The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-11-17
A RAILWAY HORROR.
Terrible Fate Of Passengers in a
Blazing Car in Iowa.
Four Of Them Are Burned to Death in .
Collision Near Ottumwa-Careless-
ness Was the Cause-Wrecx
in Wisconsin,.
ESCAPE CUT OFF.

OTTAWA. Ia, Nov. IL. A fearful
accident occurred on the Chicago, Mil
waukee & st. Paul road Wednesday
night at Highland Center, small sta.
ton north of Ottumwa. \ fast freigh.
train dashed into the caboose Of the
local freight, which was standing on
the track. telescoping the caboose and
four cars. The caboose caught fire
and with several cars was burned The
scene svas heartrending.
FOUR BURNED ALIVE.
Four people persisted in the flames,
and number of others had narrow
escapes. The caboose was split in two
by a car of grain, wedging in four peo-
pie on the fght size. The most pitiful
sight was that Of Mss Lizzie Butler, OF
Ottumwa. who got her lead out of the
window, and piteously pleaded with
those about the wreck to save her. but
her body was pinioned by the freight car
and it was impossible to extricate her.
Mrs. Samuel Jones. also of Ottumwa.
tried to escape through a window, but
she was an unusually large woman
III SotlIl lltt SCt LII liz OIi1CI
victims We're an unknown woman ano
Joseph Thornton, butcher at Sig.
Quincy.
THE INJURED.
The injured are Mrs. Clyde Millisach
and Mrs. {. d. Hickey, of Ottumwa
and Miss Lizzie Corey. OF Sigourney,
who are badly burned. but not fatally
1 IL i
that one Ct the passengers was dis
guiSea. and. IN the crash. his disguise
came off, revealing noted crook
He quickly disappeared in the excite.
ment.
CRIMINAL. CARE!.ESSNFSS.
The cause of the accident seems tc
have been due entirely to crimina
carelessness Oh the part of the crew Of
the fast train. Tie local train wa.
standing at the station unloading
freight. For miles away the track is
perfectly level and straight. so that the
danger lights of the standing train
could easily be seen by the enginee,
and fireman of the fast train, ant
every body saw it approaching, but
never dreamed OF a collision. In fact
the company rules are so strict thai
when trains enter station yards i.
they are not under such' absolute con
troll as to be brought to a stor
before striking another train, even
through accident TO switches or any
thing else, heavy penalty attaches t,
the employees guilty OF violating them
The conduct OF sEnginaer Richard
son and Conductor Wood, who
had charge Of the fast train in this
instance. cannot be accounted for by
the officials Of the road. No report has
been made as to whether they were
placed under arrest. but an investiga
ton is being made. In the fire one car
load Of barley and two carloads of mer
chandise were burned.
The responsibility for the accident is
not vet fixea.| Before the coroner's
jury Thursday Engineer Richardson. OF
the fast freight. testified that he could
not see the lights on the cabOose until
within - rods. Two Of the lights were
out, and the third was so badly smoked
that he could not see it farther away,
"lIhouS ii liS Souid ste tiiF SNilcil li0H Us.
lie called for brakes, reversed ms en-.
CINE and jumped.
WRECK IN WISCONSIN.
CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. Nov. ia
collision took place on the Wisconsin
Central road at Summit. 16 miles west
of this city. between two freight trans
at o'clock Thursday evening. vii.
liam Witzing, fireman, of this city,
was instantly killed and John Lynch
badly scalded Both engines were
BADLY smashed and the cars piled up as
high as telegraph poles.