, ni—Seven Persons Killed and Many Injured. Mahteno, IIL, Sept 19.-*-The second section of Big Four express, No. 45, south bound, crashed into the rear end of the first section at 9:30 o’clock Monday night Seven persons were killed and twenty severely injured and it is probable that many bodies are buried under the wreck. The disaster occurred near this place. The engine of the second section ran clear through one sleeper and two coaches. Not all of the bodies, it is thought are yet recovered, as the wreckage is piled about the tracks in such a manner that the small wrecking force has not been able to make much impression on the mass. In the confusion it has been impossible to secure the names of but two of

the dead. These are Chris Kimmel, of Dayton, 0., and David Jackson, of Cynthiana, O. The injured so far as known are: Albert Jay Sholter, Ripley, 0., bad cut face and head, probably fatal; George Brackney, Wilmington, 0., limbs crushed, probably fatal: C. B. Wisehart, Frankfort, 0., internal injury: William Evans, Powellton, W, Va., internal injury; Miss Sallie Evans, Powellton, W. Va, Internal injury; Mrs. Chris Kimmel, Dayton, 0., head and body injured; L. H. Blonton, Cincinnati, fatal; James W. Brown. Wilmington, 0., internal and head; Mrs. James W. Brown, Wilmington, 0., internal injury; Olive Patton, Carmel, 0., body bruised; Emily Templen, Sinking Springs, 0., head and body; J. W. Means, Chester, S. C., slightly injured back and head; Blanche Belleson, Sinking Springs, 0., limbs badly bruised; Anna Cowells, Lower Albany, Ind.; Jessie Morse, Cincinnati, badly injured internally; Emma Gallatin, Columbus, 0., back and limbs bruised; Mtrs E. Gallatin, Columbus, 0., limbs bruised; Miss Libbie Jackson, Cynthiana, 0., I internal and other injuries, probably fatal; J. W. Foster, Springfield, 0., scalp wound and eye gouged; Mrs. J. W. Foster, ribs broken, internal and probably fatal.

The first section of the train carried one Ohio & Mississippi sleeper for Louisville, Ky., one Ohio & Mississippi chair car for Greensburg, Ind., five day coaches and baggage and express cars. It had run down tho road to a point two and one-half or three miles south of Manteno when a lpcal train which was preceding it at some distance slowed up and the flagman on the local was sent back up the track to intercept the on-coming first section of train No. 45 from Chicago. The engineer on the first section obeyed the signal and at once drew his train to a standstill. The flagman of the first section of the through train in turn started to the rear, but the second section of the train was following along so near that he had gone but a few yards when around a sharp curve in the track the headlight of the following train appeared. The first section w r as now at a standstill and the locomotive pulling the second section had not in the least lessened its full speed of 35 miles an hour. The curve in the track, behind which the train on ahead was not visible, was much too near the doomed coaches to allow the engineer of the approaching train to diminish his speed noticeably. The frantic flagman, seeing the train coming on with a great rush and hissing of steam and trembling, jumped down the steep embankment just in time to save himself from death. The engineer, upon observing the danger as his locomotive rounded, the curve reversed his engine, seeing the hopelessness of any attempt to check the speed of his train in so short a distance, and realizing the danger, he jumped from his cab down the embankment, and his fireman followed him.

The crash came then, and the loco- i motive drove ahead with mighty foi ce i into theheavy sleeping-car,smashing the 1 framework of its rear end into kindling ; wood. The sleeping car was in turn | driven into the day coach next forward, which gave way more completely, its timbers being lighter. This coach and the coach just forward of it were almost completely demolished. All of the three cars were crowded with people, more than half of those in the sleeper having retired for the night The passengers were thrown from their berths and from their seats. Some were crushed under beams and between the broken, grinding timbers of the wrecked cars. Awful confusion and fright prevailed. People from farmhouses in the vicinity heard the crash when the collision i occurred. Twenty men were on the scene within half an hour and began helping uninjured passengers and trainmen in the work of rescue. One brawny fellow, whose hat had blown off and who hadn’t stp—nm.jr.uj was the fiilnator Teller, of Colorai the right oijone of them. On the c< ETJhPV? a the sleeparjp* * . made in pla He craw ■ satioual style, just and found h he were talking to an the bianke al. It may be sunnif The uppei ihat when Mr. Teller rtSk the bh<3 Chlef acto1 ’’ in fact 1 Having^ sf ctor ’ in the most drama his way i h the session it had go passengers ipon his colleagues, w] into the br they agree with him and chiidrene.penize the bpfiiesty of rendered unconscious "by \ W/v ! had partly recovered their wits and j were drying The men were hunting for a way OTit The passengers were helped out of the windows that had been broken and were told to remain together and be as brave as they could until doctors, who, the train people assured them would soon arrive from Kankakee, came. All of these persons were hurt severely. They could not join in the rescue j work. One woman staggered about for a jnoment and fell to the ground. A little girl fell sobbing on her prostrate form. Having got the living out of the 1 death-trap the rescuers went back and brought out four ghastly bodies, two of , them women. The two coaches that ; were crushed presented an awful sight to the rescuers. They carried or helped out sixty people, two of whom were stone dead.

Samuel L. Copeland has been arrested at Sioux City, la., charged with i>eing one of the two men who robbed the National bank at Moorhead, Mian., June 27, of 14,600.