Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-04-09

RAILROAD COLLISION ON THE
O., b. q Q. ROAD.
Three Persons Killed and . Number
- ~ Wounded,
CHICAGO, April s.
A ffightful collision occurred on
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy
railroad, near Tyrone, Iowa, on Sum
day morning last. The accident is
to be attributed entirely to the crimi-
nal carclessness of the telegraph
operator at Tyrone, Iowa, who ne
elected to give conductor of passen-
ger train No. 2, which was duo in
Chicago at 1886 p. III. Sunday, an Or
der informing him to hold his train
at Tyrone until arrival of passenger
train No. l, WHICH left Chicago ut
10 a. M, Saturday morning. The
Pacific express, which left Chicago
at 10 o'clock, on Saturday morning,
arrived at Abba, Iowa, n little before
midnight, Saturday night, where the
conductor of the train received gor-
ders to run to Tyrone, where he
would meet the Atlantic express,
coming east. At almost the same
time, the last mentioned train, in
charge of Johnnie Miller, arrived at
Tyrone, where an order was given
the conductor to wait for fast
freight train at Abba. Under the
natural supposition that the interme-
date distance Of IL miles, his train
left Tyrone at almost the same time
the Pacific express left Abba. Moth
ing, therefore,
LESS THAN A MIRACLE,
could save the trains from the newt
able collision. Both trains were
heavily loaded, as it is estimated that
at least 500 hundred passengers were
OH board. The trains collided al
most midway between Tyrone and
Abba, on a level, though curved
piece Of track. Neither engineer
distinguished the approach of the
other tain, and but little was done
to lessen the speed of the approach
ing trains, although it appears that
neither engineer deserted his post,
but stood by his engine until the
last.
The trains were running at full
speed, particularly so in the case of
the Atlantic express. which was
BEHIND TIME.
The effect of the collision was ter
rife, as was witnessed in the terrible
havoc that was made in the case of
the engines and express cars, and the
greatest wonder is in knowing how
such a small loss of life occurred
under the circumstances. The en-
gincs, Nos. 22s and 900, were newly
built, and was considered the best on
the road. The effect of the collision
was such that the jackets of each
were torn completely off, the tanks
broken into pieces, and SO smashed
as to be almost entirely indistinguish-
able. The loss to the company will
probably amount to 100000.
The car was almost full of men,
women and children. and when the
train came to an almost instan-
taneous stop, they were thrown
against the seats and upon the floor,
some slightly bruised and others
half frightened to death. 1t was
some time before the passengers
could collect their senses and them
selves together, and not until an exit
was possible could they divine the
cause of the disaster. The night Was
not very encouraging for an inspec-
ton of the wreck, but at early dawn
the whole scene was revealed. The
engines, two baggage cars, and two
passenger coaches were
A TOTAL WRECK,
smashed in splinters, as it were. The
work of rescuing the passengers i'll
the Inflated coaches began imme-
diately after the collision, but it was
not until morning that good effective
work could be accomplished. The
eastern bound train was running Il
bout 40 miles an hour, and was turn
ing very short curve equi-distant
between Tyrone and Abba, when it
met the western bound train and tele-
scopcd. The curve was a very
short one, and it was surrounded by
a thick forest. 1t was impossible for
the engineers on either train to see
the other, and to them no blame is
attached. At the time oflea wing the
scene of the disaster
FoURMEN HAD BEEN PICKED UP DEAD,
and some IL wounded. Mr. Baker
said it was impossible to determine
whether there were any more pass
cngcrs killed in the wreck, but so far
as could be seen, the probability was
that there was no more than those
which had been foun1.. He thinks
that of the number wounded, four
will prove fatal. There were upon
the two trains about 500 people, and
the great wonder was that no
more were killed and injured.
KILLED AND WOUNDED
The Otumwa Courier gives the
following concerning the sufferers by
the disaster:
The persons killed were II. L. Mil
Ter, conductor on train No. 2, who,
when at home, lived in Burlington.
He was man of family and had two
or three children.
w. A. Gardner, Messenger Of the
American Express Company, once a
citizen of this place, and married
| here. was killed instantly. lie was