Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-25
4 CRASH AND A BLAZE.
A Eaiiroad Disas,er Near Pontiac. Ill.-an
txprcss-rrain Run Into by 4 Freight

A EaiiroaG Di.aster Near Pontiac. Ill.-an
xprcss-rrain Run Into by Freight
Tram.
A st. Louis Mo) special Of Tuesday
gives the following particulars Of the rail.
road disaster near Pontiac, H.. Shortly after
midnil ht freight train running at the rate
OF twenty miles an hour down the Pontlas
grade on the Chicago and Alton railroad
dashed into the rear OF the regular passen-
ger train bound for this city. Within o
quarter Of an hour the horrible scene was
lighted up by burning ears. The blaze was
visible for distance OF ten miles
around. The regular night expires.
train which left Chicago of 9:o5 WIS
coming down the incline about three milcs
north Of Pontiac, H., when the piston-rod
broke. necessitatlng 8 stop on the level just
this side. While the traiu-men were en-
gagged in repairing this the freight train
came laundering down, crushing into the
rear sleeper, filled with passengers, who
were unconscious OF THAR danger. The
last sleeper wa. thrown on its side by the
! freight engine, which ploughed in under
It, and then It was covered by four freight
cars which came piliDg up one after an
| other. The passengers seated in the chair
ears were thrown violently forward by the
lar and many were severely bruised. None
were So badly hunt, however, ~ to impede
a burned departure from the ear.
The forward coaches were soon cmp,ied
OF their frightened passengers. who Jump
ed from the platforms in wild confusion.
riing up on Oae another in the muddy
sides 81 the road-bed. Tie rain poured
! down in torrents, and the wreck at the
rear q the train was concealed from view
for few moments until a bright glare
broke from the freight cars, where some
oils bad taken fire. II was only thenthlt the
! terrible prcdicsmentoi OF the sleeper plssen-
gers became apparent. The last sleeper Uas
| jamrod up against the forward one, while
| exit from the rear was cut Of by the piled
ND ireight.c,r.. The fire was gaining
steadily. aud unless rescued from their
plzce q confinement the passengers in the
| Icar coach would shortly be burned to
death. The conductor, who happened TO
he forward. TccoIlecied that nearly every
! lower berth in the la.t sleeper had been
! tGkCn. From the forward coaches axes
were procured. aud with these large hole
was chopped in the forward part Of the
roof and side Of the car. ont OF this aper-
ture the imprisoned passengers wee taken.
J. G. Brandt, Of this city. the Franklin
avenue boot aud shoe -deslcr, with his
! wife sud three little children, was IN the
rear sleeper. In some way Hr. Brandt got
| lost from his family. and was taken from
| the car, while hi. wife and children re-
manned. when he learned that they were
still in the burning sleeper he was panic
stIicken. and cried in a mos; pitiabo man-
ntr: "Will YOU people let my wife and
/ children burn 10 death? Save them oh,
/ God, save thom!" while Mr. Brandt was
making this appeal his wife and children
were Icing rescued from the Otker eide Ot
the ear. When he heard they we're safe
/ he hurried to them al the front OF the
/ train through the drenching rain in his
night.clothts. All the BrAndts received
more or less slight bruises. The eldest boy
wa. seriously Injured about the hips. DR..
W. X. Warner. Philadelphia physician,
who was on the train, dressed his wounds.
/ lie feared tha. the lai might possibly be
injured internally. but il will take day TO
determine the full extent OF his injuries.
The Brandts Lost nearly all thsir elothcs,
/ but fortunately had other. in Their trunks
on the baggage-car, which they secured
when they reached Bloomington. Mr..
Brandt lost valuable diamond ring. which
wa. wrenched of bis finger.
In the slerper were Mrs. Leggett, her
little son, .nd her brother, Mr.. c. h. Whit
man. all Il thi, city: Mr.. J. T.. Nenblien.
general western agent Of the Baltimore and
Ohio: j. II. Friedheim. Of Camden, Ark. {;
/ Dr. Robert J. Reilly, Of 81. Louis, and two
ladies from Bloomington. As soon a. the
hole was cut through the roof OF the ear
the work OF relief WAS undertaken bV
Dir. Harry W. Walker, newspaper
nan from Chicago; CranstOn, the Pull
man conductor. and DIR. :. 5. VIII
lank. Of Philadelphia. Mrs. Leagett
was taken out through the apertlre
with her little boy, who was crushed ana
| lsdly frightened. The child was taken
charge Of by DR.. Wiitbsnk. Tracy, OF The
Claim Agents Department, vas cut about
the face before ne succeeded in getting out.
After all the passengers were released from
the ear they Stood in their night-clOthcs in
the pouIing rain. and with some difficulty
tLey were induced 10 enter the forward
coaches. which still stood on the track.
| The ladies' were furnished with wet blan-
kets. which they wore until the train pulled
TITO Bloomington.
reli,f-irain carving physicians was
! telcg1sphtd for to Bloomington. and wss
met nj Lexington. but the services OF the
| Musicians were not needed, as Drs. Relliy
| and Tilthsnk attended TO the cases at the
scene of the wreck. Mr.. j. 4. Venblien,
OF the Baltimore and Ohio Telegraph Conn
pcIy. was badly hurt and had to be assisted
Oh the tram. In the crash bis right ankle
was 10 badly sprained that swelling set
in immediately snd left him helpless. He
lost all his clothes. 0 gold watch, a
pocket-book containing 800, and book
iull OF railroad passes and telegraph franks,
which ho was obliged 10 leave after him IN
tie wreck. J. B. Freidheim lost !ine gold
ring and his clothes. Conductor Crsnston,
tie Pullmsn-csr conductor, wn badly
crushed about the hips. Robert Jackson,
the cOlored porter. had just gathered up
the passengers' shoes and started 10 the
rear Of the tram. Had be been a few min-
utes later he would certainly have been
killed. He was dashed to one side, but.
although badly cut about the head and
arms, he forgot his own injuries and
assisted the Pullman conductor, Cran1ton,
in rescung the passengers. Both Jack
son and CranstOn were 50 badly hurt that
they went Lack 10 Chicago. Brakeman
Clifford, OF the freight train, was standing
on ore Of the forward cars, and had lust
released his bold on one OF the brak'> Whe1
the trains came together. He was hurried
from the ear, and when picked up by the
irain.men WAS unconscious. Ou the ph'-
siclan's advice he was carried on the triln
and taken to Bloomington Tor medical care
HIS injuries were more serious than any lh'
licted ~ the disaster. and |; IL feared 'hal
lie will die.