Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-07-13
A DEADLY ERROR.
Dreadful Disaster to Another
Excursion Train.
AN ENGINEERS FATAL MISTAKE.

1t Results In the Horrible Death of Six
Persons, with a Probability of other Fa-
talities-The Victims Literally Cooke d
with scalding Steam-A wife's Pa
thetic but Vain PIea-Details of tn e
Dissster-only Three Persons Out of
Twenty-Five Escape Injury.
ASPEN, Colo, July 13-A horrible ca
tastrophe occurred at Aspen junction, on
the Colorado Midland railway at 1
O'Clock yesterday morning, that has filed
many once happy homes in this beautiful
valley with desolation and death A col
lision occurred between Midland loco
motive and tie hind coach of the Saturday
night excursion train running between
Aspen and Glenwood Springs. The coach
load of people returning from the Springs,
where a few pleasant hours had been
spent were suddenly plunged into all the
horrors of a frightful railroad accident,
which resulted in killing two people out
right, inficting fatal injuries upon five
more, and severely scalding and burning
many Others
How the Accident Occurred.
Engineer Switzer, of the excursion
train, had run his train up to the water
tank at the junction for water When
backing down to get on the main track
line, light engine shot out from the coal
chutes, which are located in such a way as
to conceal the engine tracks from view of
tracks Leading TO the water tank The
engineer on the light engine thinking he
could get out before the excursion train,
took the main track and made the at
mi ~ ha, 1F L..
excursion train at the switch The force
of the collision tore the check valve from
the engine and poured scalding steam and
water into the wrecked coach load OF
people
Cooked by the scaIding Steam.
Then ensued a scene of terror impossible
to describe The passengers were at the
mercy of the roaring. screeching monster
at their side Through the broken valve
torrents of scalding steam and water
poured out upon the helpless victims. OF
the twenty-five passengers in the car three
colored men who We're in the forward com
p1rtment were the only not ones injured.
Conductor Miller with he train crew and
the uninjured passe:-g gers Immediately be
gan the work OF rescue A year old
child of Mr. Frank Ellis, of Aspen, was
takan out dead; Miss Annie Phelan, of
Cardiff, died ten minutes after rescue.
Mr.. and Mrs Joe Leonard, Mr. and Mrs.
Frank Ellis, Thomas ODonnel, Miss
Mary O'Donnel, James Leach all of AS
pen; Mr.. and Mrs. A. B. Rogers, of Pratt,
Kan and Mrs. J. q. Baldwin, and Mrs.
L. Willoughby, Of Glepwood, were fear
fully scalded and burned
Mrs. Wiiloughby's Pitiful Plea.
The injured and dead were placed in the
baggage car and brought to this city,
where all the physicians in the city were
in attendance, and every possible aid
was given to the injured. The victims
cries of agony were heartrending and
their scslded faces and arms and bodies a
sight TO bring tears Of pity. In spite of all
efforts to save their lives, Mrs. Frank
Ellis, Mrs. Baldwin and Mrs. Willoughby
died within two hours from the time of
the wreck, Mrs Rogers died at ) O'Clock
yesterday morning and her husband at 10
O'Clock. Mrs Baldwin and Mrs. Will
oughby were the most frightfully burned
The latter begged piteously to be kept
alive until her husband could reach her.
OF those still living, Miss Mary O'DonnelI
will die.
Ten Others Badly Injured.
Ten Others whose names can not be
learned were injured 1t is thought that
Mary O'Donnell's injuries will prove
in serious condition. Mr.. J. g. Bald.
win, husband of the dead woman, is now
in Chicago lying at the point of death.
Mrs. Baldwin and Mrs. Ellis were sisters
Mr. Rogers was engaged on the Varney
tunnel at Woody, Colo.
Arrested for Robbing the Wounded.
While the injured people We're AT Aspen
Junction the person of Mrs. a. B. Rogers
was robbed of a gold watch and chain and
also S120 in money. There were also other
robberies reported but not authenticated
With warrant sworn out by X. \. Rop-
ham before Judge Prentiss Marshal Andy
Sutton went to Aspen Junction and ar.
rested j. g. Kuhn, a cook at the railroad
eating house, charging him with the rob
berry. Marshal Sutton now has his prls-
oner in the county Jail.
The Prisoners Explanation.
He disclaims all knowledge of the
money, but says that he was requested by
Mrs. Rogers to take her pocket book
from her dress and hand il to some one
standing near whom she recognized, but
could not reach. Kuhn claims that he did
this. He turned the watch and some
other trinkets over to the proprietor OF
the hotel, and disclaims all intention of
robbery.
The Dead May Number Twenty-Five.
LATER.-Thomas and Mary ODonneil
are now considered at point of death Miss
O'Donneu has not aparticle of skin on her
above her hips. Mr.. O'Donnells prin-
cipal injuries are from inhaling scalding
steam. 1t is also now reported that none
OF the injured can survive, the loss of cuti-
Gle and the shock to their nervous systems
being too great. As but three of those in
the car escaped injury these would bring
the death roll up to twenty-five.
Opposition to Civil Service Reform.
NEW YORK, July l"-Secretary Tracy