River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1892-11-17
BURNED 10 pEAIh.

Trains Collide Near ottumwa. In. The
wreck Takes Fire aud Fo.r Passe gers
Perish Ia the Eiazing Cars - Several
Others Hurt.
orruMwA. Ia, Nov. IA fearful
accident occurred on the Chicago, Mil
waulsee e St. Paul road Wednesday
night at Highland Center. small sta
ton north of Ottumwa A fast freight
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 was heartrending.
-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 right side. The most pitiful
sight was that of Miss Lizzie Butler. of
Ottumwa, who got her head 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 0ttumwa.
tried to escape through a window, but
she was an unusually large woman
and could not get through. The other
victims were an unknown woman and
Joseph Thornton, hatcher at Sig
Quincy.
The injured are Mrs. Clyde MillisaclS
and Mrs. C. ID. Hickey, of Ottumwa,
and Miss Lizzie Corey, of Sigourney,
who are badly burned, but not fatally.
A curious incident of the accident was
that one of the passengers was dis
guised, and. in the crash, his disguise
came off, revealing a noted crook
He quickly disappeared in the excite
ment.
The cause of the accident seems to
have been due entirely to criminal
carelessness on the part of the crew of
the fast train. The local train was
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 engineer
and fireman of the fast train, and
everybody saw it approaching. but
never dreamed of a collision. In fact,
the company's rules are so strict that
they are not under such absolute con-
troll as to be brought to a stop
before striking another train, even
through accident TO switches or any,
thing else, heavy penalty attaches To
the employees guilty of violating them.
The conduct of Engineer 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 fixed 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 IS rods. Two of the lights were
out, and the third was so badly smoked
that he could not see it farther away.
although he could see the switch lights.
lie called for brakes, reversed his en-
CINE and jumped.
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. Will
liam Whiting, 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.