Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-11-29
SHOCKING DISASTER.


a Standing Passenger Coach on the c. b.
g. Q. Road Telescoped by an Engine, the
Boiler of Which Explodes Scattering
Death and Destruction-Eight Persons
KILLED and a Large Number Injured.
STREAToR, ILL.,, Nov. 10.
The twelve o'clock passenger train on the
Fox River branch of the Chicago, Burling-
ton and Quincy Railroad was telescoped by
"a heavy freight train at Otter Greek, two
and a half miles north of Streator, to-day.
The passenger train had been tagged by
an extra train that was unable to move on
the heavy grade south of the creek. The
train stopped north of the bridge. Another
freight train was following close behind
the passenger and f1agman went back,
but did not get very far when the tram
came in sight. The grade was SO heavy
that the freight could not stop in time ana
suddenly appeared around the curve. liz
crashed at once into the rear coach OF the
passenger train, crushing it into fragments
and burying itself in the ruins, instantly
killing four of the unfortunate passengers
and injuring twelve more. The:foAowing
is the list of
KILLED:
LG. Pearre an attorney of Dwight, ILL.,;
head crushed.
Mrs. Alex. Henderson and daughter of
Wedron.
Mr.. Humison, on his way to attend the
funeral of his brother at Pontiac, I'll.
Rev. Samuel Dickover, Presiding Elder OF
the German Evangelical Church, badly cut
about the head, and died. -
Lewis Greener, Otter Creek, badly cut in
DIR. j. II. Finley, of Streator, bad cut
about the head and hand crushed, since
died.
INJURED:
L.
Smith, the firemen of the freight, one leg
crushed and cut in the head; badly hurt
doubtful whether he will recover
Hank Young, engineer OF the freight
train, badly crushed.
Conductor Doyle of the extra, cut IN the
James Sullivan, from near Garfield, cut
about the head and both hands hurt.
s. T. Murdoch, left hand burned.
Frank Swartz, of Otter Greek, scalded on
the back, hips and right arm; his injuries
are serious. ) =
As soon as word reached town an extra
tram was sent with DR.. Smith and relief
corps of all these about the depot that could
go. They gathered up the dead and dying,
put them in the baggage and smoking cars
and came to the city with them. Carriages
were brought and the wounded carefully
transferred to them and taken home Or to
she hotels to be cared for.
Attorney Murdoch, who was one of the
slightly injured, says it all happened so
quickly ne COulu IlOt Iculizof )" IL W nos
There was q crash, the car filed with steam,
and then in a few minutes all was still. He
did not hear any cry or call from anyone.
The two women that Were killed were on
the seat in front of him, and when he could
see he found them struggling in the last
agoneS. Pearre, one of the men killed, was
sitting behind him.
Freight engine No. 211 is completely tel.
escoped in the passenger coach. The ten
der and first cor remained on the track,
while the succeeding two were thrown off.
Pieces of the smoke-stack and the boiler
mead were thrown distance of at least one
hundred feet. It appears that the collision
was followed by an immediate explosion OF
rthe boiler, the steam filling the coach in
stantly, scaldipg the victims of the COLI
sion. Every within a radius of ter
feet from the boiler was blown to atoms
The track is blocked and impossible, hold
ing all trains on this. road. The wreckine
train arrived from Aurora at five O'Clock
and is at work clearing away the wreck
The Burlington Road has ordered special
train from Galesburg and Burlington with
special surgeons. Drs. Ransom and Pierce
= are with them.