Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-08
RAILWAY MASSACRE.
Frlghtful Collision in Illinois.
Four Passengers Roasted Alive
And Thirteen nrang1ed.

a
ALTON, ILL.,, Feb. 1.-The passenger train
| going to st. Louis on the Rockford, r. l.,
and st. Louis Railroad, which was due at
Alton junction at 6:10 this morning, when
about three-quorters of mile below Upper
Alton station, coIided with freight train
going north.
The baggage car and first coach were tel
| escaprd, and then almost instantly took
ire. The scene that ensued was appalling.
The unfortunate passengers were most of
them caught between the car seats, and
egress from the car was nearly impossible.
The flames enveloped the doomed cars al.
most instantly, and the terrified passengers
were left to be slowly roasted alive.
Upto IL o'clock a. m. the charred and
blackened remains of four victims Of this
fearful accident had been recovered, and
were lying on the snow awaiting the COro-
ners inquest. The names of the killed,
as far as known, are as follows: Joseph
Truccson and Mrs. Reubin Rains. The
two other bodies which, up to this time,
have been found, have not been identified.
These four passengers were all burned.
Wounded: Reuben Rains badly cut on
the head and body; Isaac Barnhardt badly
burned and head out; August Maube, late
Of Rock Island, ankle broken; NJ. Cannon,
leg broken; Fred. K. Bugle, of st. Louis,
bruised; Franklin Graves bruised; Karl Foss
severely bruised. The train boy was
severely injured, besides five others, max
ing altogether four killed and thirteen in
jured.
The working party are still at work on
the ruins and more. casualties may be re-
reported.
DemOniac ReeEIessness.
The freight train was behind time and
should have side tracked at the junction but
instead Of doing so kept straight on. The
conductor of the freight train jumped off
when the trains colllded and sought safety
in flight. His name is Baker. 1t is also
said his engineer and fireman followed his
example, but this lacks confirmation. The
whole responsibility for this terrible affair
rests upon Bakers shoulders, as Mr.. Fitz-
gerald, conductor of the passenger train,
was running on time and supposed he
would pass the freight at the junction.
A Narrowing Incident.
When the collision occurred Mr.. Rains,
his wife and child were sitting on one seat,
the child between its parents. The force
Of the collision was such that the seats
were jammed together and these unfortu-
mates were caught in the wreck. Mr.. Rains
finally succeeded in extricating himself al
though terribly burned. Mr.. Franklin
Graves tried his utmost to rescue Mrs.
Rains and almost tore her clothes off in his
efforts but all in vain. Seeing that his ex-
ertions to save her would not be successful
he tried to save the child and succeeded in
doing 30, although at great personal risk.
The wounded were all conveyed as soon
as possible to Brighton, where they are now
being cared for. The bodies of the dead
have been brought to Alton, and tomorrow
an inquest will be held and all the facts in
the case elected.
A Horrible Death.
ST. LOUIS, Feb. IA passenger who
was on the train that collided near Alton
this morning says one man, name unknown,
was caught in the timbers of the car by his
foot only but all efforts to release him were
futile. An axe was sent for at his request
to cut bis foot off, but before it arrived the
flames reached him and he was burned to
death.