The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1872-02-17
BURNED TO DEATH.
The Rockford. Rock Island and Saint
Louis Railroad Tragedy.
From the St. Louis Republican, Feb. 81

Louis Railroad Tragedy.
From the st. Louis Republican, Feb. 81
A railroad accident. appalling in its re-
suits, occurred yesterday morning about G
O'Clock on the track Of the Rpckfor Rock
Island and st Louis Railroad, about one mile
aorth of tie Alton Junction station, about
twenty miles from this city. passenger
train, No. 4, due at East ST. Louis at 7:Io
O'Clock A. NJ, proceeding at rate of speed
not much less than twenty miles per hour,
was brought in collision with train of freight
cars moving at a rate Of speed of not less
than II miles per hour.
The engines came together with terrible
force. The front part OF both were shiveied
TO fragments. The baggage car was torn to
splnters, the stove broken. and the wood fire
mixed with the shivered material of the de-
molished car. The passenger coach next be
hind the baggage car was driven forward by
It's own aud the momentum Of the two cars
behind 1T, so that it was telescoped into the
broken baggage car, the front stove broken.
the seats torn from their fastonings, and with
their occupants hurled in heap to the rear
pars OF the car. 81 sudden, SO violent and
unexpected shock for the moment rendered
the occupants OF the car. who had escaped
without injury, totally incapable of extricat
mentS OF the baggage car were already in a
light blaze, the shattered timb Der Of the Das
seDger car was on fire. aud the pinioned
passengers. unable 10 help themselves, were
crying plteously for assistance when there
was none to help. A few, who had escaned
without harm, put forth almost superhuman
efforts to rescue their fellow travellers from
the impending doom. There was no. an axe
or any implement with which to cut away
the parts OF the car which imprisoned the
victims. Some were hauled out with broken
legs. some with broken arms, and one had
his collar bone and jaw fractured, while
others were pulled from the burning wreck
with scofcbed limbs and covered with blood
streaming from frightful wound. The fire
bazed up. and spread with great rapdity.
The cries Of the helpless persons still in the
wreck became heart>recding. One of the
persons who was burned in the wreck was
caught across the thighs by some part of
the car. Two of the passengers who had es-
capped went to his assistance. aud were en>
deavOring to relieve him, when the flames
lesped out, bnrnirg their hands, and forcing
them to abandon the unfortunate man 10 his
fate. Six of the passengers who had suf~
fered severe injuries were rescued with diff
Guilty after the fire had broken out, some of
them severely burned. The spot where the
accident occurred yesterday evening bore
testimony to the dreadful nature of the scenes
witnessed there in the morning. There were
the ashes and the blackened fragments Of
iron work about the car. the shattered and
broken locomotives, the red stains Of blood
on the pure white of the snow, the unpleas~
ant odor emitted by the half>consumed bod
les of the four roasted victims. all conspiring
to force upon the mind realizing sense of
ha # ha ba l,o.
of those who received personal iriuries is
variously estimated at from thirteen to sew
enteen. Drs Williams and Haskell, of Alton,
and Drs. Yerkers and Lemen, Of Upper Alton.
were summoned early in the day, and re-
paired to the scene of the accident and ren>
dered valuable assistance to the unfortunate
sufferers. Some Of the wounded wese seri~
ously hurt. Mr. Cauman, of St. Louis, suf
ftrod compound fracture of the leg and was
OF herwise bruised. Another gentleman had
his jaw broken and was much injured about
the head and shoulders. Some were burned
Others had brekeu ankles aud arms. Some
were cut about the head and face and others
received injuries in the chest and about the
body. After having their wounds dressed
the sufferers were all conveyed to Brighton,
a station some miles beyond Upper Alton.
The bodies, or what remained of them, of
lne IDuf FlClIiIlS Sl LEG IRE, "eI0 conveyed
to Alton, and placed in the Office of Mr.. o.
Connor. undertaken. and will be kept there
until this morning, when a coroner's iTquest
will be held. The names of two of them
had not been fully ascertained. The re>
mains of these victims so much consumed
that recognition is impossible. Their limbs
are entirely consumed. OF three of them
nothing is left but the headless trunk the
fourth has no legs left. These charred re>
mains present spectacle truly horEifying.
The undertaker's office where the bodies are
laid is dark. gloomy room. aud the roasted
bodies Of those who but a few short hours
before wsre in the erJoyment of lusty life.
seemed to have found fit place. surrounded
as they were by the sombre furniture of the
grave.