Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-10-29
8: HORRORS. i. !:
Frum Ten to Twenty Six People Burned %
Death.
-, tlfrsi3 81 ~
A HORRIBLE RAILROAD ACCIDENT
I'll. s.5lf.rrr $1,000. .----i t'ago1.t @eIa
In the Northvest-Tnins Tsls0pd and
Dm .i,t' Burned. ri. I'd "ih l.'2s'
ypg Lib -aE md y .tt.Lls iRa aaf go.
r,.algf9 o. I1I-U. ID m,a Eslsss aa
SIGKENING SIGHTS AND SOUNDS.
-LE-Hg FtgF -ti!-E ID ---..- ~ A' l'-
fa. .a.ga, l-----------------,a' 'g,'' r' sfi
The Night Nsds Hdsous and Pseplsd With
.U-v ..Irl Horrors. aI,a -'...Efr7
4arE1.g ~ g0-. 5lL -.ani a f1''
A LIKE FATALITY IN KENTUCKY.
-g-,l. lat5t & o;ri 81 iaGsnfTlt"s 20.
Eight People Burned 70 Death IN .
s3n.,: i. era-e-a-gI 81.
A LIKE +. FATALITY I. In IN KENTUCKY.
Eight People Burned to Death in .
Cabin. ..-
DETAILS OF THE CALAMITIE.

says: Last night soon after midnight, the
west-bound limited was ditched at East
Rio siding, a small station about l3 miles
east Of this city, on the main line Of the
Chicago, Milwaukee and ST. Paul road.
There are two side tracks at the place, and
at the time the train was due there last
night both were occupied by freights,
one by wild train and the other
by train No. IA, Conductor II. p.
Hankey, Of this city, which had just pull
ed in from the West to allow the limited
to pass. No. IL was very long, and the
conductor was at the head Of the train, re-
lying on the brakeman to attend to the
switch, One report says the rear brake
man, whose business it was to close the
switch after the train, for some reason ne
elected altogether to do So The other,
and more probable story, is that he started
back TO close the switch, but before he
could reach it the limited, which does not
stop a. any except large places, came tear
ing down grade at fifty miles an hour and
left the rails At the open switch.
The siding is in cut where the road
curves so that the switch light cannot be
seen from the east until train is within q
few rods: 50 the engineer OF the limited
could not see the switch light turned
wrong until
TOO LATE TO STOP.
The engine left the track, ran q short dis
tance and brought up against the side Of
the cut, toppling over. The baggage car
and two regular coaches followed, while
four sleepers kept the rails. The engine
and the cars that went of were badly
smashed and soon took fire from the
stoves. Engineer Little and Fireman Ea-
gan crawled out from under the locomo-
tive, badly crushed and scalded. The bag
gageman had leg broken. All passengers in
the sleepers got ont uninjured, except slight
bruises, but in one day coach thirteen
were pinned in and literally burned to
death. Many others were injured by the
severe shaking up. The names Of the
victims are not yet known here. The
whole train, excepting one sleeper which
they were able TO uDcouple aud draw away,
was burned up.
Superintendent W. O. Collins was on
the east-bound passenger No. 2, which
was waiting at the station a few miles
this side OF the wreck for the limited and
was sJUu Oil the scene. Wrecking train
with surgeons went from this city and did
all possible to alleviate suffering and save
life. No was obliged to back up TO
this city and over the Northwestern 10
Milwaukee via Horizon, Beaver Dam and
Fox Lake. The same route his been
used by trains to-day, as the wreck is not
yet cleared.
Conductor Hankey, Of the freight, was
so demoraliZed by the accident, the re.
sponsibility Of which rests on his crew and
thus also on him, that he took 10 the
woods in despair, leaving his train. He
has always been o most careful and efi
cient man, much trusted by the company.
II WAS a most horrible and sickening spec
tacle, the roasting people making the night
hideous with their yells while bystanden
were unable TO render assistance. IL was
the worst wreck ever known In the North
west.
STORIES TOLD BY SURVIVORS.
Engineer Searle, at first reported killed,
was only slightly hurt He arrived here
in this city at II O'Clock this morning. He
says that when the crash came he was
thrown down with two large packing
cases, which rested across his body. His
lungs were filled with smoke, and he at
first thought be was injured internally,
and that he was bleeding at the lungs
He was taken from the debris, however,
without serious injury, and was able 70
render assistance to the other unfortu-
mates.
FIFTEEN PASSENGERS BURNED TO pEArH
B. Loewenbach, job printer Of this
city, was on the wrecked train. He says
the scenes after the accident were harrow
ing. The passenger coach, which he says
contained between fifteen and twenty
persons, was telcseoped at lGth ends and
the fire and smoke that enyeloped the
wreck preyented the imprisoned aud ipjur-
ed passengers from escaping. Passengers
from the sleepers gathered areund the
blazing cars, bat they were powerless To
render assistance Men and women could
be seen tearing their hair ia agony Of the
moment, and fflshtful screams Issued
from the death trap One heavy woman
in particular, be says, tore up one Of the
seats with almost superhumzn strength,
and endeavored TO break her way out Oh
tae flaming pyre, but her streuatk failed
aid she fell to The AooS and met borrihle
death.
ONLY THREE PEIsass ESCAPED
from the raasesser car, Mr.. Loeveubach
says, man and two children. The nan
was observed as be forced his way through
the ventilator on top Sfthe car With all
the clothing O. his body, from waist down
ward, burned of, and his flesh roasted and
bleeding from cuts inflicted by broken
glass. Every one of the wrecked cars
were consumed, with the exception Of the
last sleeper, which was cut away from the
burning wreck. All the bodies Of the
victims were burned In the wreck.
BISHOP wHIrrLE PROBABLY on IHE
IRAIS.
The report that Aishop whipple, Of
| Minnesota, Hzs On the train that was
wrecked near Portage last night, caused
considerable stir among that gentleman's
friends In this city. II he vas on the
train, however, he undoubtedly was on
one Of the sleepers and escaped.
The train was composed Of ops taesage,
one mail car, one passsee2ses coach and
three sleepers. ss mail car was IN
charge Of John Besch, Of Plsin6sld, whe,
with his Eve men, escaped, though badly