The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-08-29
THE CHICAGO AND ALTON RAIL
RDAU HORROR.

ROAD HORROR.
The Chicago papers of the 18th publish the
sickening details of the frightful catastrophe
which occurred on the night Of the 10th on the
Chicago, Alton and st. Louis railroad, near
Lemont. about 90 miles from Chicago. The
facts, in brief, are about az follows: The "St.
Louis Fast Express" left Chicago at 0 O'Clock
on Saturday eYsning, sha 10th, Ar usual.
When it had reached Willow Springs 1t was
about eight minutes behind time, and upon
leaving that station assumed a higher rate Of
speed than usual. In the meantime q coal
train from Joliet to Chicago had reached Le-
mont, the next station south Of Willow Springs,
and proceeded northward without stopping.
A fog was prevailing, which was quite dense
over the low and marshy tract. About two
miles and a half north of Lomont the trains
collided with undiminished momentum. Both
engines were completely wrecked, and the
~smoking-car OF the express train was thrown
atop Of the engine Of the coal train, and the
steam passed in upon the passengers through
a seam that was made in the bottom OF the
car. Eleven persons, all Of whom were in
the smokipg-car were killed, and 40 persons
we're injured. From this number it is un-
happily certain that the number Of the killed
will be reinforced, and perhaps doubled. The
Tribune says OF the disaster:
It was the result Of a coll siou between the
regular passenger train, which left Chicago at
0 o'clock Saturday evening, and a regular coal
train coming north. The we trains collided
at full speed a few miles north of Lemont, be-
tween that station and Willow Springs. The
passenger train was running on time, and, as
its officers could have had no apprehension Of
danger, it must have been making the regular
wild, and, AZ it WAS the purpose of the conduc-
tor to reach Willow Springs station before the
passenger train could leave, it must have been
running considerably faster than the ordinary
speed Of freight trains. The extent OF the dis
aster indicates that the collision was one of
tremendous force. One engine was piled upon
the other, and the boiler of the freight engine
was Immediately torn open. The cars, how
ever, were not telescoped. Many persons were
sitting in the smoking-car, as is usual within
an hours ride from the place OF depar-
ture, and there was no escape for these from
the scalding water and steam that poured
forth from the engine that was jammed up
against it. The number of killed and wounded
is reported to be between forty and fifty, nine
Of whom were dead at last accounts. There
seems to be an impression among the medical
men that eighteen of the passengers injured
will die. The large number of deaths and
the frightful character of the wounds and
burns, along with tho inability of the passen-
gers to extricate themselves from the place
where the scalding steam poured in upon them,
render the accident one of the most horrible
in the swollen record Of American railroad
Acatastrophes.
Viewed in no other light than that Of a
CHASTITY horror, by which forty-three human
beings are brought suddenly and Unexpectedly
face to face with death, or with sufferings
worse than death, such a catastrophe is APP
palling to every person Of common sympa-
thies. Blu there is another and more horrible
aspect to the present disaster, which likewise
presents itself in most Of our railroad acct
dents. When we think of it AZ q sacrifice and
slaughter, which il the character that most of
the reports fix upon it, there is o demand for
retribution al natural as the spontaneous sug-
gestion of sympathy and sorrow. Though the
financial responsibility Of the railroad company
for the damages Of the accident is very clear,
there appears to DO no blame attaching to the
chief officers of the road unless it shall be
shown that the conductor who is directly
guilty was known, or might have been known
to them, to be n reckless and irresponsible
person. All counts Of the accident fix the
immediate responsibility upon tho conductor
of the freight train. The passenger train in
reported as running ON time with the eXpecta-
ton Of passing the freight train at the next
station. as per schedule. But the freight train