The Republican journal., 1886-11-04
Death Oh the Rail.


TWENTY or MORE LIVES LOST By \ RAIL-
ROAD ACCIpENT.
The limited passenger train on the Chicago.
Milwaukee n st. Paul railroad ran into an
open switch at East Rio "Wednesday evening
oct. -. The baggage and mail cars were
demolished, caught fire and Were burned ulL
one sleeper was also destroyed by fire. and it
Is estimated That more Tran twenty passengers
persisted in the flames. \ freight brakeman.
charged with being responsible for the disaster,
declares that the freight conductor is wholly
Responsible for not closing the switch. \
lows by Mr.. Potter. an English gentleman. who
was travelling upon the train: II was partially
awake when tho accident happened. The train
must have been running at high rate Of speed.
Tie first sound was that Of an Undesirable
crash. can only liken it TO the swapping of
nWnhcrlc>s tmbcr> with the rapidity of a
tu>ilade. Then heard a WOeful, an appall-
inG Wail-the combined appeal and despair of
many voices Meantime felt the tremcmdou,
power OF the all brakes and while this inde>crib-
able ri-idity was ~tiilcning and arie>ting the
car in which | wa, lying. my body seemed to I've
carried re>1>tle>Siy forward. | WAS filled with
nameles> dread. for, having heard the apaiI-
IN crash. | lnDmuntary expected TO he crush
ed to death; but As the >taud>till was reached
ilYoluntarliy exclaimed, THANK COD Every
one W:> preparing to leave the car. Before
could dress the urd light from the burning
OF our sleeper, In three minutes the >leepers-
the one was in and two 10 the rear were
cmptied OF passengers.
IN TIE TEMPEST or FIRE.
wv hen | aligllted the day coach WAS abllze
III every part. In another minute the flames
had spread both WAYS until the mail and BAG
cage cars Were lurid and the foremost sleeper,
were inviting the fire was out OF my car jtl>t
in time 10 see a Womau her body half within
and mali without the burning coach. hand a
child to a man, cnioinn~ him ~ she did 50 to
save the child for it, dear father, sake Two
men struggled to pull the woman through the
window. but her Ii nhs We're securely fixed in
the wreck, and with my heart swelling into my
throat. ! stood tran>liNed and saw the poor
creature burned TO a rriSp-in fact. >aw the
head, Il cl!alred lump, drop from the shoulders.
Meanwhile We caught olimpSg.s Of others
through the breaks of the blazing wreck and
heard the means down to the last audible sound
but we We're powerlc>s to help the victims, for
the heat was 50 fierce that no one could stand
within hundred feet of the line of fire.
PRAISE FOR TIE TRAIN HANDS.
Tho portcr> threw blanket, and bedding
from the slecper> until they were driven 50
closely by the flames that one of them had to
tumble head first out Of one of the windows.
The crew from one of the side tracked trains
attached locomotive to the rear sleeper and
tried to pull the ears away to a place of safety,
but the couplings bein" bent the cars could not
be moved without dragging the burning coach,
and 50 only the rear sleeper was successfully
detached. The blaze lighted up the whole
nuighborhood, and The grass and fences ana
telegraph poles near by We're abIaze.
The engineer, who displayed marNc lIous
tJolne,> and courage. came among lis with head
and face crimson with blood and told Us how
ii happened. He said he wa, whirIin" around
the curve, and the position Of the side tracked
freight ob>cured the switch signal. but he was
on Ihe lookout for it and tie instant il appeared
TO hi, view he saw ahead death and destruction.
lie had less than a train length to 90 and was
making fOrty-tiVe miles an hour. but he applied
The full power Of the air brake and reversed his
engine and before he could remove his hand
from the lever his mighty machine was plough
h@ the earth and the cars We're piling upon
each ether. II is wonderful that the engineer
and fireman escaped with their lives. But for
the llghtnin=-like celebrity of the drivers action
III app wing the brakes, the loss Of life must have
been much greater than it was. | must say
that the company's employees performed heroic
service for the comfort of the survivors,