Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1901 — TEN ARE KILLED IN RAILWAY WRECK [ARTICLE]

TEN ARE KILLED IN RAILWAY WRECK

Carelessness Brings Two Illinois Central Trains Together on Curve. ACCIDENT NEAR ROCKFORD. Fir* Follows Coll Lion, and Those Who , Escaped Other Horror* Were Compelled to Stand on Prairie with Temperature SO Degress Below Zero.

Disobedience of plain orders by the crew of the freight train caused the wreck on the Illinois Central eight miles east of Rockford, 111., just before midnight Saturday night. Nine persons were killed and twelve were Injured In the debris of crushing steel, flying splinters and broken glass that resulted from the fearful impact of the two trains. The trains came together on a sharp curve. There was no time for a warning shriek of tne whistlet There was the. flashing of two headlights, a shock, and both engines were crushed Into shapeless masses of steel. Six passenger coaches and ten freight cars, loaded with merchandise, were piled'into one great mass of broken timbers and splintered woodwork. In this mass were buried engineers and firemen of both trains, and at least five others. This pile of wreckage leaped Into flames almost in an instant. Those of the victims who were not fortunate enough to be killed outright were burned to death hours before relief could reach them. The Dead. tlavid Beehan, engineer of freight train, resided in Freeport. Edward Carey, fireman on freight train; remains taken to home ip Freeport. Richard Ormsby, engineer of passenger train; body held at Rockford for conclusion of inquest. James Reardon, fireman of passenger train; boay taken to home in Freeport. William Reynolds, of Irene, 111. George Reynolds, in the employ of the company as section foreman, with headquarters at South Addison. Robert Thompson, baggage expressman on passenger train; residence at Dubuque, la. Porter, colored man on passenger train. Newsboy on passenger train, believed to be Coates of Chicago. B. R. Ahrent, Chicago; bruised on. face and head. D. J. Canchester, Chicago; bruised about body; left arm cut. Hays Fletcher, Chicago; cut in right arm and head. E. Howard, Chicago; bruised on body and cut over left eye. Jack Lewis, Chicago; bruised on head and left shoulder. P. M. Muler, Chicago; slight cut on left hand; right leg wrenched. J. H. Quinlan, conductor of passenger train; bruised about the chest and severe scalp wound; resides at Chicago; probably fatally injured. E. Traverse, Chicago; cut on head and face. H. B. Wellman, 895 Jackson boulevard, Chicago; left shoulder dislocated; right'arm crushed and amputated; condition serious.

Flra Follows the Wreck. The fire followed so close upon the Impact that those who escaped other horrors and suffering were compelled to stand In the open prairie with temperature 20 degrees below zero', insufficiently clad, while the surviving members of the crew of the wrecked trains tramped four mites through the storm to secure relief. The passenger was the regular Omaha train, due in Chicago at 9:40 p. m. It consisted of baggage and express car, a smoker, a coalch, parlor car and diner. It was running at a high rate of speed, being over three hours late on account of the cold weather. The freight train was running as No. 61 and it was composed of fourteen loaded cars, three empties and the way-car. 2 The freight was running at high speed and the trains came togetner without warning, a slight curve hiding each from the other. Neither engine whistled for brakes nor used the air so far as could be ascertained. The crash was terrific, both engines being reduced tp scrap iron. The roof of one car was hurled into a field far from the right of way, while a casting weighing 1,200 pounds was thrown Into a field 200 feet away. The temperature was 20 below zero and an icy wind was blowing across the prairie, the point where the wreck occurred being in a shallow cut, affording no protection. The injured were without hats and wraps and suffered terribly. By the united efforts of the survivors the way car was pushed back from the wreckage to escape the flames and the wounded were placed on the bunks inside. Rev. Dr. P. S. Henson of Chicago, who had a narrow escape, said: “A sight met my eyes that I shall not soon forget. Two whole trains/were ablaze, the flames burning with appalling rapidity. Evidently every person who • had been confined in the debris was unconscious from his Injuries or was dead because I beard no cries."