Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-08-16
Mu.catine's Awful Accident.

The Muscatire Journal of last evening
contains the dei ails of the awful fatal ac
cident in that city early Yesterday morn
ing and while the Golden Gate was pre-
pairing to leave for this city with the fire.
mems excursion. as briefly described in
last nights ARGUS. The unfortunate
girls. the jour al says, Carrie Simmons
and Ona Sala. we're both employed in the
shingle mill at Hershey's lower mill and
were residents IF Musservile. They in
tended to participate in the firemen's ex>
cursion on the Golden Gate TO Rock ISL
and. The boats time to leave Muscatine
was @ O'Clock. About twenty minutes
before that time they started to reach a
street car to bring them up TO the levee.
As the last street car bringing the excur-
81 onists up had crossed the c.. r. /. & P.
railroad track in Musserville. a freight
train bound southwest came in sight. 1t
was too late for the car to stop, so the
driver hurried across.
The young ladies had been delayed
and were coming up behind the car. de-
sirous of boarding it. They feared to
miss the car mes mt to miss the excursion,
and yet the freight train was rapidly
rushing toward the crossing. On they
hurried, however, and when on the track,
seemingly craZed by sudden flight, they
stood an instant then their forms were
precipitsted through the air. thrown
upon the side of the embankment about
forty feet or more from where they stood
when struck by the engine. Carrie sims
mons was pick I'd up unconscious. her
only demonstrations of life being nervous
conyulsive moments of her hands and
shoulders. She had been thrown yio>
lently into the sand at the side of the
track and against the barb wire fence.
One hand clutch I'd the harbs on the wire
so tenaciously that it required consider
able force to disengage the grasp.
Apparently. however, she was the least
injured. as no cuts or bruises were visi-
bic. except a very slight bruise at the top
and center of her forehead. She was
taken to the home of Henry Earl, two
doors below Hers hey's lower office where
she was attended to by Drs Dean and
Little. She was sister of Mrs. Henry
Earl. Her brain seemed to have
been seriously affected, as she
died at $50 clock. Ona Sala was
picked up apparently greater injured, as
her left limb had been nearly entirely
severed at point about midway between
the ankle and knee. and the lower por>
ton was held only by the stocking and
a small portion o. the flesh. Both bones
were broken. She was conscious though
somewhat bysterical, and said after they
reached the track neither knew what they
were doing. She spoke to number
nationally, and then would break forth
in lamentations over the affair. Her
wounded limb bled profusely. She
was taken to her home. just opposite tine
rear of the Musserville NJ f church.
DR.. Dean. assisted by DIR. Lezotte, am>
putated the injured limb. and all are
hopeful of her recovery. though she is
injdred probably internally, and much
bruised and scratched.
Csrrie Simmons was a widow, aged %,
and her home was in Allegan. Mich.
OBa Sala's age is 81. She Is the eldest in
large family. he mother being widow
There are several younger children in the
fa nily. She was struck first by the en-
giie.