Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-11-05
CURRENT AFFAIRS.
A HORRIBLE DISASTER.

A Railroad Train wrecked in VvisoOn-
sin--.the Cars take Fire and 30 Lives
are Lost.
One of the worst railroad horrors which
this country has seen took place on Wednes.
day night Of last week at East Rio, q freight
station and siding 10 miles east Of Portage,
Wis. The train which was wrecked was the
west-bound limited express. There are two
side tracks at the place, and at the time the
train was due there both we're occupied by
freights, one by wild train and the other
by regular train which had just pulled In
from the west 10 allow the limited to pass.
The regular train was very long, and the con-
ductor was at the head Of the train, relying
upon the brakemen to attend TO the switch.
One report says that the rear brakeman,
whose business II was 10 close the switch Rf-
ter the train, neglected altogether TO do 80.
The other and more probable story is, that
he started back TO close the switch, but be-
fore he could reach it, the limited, which
does not stop at any except large places,
came tearing down grade at 90 miles an hour,
and left the rails at the open switch. The
engine left the track, ran q short distance
and brought up against the side Of the cut,
topping over. The baggage car and two
regular coaches followed, while four seepers
kept the rails. The cars which went off
took fire from the stoves, and their occupants,
20 or more in number, died horrible death.
The engineer and fireman crawled from un-
der the locomotive, badly bruised and scald-
cd. The baggage man had leg broken. All
passengers in the sleepers got out uninjured,
except slight bruises. The whole train, ex-
cept one sleeper, which could not be uncoupl-
ed and drawn away, was burned up. The
wrecked passenger coach was telescoped at
both ends, and the FIRE and smoke that envel-
oped the wreck prevented the imprisoned and
injured passengers from escaping. Passen-
gers from the sleepers gathered around the
blazing cars, but they we're powerless TO rem
der assistance. Men and women could be
seen tearing their hair in the agony Of the
moment, and frightful screams issued from
the death trap. One heavy woman in par
ticular tore up one Of the seats with almost
superhuman strength, and endesvored to
break her way out of the flames, but her
strength failed and she fell 10 the floor and
met horrible death. Only three persons
escaped from the passenger car, Chicago
man and two children grom Winona, Wis
The man was observed AZ he forced his way
through the ventilator on top OF the car with
clothing on his body from waist downward torn
of, and his flesh bleeding from cuts inflicted
by broken glass. The two children were
taken from their mother, who could not be
her.
Bishop whipple, who is reported by other
passengers 70 have been most active, cool
headed and courageous in the effort to res
cue the victims from the day coach, thus de-
scrbes the accident; "a freight train reach
ed Rio about twenty minutes before the limit
ed train which was wrecked, and the switch
had been left open. Our train was going At
the rate Of 40 miles an hour, so the train men
said, and the courage of the engineer can not
be praised too highly. He stayed with the
! engine, and have never known an air bpake
to be set so quickly and strongly as that one
was. was IN the first sleeper, and had the
berth in the end next the day coach. Mr..
NcGinnis OF Morris was in the berth oppo-
site me. The instant of the shock he sprang
| from the berth and ran to the front end of
the car, but 1t was impossible to get out at
that end, for it had telescoped. He rushed
| back and cried out Come and help me
save these people, who are being burned to
death had been awake but few minutes
before and had looked at my watch. 1t was
1870 o'clock. followed McGinnis in my
stocking feet. He ran faster than l, and
when / came to the burning coach he had
taken two children from a woman near the
rear of the coach She asked him to save
her children, for their father was living. We
| both tried to lift the woman from the car,
| but we could not for she was wedged be-
meath the broken seats. A moment after We
reached her her dress took fire, and she faint
| ed and was burned to death before our eyes.
"There was comparatively little screaming
| coming from the car, but there was rather
the low moan Of suffering, and believe that
most of those who persisted we're killed out
| right. The car was telescoped at both ends
| Mr. Ames, who was ON the train, saw the
/ in that gOanh and an did m wife
| and they think there were seventeen. In about
| an hour and a half Mr. Collins, supeTinten
dent OF that division arrived from Milwaukee
and everything was done that could be done
for the comfort Of the passengers who were
left The ladies on the train we're especially
kind in caring for the two motherless chill
dren. One was little girl about years OLD
and the other baby-R boy"
Charles Smith, the Chicago medical stu
dent and the only man who escaped from tn,
burning coach, is lying in hotel in Portage
Wis He tells this story Of his experience
IL had a double seat to myself about the mid
die Of the car and was sleeping at the timt
the Crash came. My first thought was tina
some Oae had thrown pounded glass into my
face and eyes. My mouth was full Of it. / on
ly knew that my face and head were bleeding
badly, and then became partly unconscious
for a moment or two. On opening my eye
again l saw that the lamps were out and tina
a lurid blaze lighted up the whole car anC
was rapidly approaching me. BY desperate
| effort released myself from the rubbish anC
broken seats which held me fast to the foo
of the car, and could see passengers all abou
the car so thoroughly wedged in among tn,
seats which were smashed, that it was i'm
| possible 10 extricate themselves. The top o
| the car seemed TO have fallen in, and eithe
end almost or quite rested upon the ruins be
meath and pinned the passengers TO the floor
| As soon as / WAS released attempted 10 ex
tricate those near me, but found my RICH
arm helpless. A woman just in front Of mi
who had little child begged me TO help her
and put my left arm around her shoulder
and pulled with all my might, but was unab
10 move her. She and all the rest seemed Il
be so wedged in that even II had had boil
arms, don't think could have helped then
in the moment had to spare. The hame
spread 80 rapidly that l could not remain
| longer and with the greatest difficulty escap
ed through a crack between the top and edge
| of the car and then dropped to the ground
AS climbed the bank close to the car
could see the flames we're already surround
ing the screaming women and children, jus
where 1 was but q moment before. Tn
sights and sounds were almost terrific TO se'
aud hear, and the memory of that hour
even worse TO me than the pain which rack
my body. Two small children were takei
out of the broken window by some man from
one of the sleeping cars, and am the onl.
other who escaped"
Milwaukee dispatches say it is DEFINITELY
known that at least / 7 persons persisted ant
the probabilities are that the victims humble
over 20. James Phillips, brakeman, testi
fed at the inquest that he remembered 2
persons in the day coach. As but three per
sons escaped, 20 must have persisted
The brakeman who failed to close tn
switch took to the woods az soon as he say
the wreck, but turned up at st. Paul Satur
day. He says in his first fright he though
the train men would be lynched, and this wa