Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-08-15
ROCK ISLAND WRECK.
Frightful Collision of a Construc-
ton and a Passenger Train.
The Express Messenger Killed and Other
Trainmen Injured-Steamer on
Fire-AltOn, Kan., Burned

TOPEKA, KaE.. Aug. 12-At $50 yester-
| day afternoon frIghtful collision oc-
CURED on The Rock Is and road one mile
east of the city between east-bound pas
senger tram Ne from Caldwell and a
construction train bound west with the
Captain" the company's huge pile
| driver, bound for Valencia to repair the
washout. The result was the total wreck
| OF two locomotives and half a dozen
| cars, including the pile driver. the in
| slant death of L. NJ Courier, ex-
| press messenger; the probable fatal
| injury of Pat Barney, fireman on the
| express, and the serious injury of Lon
| Bailey, of Troy, Kan, belonging to the
bridge gang that was on the construction
| train. Courier is a resident of St. Joseph,
| where he has wife and child. No > was
| due in Topeka at 2:40 p. M, and was rum
ming on time at the rate of twenty miles
| an hour. The construction train was
/ made up here in the yard and was trying
! TO make Valencia ahead of the veStibuled
| express, totally forgetting there was such
| train as No. , on the line. The collision
! occurred in the ariStocratic suburbs Of Pot
win place. As No. Grounded on the curve
| the engineer saw the coming train, reversed
! his lever. pulled the throttle wide open
and jumped, escaping unhurt His engine,
No. 2S6 plunged into the pile driver which
I No. Ala was pushing, with dreadful force
| The tank telescoped with the combination
baggage and express car, was driven clear
int" it and crushed the partition. The
1855" landed in the ditch with the bag
| gage car and pile driver on top, hiding the
engine completely from view. Fireman
| Barney was pulled out of the wreck
badly scalded his collar bone
broken and injured internally.
B Iiley. the bridge man, had one leg
| crushed off. Railroad men say they never
saw such a wreck. 1t was a miracle
scores were not killed but not a passen-
| ger was hurt. Train No. came up few
minutes later and the passengers were all
| transferred around the wreck which was
not cleared away before this morning.
! Thousands of citizsns visited the scene
/ and watched the wrecking gang at work
! till dark. 1t is conceded that the exist
ence of No. vas forgotten by the crew
of the construction train. The body of
/ Carter is now lying at Undertaken Palm
er's awaiting the inquest.
ESCAPE OF A STEAMER.
NEW Y DIRK, Aug. 12.-The National Line
steam ship Queen. which Thomas j.
| Mooney, dynani e crank. attempted to
destroy by throwing a Iottle of explosives
on deck August s. 1887, again narrowly
escaped being destroyed by fire this morn
| ing at pier 80, North river. The night
watch discovered a fire in the wheel
| house on tue forward deck at
| three O'Clock. He had looked in
| fore and saw no signs of fire
81 Z, h. 8 II DO
he discovered the fierce fire raging in the
house. The ships crew were called out
and in few minutes extinguished the
| flames, but so rapidly had they spread
that the wheelhouse was gutted. Chief
McGill made an examination but could
not detect any odor of oil or explosives.
He could see no reason why a fire should
occur in such a place 1t is thought that
0no: her attempt had been made to destroy
the ship.
KANSAS TOWN BURNED.
Downs Kan. Aug. 12-News has reacheu
this city OF a destructive fire which
occurred Saturday night at eleven o'clock
at Alton, a town on the Missouri Pacific,
twenty-six miles west of this city. The
large general merchandise store of T. NJ.
Walker was totally destroyed, also the
stock and building of D. W. Milne & Co,
druggists. Four buildings were burned
and a fifth badly injured. The
| losses are as follows: T. NJ
Walker, building and stock. S23. COO; in
surance, $1,000; D. W. Milne, drugs, loss
$5 900; insurance, $1,000; ]. R Buell.,
! building, Sc 600; insured; James Smith,
| building, 81. 500; insured. Mr.. Grover, OF
the firm of Grover & Search, bankers was
badly burned, but will recover. Mr..
Walker was the largest general merchan-
| disc deal er in the county. All have signi-
fed their intention of rebuilding.
THE GABE ONLY ESCAPES
BLoOMrNGToN, Ill, Aug. 12-At Piper
| City, Ford County, yesterday. not noric-
ing the approaching storm, Mrs. N Pre-
men, her eldest daughter and her baby
went out driving. The storm overlook
them while they were returning home and
a bolt of lightning descended and killed
Mrs. Premen and her daughter. The
baby, which was lying in its mothers lap
escaped without injury and was taken
care of by friends.
GREAT FIRE IN SWEDEN.
LONDON, Aug. 12-Advices from Baske-
molle, Sweden, report that a disastrous
confiagration prevailed there yesterday.
Forty-six buildings were destroyed, and
the loss will reach several hundred thou
dOlIarc No Iiuas lost