Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-08-28
AWFUL TRAGEDY.
Collision ON the Chicago and Alton Rail-
rOad-FOrty-three Persons Killed and
Wounded.

road-Forty-three Persons Killed and
DUNDEE
[From the Chicago Tribune, Aug. 49,
Another of those railroad horrors which
periodically thrill the country occurred Satur-
day night on the Chicago and Alton railroad,
between Willow Station and Lemont, about %
miles from this city. The lightning express
which leaves at 9 o'clock every evening for st.
Louis started at the usual hour, and, without
any premonition of disaster, flew on at the
usual rate of speed-twenty-fve miles an hour.
1t was Saturday night, and many persons were
going to the country to spend Sunday, and
many Others who had been in the city on bust
ness were returning to their homes along the
line. The train consisted of a locomotive, a
baggage-car, 8 s~moking-car, two coaches, and
two sleeping-cars. The cars were well filled,
particularly the smoking-car. The train was
due at Willow Station at 9:55, and was on
time. 1t is not usual for this train to stop at
that station, but on this occasion it was neces-
sary, in order to take on a sleeping-car which
was brought from st. Louis by the train which
left that city in the morning.
The train started from Willow Station, ac-
cording to the best evidence, ten minutes
make up lost time, undoubtedly the rate of
speed was somewhat accelerated. The con-
ductor and engineer knew they were to pass a
coal train at Lemont, seven miles distant, but
unhappily that train did not wait, as it should
have done, but came on toward the passenger
train, expecting to make Willow Station. 1t
was a race for life. The conductor and en-
gineer of the coal train Knew that the passen-
ger train, laden with precious lives, was in
'front.', and if they did not reach a switch by a
certain time, a collision was inevitable. Both
trains were rushing toward destruction. On
they flew over the iron way through the dark
ness, the speed increasing at every revolution
of the wheels. The passengers in the
sleeping-cars were preparing to retire, or had
already done 80. Those in the coaches were
looking forward to reaching their destination,
where expectant families awaited their
coming. The suspicion of danger never
crossed the minds of any, when suddenly,
without a moments warning, not even a
whistle, the two trains were locked in an en-
brace of death, and in one moment wives
were made widows, children became father
less, mourning was sent to the threshold of
many happy homes, and sorrow that can never
be eradicated pierced many hearts. There
were three conclusions, -frst, when the en-
CINE, met and were destroyed second, when
the baggage-car struck and was smashed into
fragments and third, when the smoking-car
collided and leaped in the air, alighting on
the fractured boiler of the freight engine.
The remains of the pa-ssenger-train engine
were thrown from the track, toward the east,
and SO were the ruins of tho baggage-car.
Then came the s~moking-car on the top of the
boiler. The fore part of the car was burst
open by the force with which it struck, the
hind. wheels remaining ON the track, and there
it stood at an angle of thirty degrees, the
passengers imprisoned in the broken iron and
wood, while the deadly steam came up with
terrific force from the boiler below, scalding
those whom it touched, instantly peelng of
the skim, and causing the most excruclatIng
agony. One moment was sufficient to cause
death, but many were there several minutes
before being extricated. They breathed the
burning atmospheric. One breath was fatal,
the inner surface of the chest and lungs being
f~esrfully scorched.
As soon as they recovered from the frat
shock. the passengers in the two coaches and