Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-11-05
Five Cars Burned-Twenty-siX Persons
Crematcd- d-Heartrending Scenes.
A Brakeman Failed to do his Duty-A
List OF the Killed and Injured.
THE RIO DISASTER.


Full Account of the Cause and Results.
PORTAGE, Wis, Oct. 28.-La.t night,
soon after midnight, the west-bound linn
tied train was ditched at East Rio siding,
small station about thirteen miles east of
this city, on the main line of the Chicae o,
Milwaukee d st. Paul road. There are
two side tracks at the place, and at the
time the train named was due there last
night, both were occupied by freights;
one by wild train and the other by train
No. IA, Conductor Il. p. Hankey,
of this city, which had Just
pulled i'll from the west to allow
the limited to pass. Train No.
IA was very long, and the conductor was
at the front end of the train, relying upon
the brakeman to attend to the switch. One
report is that the rear brakeman, whose
business 1t was to close the switch after
the train, for some reason neglected al
together to do so. Another 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 at any
except large places, came tearing down
the grade at fifty miles an hour and left
the track 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 within a few
rods, so that the engineer of the limited
could not see that the switch-light was
turned wrong until it was too late to
stop. The engine left the track, ran
short distance and brought up against
the side of the cut, tOppling over. The
baggage car and the two regular coaches
followed, while four sleepers kept the
rails. The engine and cars that went off
were badly smashed and soon
TOOK FIRE FROM THE STOVES.
Engineer Little and Fireman Eagan,
both of this city, crawled out from under
the locomotive, badly bruised and scalded
The baggageman had leg broken. All
the passengers in the sleepers got out IN
injured, except being somewhat bruised.
In the day coach thirteen were pinned in
and literally burned to death. Many
others were injured by the severe shaking
up. The names of the killed are not vet
known. The whole train, excepting one
sleeper, which they were able to uncOuple
and draw away, was burned
Superintendent w. G. Collins was on the
east bound passenger train No. =, which
"CtS hdltiuS db tue SJdllOU, lew miles
this side of the wreck for the limited,
and was soon on the scene. A wrecking
train with surgeons went from this city
and did everything possible to alleviate
suffering and save life. Train No. 2 was
obliged to back up to this city and go to
Milwaukee on the Northwestern division
via Horizon, Beaver Dam and Fox Lake.
The same route has been used by trains
tn-lav ba = al
Conductor Hankey, of the freight train,
was so demOralized by the accident, the
responsibility of which rests on some of
his crew, that
HE TOOK TO THE WOODS
in despair, leaving his train. He has al
ways been most careful and efficient
man, and trusted by the company.
These are the plain facts of the wreck.
An eye witness says it was a most horri-
bic and slckening spectacle, the roasting
people making the night hidious with
their yells, while the bystanders were un-
able to render assistance The
wreck Is the most serious that has occur
red in the northwest in q number of
years.
passenger who was on the train, oc-
cupylng birth in the rear sleeper, says
the first intimation he had of the wreck
was slight jarring sensation and the
stopping of the train. Within two min
utes after the train stopped the forward
coach was in blaze. 1t was q mass of
broken timbers on top of the engine and
tender, and partly buried under the other
cars. The cries and means of the per
sons imprisoned in the wreck were indie
scribable. The trainmen and passen-
gers did everything in their power
to rescue the injured, but unsuccessful
ly except in one instance. A car window
was broken from the inside and woman
moaned: For the love of God, save my
children" Willing hands reached for
ward and pulled two little girls through
the opening. Before the mother could be
assisted she sank back and in a few
seconds was wrapped in the flames. The
woman and children lived in Winoua. The
only escape from the coach was that of
DR.. Smith, of Chicago. who was lmprison-
ed but few minutes. He worked his
way through hole in the roof of the car
and was assisted out of danger. He is
badly bruised about the body, but is not
| fatally injured. The form of a woman
could be plainly seen in the car by the
DSsJdnuSTs, anu she burned TO Qeatn IN
plain view of those who dad assembled
| about the place of the accident.
That the dead number thirteen or four
teen there is no doubt; their names elay
never be known as all are burned beyond
recognition. Had it not been for the
bravery of the engineer the fatality would
have been greater. He discovered from
| the switch light that the line was open
and stood with his hand on the air brake
lever until, with his engine, he was buried
under the wreckage. How he escaped is
not known; he crawled from under the
! debris without assistance; but slightly
/ injured. Conductor Searle, who was in
! charge of the limited, was slightly in
| iured. Many of the passengers in the
sleeping cars were badly shaken up and
bruised. All except those in the cal
! taken on at Milwaukee lost all their per
sonal effects except the clothing in thelr
! berths.
/ Official Rpuort Of ha Areidapt.-nti,ar pa