The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-08-18
DEATH ON THE RAIL.
SHOCKING RAILROAD MUIR
DERIN ILLINOIS.
UNPRECEDENTED SLAUGHTER.
List Of the Killed and Wounded.

CHICAGO, August ia terrible and
heart rendering catastrophe occurred
on the Chicago, Alton and st. Louis
railroad at 10 o'clock last night, Is
miles from Chicago and twoe miles this
side OF Lemont. Twelve persons met
with q terrible death and 30 or 40 were
badly injured. perhaps fatally. The
victims were passengers on the night
express which left here at 9 o'clock
last evening and a few employees on
the incoming freight train. The pas
senger train consisted Of the engine,
baggage and three passenger cars, ln'
cluding a Pullman coach. About 200
passengers were ON the train, the pas
senger train running at the rate OF 20
miles per hour, and when two miles
this side OF Lemont collided with
freight train running at the rate OF 70
miles per hour. The collision was a
terrible one. The engine OF the passenger
train, ran clear ever the top OF the
freight locomotive ard an awful wreck
ensued. Six persons WEI -',.,d CUT
right. The explosion is said TO have
shaken the country for miles around,
and the escaping steam rushed upon
the people In binding cloudst The
scene is depicted as awful. Persons
were thrown the distance of one huu-
dred feet; others jammed into the
wreck and mangled shockingly. Ac.
cording 10 the reports which have
reached US, the responsibility for the
accident rests entirely on the conduc-
tor OF the freight train, who deliber-
ately started his train from Lemont
some fifteen minutes in advance OF
time.
The passenger train was running at
the rate OF twenty-five miles an hour,
and, excepting the Pullman car at the
rear, was completely smashed. The
shock of the collision was such as to
heap up the wrecks OF the cars with
passengers close 10 the points OF COLI
sion OF the two engines. O0e of the
engines was thrown from the track
while the boiler of the other expl oded
Just how many were injured by the
steam is not known. Some OF the
sights at the disaster were frightful
One man, brakeman, was transix ed
to his car and held suspended in the air
above the wreck writhing IN the most
excruciating agony, from which he was
finally relieved by the by-standers.
One engineer is reported to have disap-
peared in company with his conductor.
Intense feeling is expressed upon the
ground OF the accident.
We understand the officers OF the
road, at least, express no doubt ss to
the guilty parties. They also took
prompt measures for the relief OF the
sufferers as soon as the news reached
them.
The following is list Of the killed
an d wounded:
Captain VIM. Little, fatally shatte r.
ed; Jacob Condiant, Switzerland, scald.
ed; No. 0. Caldwell, dangerously
scalded; John Scheris, scalded A..
Borden, scalded; John Whalen, scald-
ed; Alex. Murdock, scalded; W. Cur
ran, scolded; Martin Carlton, Bloom
ingtou, scalded; r. J. Brass, Chicoga,
badly scalded George Ran kell, Chicago,
and Willie r. D. Brssy, dead Jacob
Klase, scalded; Jacob Hardaven,
dying; S. A. Hawkins, dying; John
ONesl, Joliet, scalded; unknown fire.
man on the passenger train, dead I'M
known fireman on coal train dead; un-
known German, scalded; unknown en-.
gineer on engine OF the coal train dead !;
Noah Dil.lblisa, Of Springfield, dead ;
Thomas Mathon, of Chicago, dead |;
Theodore Strong, OF Texas, badly scald-
ed and recovery doubtful; j. E. Gun.
ningham,' broken leg Isaac Mills, Of
New York, travelling agent, hand and
ears .calded w. A. Castle, of Chicago,
legs and body scalded and also bruised;
William Mitchell, scslded very badly
Alex Montienth, OF Scotland, very bad
ly scalded; Tohmas Crowley, scalded;
S. Lemoth, OF Philadelphia, fore arm
fractured and otherwise injured; Frank
Flanry, Of Springfield, badly scalded
and will probably loss his eye sight
Alex Haskett, Of Aberdeen, hand and
head scaIded; Antonia Finklinger, OF
ST. Louis, very badly scalded.
This evening three other victims OF
the railroad disaster, who were convey
ed to the county hospital, died from the
effects OF their injuries. Three unknown
men were found dead in the wreck tor
day, and their bodies were taken to
Hemont, two miles from the scene OF
the disaster.
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