Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1853-04-29
Terrible Collision.
BETWEEN THE CARS OF THE MICH. CENTRAL
AND South. Railroads.
GREAT LOSS OF LIFE!
sponsible position


TUESDAY MoRNISG, O'Clock A. NJ.
The Express train which left this city at o.
clock last night, on the Southern Michigan road,
came in collision at the crossing, about miles
out with an emigrant and freight train coming H.
to Chicago. on the Mich. Central Rail Road.
The locomotive of the Express train struck the
sixth car filled with passengers, and in a moment
the locomotive, tender, car and one End class car
of the Express train, together with three enigrant
cars of the Mich. Central Train were heap of
ruins.
On the northcrly side of the Central track, one
first class passenger car thrown upon its side,
and groans and cries assailed the ears of those
who FASTENED from the rest of the first class cars
which retained their position. Those in this car
were aided TO escape from the confusion, and from
the dangeR0of sutfocation, and it was found that
none wercdangerously injured, though several re-
ceiycd severe bruises.
The scene which presented itself on the other
side of the Central track be fully described
and time will not effacc the memory of that terri
BILE and heart-rendng spectacle, from the mind of
the unwilling beholder.
We saw heap of ruins from beneath which
shrieked out upon the midnight air, crries for help
mingled in strange discord with the deeper toned
groans of the dying. One by one those who were
able crawlcd out from the rubbish while the UNI
injured were fully employed in rendering assistance
to those unable TO extricate themselves.
Each moment the scene became if possible more
heart -rending. Here sat poor woman with a
broken limb and her little daughter stood by her
side, weeping and begging for assistance. There
lay young German dead, his sister by his side,
wringing her hands and crying mcin bruder,
meiu bruder!' Here a child CRYING 1" Q nv ia
Their" There woman waing for the loss of her
infant. 4 woman dead, her mangled features but
partially concealed by cloak, and at her side on
" faithful dog.
Three children, from three TO ten years of age
were taken from the water, and placed side by
side. At the head of one sat the bereaycd father.
No one came near to claim the other two.
An infant was picked out of the ruins unharm-
ed hut no mother could be found for it,
Those most dangerously INJURED were conveyed
into the unharmcd cars and reRdered as comforta-
bic rs possible. With some the struggle between
life and death seemed uncertain.
In this place was exhibited the kindness of wo-
mans nature, and the sympathy of many a true
heart found expression in timely action.
1t was the general opinion that from 2 to Is
bodies Law beneath the ruins, though it was i'm
possible TO ascertain with any accuracy. -Four
bodies had been taken out. From so to 60 were
seriously injured, and some of these cannot reco-
yer. The emigrants on the Central road suffered
the most.
The cause of this collision, rarely if ever equal
led in its fatal and terrible results, is beyond
lecture. The night was as bright as nearly full
moon and the ccarest atmosphere could make it.
The two roads cross each other at nearly right an
giles, rnd for a long distance on straight line.
1t seems as if it impossible for both engineers
have each others trains for the distance
of at least half mile if not MILE before reaching
the crossing But comment as vet on the cause is
out of the question. Let an outraged community
let the survivors. of the killed let the MANNED for
life hold all those in any way connected with this
wholesale destruction of human life to the strictest
accountability,
At half vast two the first class passengers from
Chicago were transferred to the Central passen-
ger car and brought up to the city. Up to that
time no locomotive had come from the city to bear
away the wounded and diving who had been crush
ed in the cars of that road and yet four hours and
he'll had elapsed since the collision and yet those
poor creatures in all the agones Of broken limbs
and smashed bodies could not be conveyed to any
house or bed except on that road,
1t must be borne in mind that each of the tracks
which concentrate ut this crossing thanked with
water on both sides, so that the getting from one
place another is at all points difficult, at some
impossible.
The ruin of the ears was in itself a terrible sight
Piled up in the water lay an immense heap of
wheels, iron ratings, spnters, doors &c, &c
On one side lay the crushed locomotive still emit
ting steam as late as O'Clock, Perched on the
top of ALL at the hight of twelve feet above the
tcr's edge, was the baggage car of the Express
train with one-half perfectly sound, not even the
and "A portion of the trunks had rolled down the
heap into the water below.
Beneath one edge of the ear appeared the bald
head and one hand of an old man. The leg of
one and the body of another were also visible be-
meath the car,
/ To the east of the ruins burned bright fire
kindlcd from the splinters whose light fickered
across the quiet forms of three children and shone
brightly upon the passengers who gathered around
/ it. Another fire was also burning west of the Ex-
press train.
/ No one in the first class passenger cars was Sc
rouSly injured. The engineer, fireman and con-
ductor escaped as usual.
! We have just returned from the scene of desc
iatipn and horror where the coroners jury are sit
ting upon the lifeless remains of seven bodies
! z. NJ Castle Is foreman. Such a sight is al
most indescribahle. Limbs completely smashed,
heads bruised, and blood covering the floors, wo-
men anxious 10 get sight of their dead husbands
parents of their children. One room is filled with
! the wounded, still living, but injured fatally
I The crowd around the depot was immense and
the streets were filled with men, women and chill
dren, going and coming from the sickening scene.
/ There was so mnch excitement and confusion that
we could not learn the names of the sufferers, and
will wait the report of the coroners jury, trusting
that its verdict will be in detail andiemphatic.
The streets are filed with those that inju-
red but not fataly-their friends taking them
home and taking the best care of them. Every
carriage is filled in CARRYING off the injured
The engineer on the Southern road was saved
by jumping from the locomotive into the water,
before the collision took place. His locomotive is
perfect wreck among the mass of other ruins,
and had he not jumped, he would of course been
smashed in the wreck. Whether he reversed the
engine before saving himself is not known. 1t is
Judged he did not, as his train ran clear through
the other 10 The passenger car back Of the baggage