Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-09-25
A DEADLY PLUNGE.
A FREIGHT TRAIN CRASHES INTO A
PASSENGER COACH.
-Four Dead Bodies Taken from tho
Nreck-Thc Number Of Killed and
Wounded rs Yet Unknown.
lBr tolccrnnh % the plspa,eh.l

CHICAGO, September PA frightful dis
aster 10 a suburban passenger train oc-
CURED tonight in the southern outskirts
of the city. The Chicago, Rock Island
and Pacific train which left the main depot
at 5:35 !. M for Blue Island was crashed
into by freight train at Lake Shore and
Panhandle crossings near Eighty
street, Englewood. The passenger train
was at stand-still. one coach projecting
over the crossing Into this coach. con-
tanning about sixty persons, plunged 4
freight train. The wreck of The passengers
coach Was instant and complete.
How many persons were killed and in
jured II IS impossible AT this moment 70
learn. The first estimates made during
the confusion that followed the collision
PIT the number of deaths no twelve to
fourteen. Half an hour afterwards fcur
dead bodies had been taken ont of the
debris and the number Of victims was still
a matter Of guesswork. Most of the peO-
pie m the coach were, II is known, resi-
dents II the suburban towns OF Washing
ton Heights and Morgan Park.
When q thorough search had been COM
pleted IL was found that three ladies and
two gentlemen had been killed outright.
and "a third man was in dying condition.
Three other persons We're seriously IN
Jured. The latter unfOrtunatcs were care
fully conveyed 10 their homes near at hand,
while the diving man was taken 10 the ln-
stltute Ut the Sisters Of Mercy. i be five
dead were conveyed to the Englewood
morgue.
The list Of killed are: Mrs. Kelly, J. Nc
Kinsec. Fred. Hubner, Mrs. Brown. and
an unknown woman-all Of Washington
Heights.
Those most seriously injured are. Gus.
Nulcahy. Seyenty-sixth and Wallace
streets, fatally hurt. Miss A. X Steele,
Anton Shuberg and Parker Harden, Of
Washington Heights. The others hurt sus-
tanned but slight injuries.
The 6:lS suburban train on the Rock
Island road daily leaves at this point u
Washington Heights coach which n mo-
ment later Is caught by dummy engine
and hauled over the main line 10 Washing
ton Heights. This evening this car was
left at the point rs usual, when a momont
later the passengers were Mortified
TO see in the rear and hearing
down on them at the rate Of twelve
miles an hour "A heavy freight train of the
same road. There was NO time for flight.
The engineer had reversed his engine, but
the effort was hardly perceptible. and with
almost uudiminisEcd speed the huge en-
CINE propelled 10y "a heavy train plOughed
into the passenger coach until the lOcOmO-
tive was entirely hidden in the wreck.
The engineer having failed 90 shut
off steam the steam-boK was blown
out by the shock, and the death
dealing yapor Kissed forth ceasclessly
for nearly an hour. Strange TO say, not a
person WAS killed by the torceof the shock.
every life lost being solely attributed To
the scaldnr steam that euycloucd the
coach Tho dead. rs they We're taken out,
were found 10 be literally roasted. Flesh
dropping from the hands and limbs and
the claring eyes told the horrors If the
experience that had welcomed them
at the point Of death. ih. wreck
appears 10 have been entirely que 20
the almost criminal carele-sness If
Engineer Seth Twomhly son Of the
master mechanic of the road. The pas
sencer train asruuning on time, esignolS
were ont mt Scmiphore. and yet the freight
train regardless OF time or signal, plunged
into the passenger coach at the rate Of
twelve miles an hour. al within the city
limits. The engineer reversed the engine,
hutnotuutil wlthma few rods ~ the passen-
gor-coach and entirely too late to he Of any
avail. Both the engineer and fireman
loaued tor their lives and escaped uuin-
iurcd. Twomblv at once took to fight and
has not been seen since. II is stated that
ne was addicted o. drinking and the pre-
sumption is that me- Was intoxicated ut the
time of the disaster