The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-29
THE DEAD DUNRECOGNIZABLE.
Only Their Cllarred Bodies Re
main When tho Ruins Are
Cleared Away,
The Occupants Of the Smoking Car
Plunged Into Death-MIraculOuS
Escape OF Many-R. s. Gurneh
Of Chicago, DeCapltated.
The Details.

railroad accident occurred on the Grand
Trunk near here at o'clock this morn.
ING, The st. Louis express jumped the
track and the engine ran into water
tank. Two cars telesccped and took fire.
All the dead, II in number, have been
taken out. Tho only body identified is
TINT Of II. S. Gurney, OF Chicago. He
was instantly killed, but not burned.
An Italian, name unknown, was also in.
stantIy killed. Tho other 10 were
burned beyond the possibility Of ldenti.
Gcation. About 20 persons were injured,
but only one or two seriously. None ot
the train hands were killed. Tho fire.
man was slightly burned and received a
Ind scalp wound. Tho unfortunate
train was running at full speed when
suddenly it left the track and the loco
motive pitched into large water tank.
TIE WRECK DURSs.
Tho wreck took fire Immediately.
Seven out OF ten coaches composing the
train were burned. In the ruins OF the
smoking car searchers discovered seven.
teen charred bodies. The accident was
the worst which has occurred In this re-
yiOn since the great DesjardinGs canal
disaster, which happened almost at the
same spot thirty years ago. When the
engine struck the tank the tender leaped
completely over both, as did the baggage
car. ThirLy.hve people were in the
smoker, and Just about hall Of the num-
Der we're roasted alive, the car being al.
most instantly enveloped iu flames from
the engine. Il. S. Gurney, Of Chicago,
who was in the smoker, was thrown to
the side OF the wreck and decapitated.
A LATER ACCOUNT.
Another dispatch says: The limited
express on tho Grand Trunk Railway,
due here at O:55 a. m., met with IN &C.
cident about two miles west OF this city,
the result OF which was the loss Of many
lives. The train was composed OF an
engine, two baggage cars, q smoker, a
Chicago and Grand Trunk through pas
senger coach, a Wabash coach, Wagner
tirst.Class coach, a Pullman car and two
Wagner sleeping ears in the order
named. Conductor Poole was In charge
OF tho train, with ]. Watson, Of
London, fireman. The accident oc.
Cured at the junction where the "Y" Is
built. This "Y" Is used TO switch
through trains from Toronto from the
Toronto branch to the main line. The
train Is said 10 have been going at q
speed Of forty miles an hour, when di.
reCtly on crossing the switch the engine
jumped the track and plunged into
water tank, which stood in a place be-
tween the "Y," smashing the tank into
atoms and turning 1t upside down. The
baggage cars came directly after the en-.
gine, and the lrst Of these was pitched
over the engine and thrown on the main
track, leaving It's wheels behind 1t.
ATRRRIBLR EXPERIENCE.
The other baggage car caught fire
from the engine and the two were soon
fn flames. The coaches following, with
the exception OF the two Wagners In the
rear OF the train, were huddled TO-
gether by the shock and soon caught
Are from the baggage cars. The
passengers on the train, numbering
over i50, many OF whom were asleep
at the time, had terrible experience
The majority Of those on board the train
were able to yet out OF the coaches be-
fore the fire reached them, but In the
confusion that reigned IL Is not known
how many victims were left 10 the mercy
OF the flames, penned in by the material
Of the wreck and unable 10 extricatC
themselves.
l.. s. GurnOy, Of Chicago, ILL.,, had
his head completely severed from bill
body by n piece Of flying debris. Ru'
dolph L. Deeror, whose address Is MOI
known, was also instantly killed. Al
soon rs the engine rolled over aftel
striking tho water tank, Engineer Wat
son and Fireman Chapman Crawled out
from underneath it,neitherof them beinl
much hurt. An auxiliary train was sen
out from this city Immediately on new
Of the accident, and the passengers, In
Guiding the ujnred and two otthe killed
werO brought 10 thiScity. Two Wagne
cars In the rear Of the train were I'm
coupled from tho others and were SaVeI
from tho flames. A large number 0
employees under the direction Of Johl
Hall, worked increasingly at the wreck
diong their utmost 10 exungulSh tn
are. There was great difficulty In eecui
ing water, owing 10 the tank bein
smashed, and the fre held sway 70
many hOuS. ...
It0nrEES BODIES REcovERED.
ltwas hours before thorough scare
could be made. Up TO p. N
ChAtFCd remains Of eighteen victims ha
been exhumed from the wreck. In n
case was there enough OF the body l0l
70 identity the remains, or toll whethe
the person was male or female. Th
names Of tho wounded now In the h0l
pltal are as follows,
JAMES A. Palmer, 1lion, n. Y, heau
cut but not seriously hurt; Hamilto
Clark, l4I West Ohio street, Chicago
double fracture Of the right leg bruise
BADLY, head cut and probably intefnAll
injured loi all the H. jured he iBthe won
Dnt VIII probably recovery, Anthon
MatlE, an Italian on his way from Wi
Conslh 10 Italy, head cut but moi seriou
lyi EFF, Chapman, fireman, head badl
cut over the right eye, EnoCh Kenyo
Of London, England, q mining englheO
tlba broken, not seriously iniuredi y.
Q. Abel, Elwaidsport, Ind, allght ini
riesi William l.. R9iChsey, Chicag
B leg badly sntainOd; A, u, u
ney, DAnylllc, ILL, cut about tho heN
George White, American, on Ills vi
from Illinois 70 Union Hill, right a
cut OF aud scalp wound, not Berior
Andrew ], Carpenter, YAnktoWnt Dae
"a, injured about head but not seilouSl
$. r. Young, Chicago, very bllgl
ly hurt Joseph Morris, n