The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1893-01-22
CRUSHED AND BURNED
SWlTCHMAN'S CARELESNESS
Six Lives Lost and Many Persons
Seriously Burned and
Bruised. Some Per-
haps Fatally.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Jan. IA wreck which
in consequence was ono OF the most APP
pailing and disastrous which has occurred
In years. occurred between wann and Al
ton junction, in Illinois, this morning.
The Cincinnati. Columbus, Chicago Il
ST. Louis southwestern limited passenger,
consisting Of an engine and four coaches,
which loft here this morning for the East.
ran into q switch half o mile north OF
Wann and crashed into train consisting
Of seven tank cnrs standing there. The
result was o fire and afterwards an ex-
plosion, which has already cost six per.
sons their lives, fatally injured 10
more seriously hurt 50 others and caused q
great property loss to the company. Tho
dead arc Webb Ross OF Mattoon, H.. en-
gnecr Of the limited; Hiram Cornelius Of
Iowa, Edward Miller of Alton junction,
and two unidentified men. and one hoy,
namc unknown. All were burned 10
death.
Tho following were fatally burned:
William Shattuck, Upper Alton; Frank
Scullin. Joseph Herman. John Wilkinson.
oil Of Alton; John Fred. Edwards
vile crossing, H.; John Luke,
OF Alton; A. T. Fraser, 81.
Louis, Mo. Edward Maupin. Alton. All
were fatally burned about tho head and
body.
Others injured were: ". c. Harrison.
wann; Henry vcnnington. wann; Louis
Deneave, Montreal, Canada; Henry Sill
grim, Joseph Luttercll, William Z. Rich.
arlson and Herman Estkc OF Alton;
Frank Bartlett. Brantford. Canada;
George Staples. Uniontown. ky.. Hamcl-
tine Salentine. Philadelphia: William Me-
Carly, Alton, and Charles Hammond OF
Alton junction.
wann at 9 :4b. No sidetracks are there
but about half q mile beyond at Alton
Junction arc several switches. Tho
tender Of these switches. p. Grattan by
name, also o barber. upon whom 10 laid
trainmcn for the accident. Officers
are now searching for him. rs he fed
during the excitement following the dual
accident.
The train reached wann IL minutes
late. At Alton junction II wns running at
| the rate of 20 miles an hour, the engineer
hune desirous of making up lost time.
| The switch was 30 turned as to send tho
flying train onto one of the side tracks.
| On the track were seven tank cars filed
with refined lubricating oil. The engineer
called to Fireman Dick White TO jump for
his life. He then reversed the engine and
applied the air brakes, but he was too
late. Tho engine crashed entirely through
two tanks, splitting them in half, and was
then forcsd entirely over tho others.
| The oil from the wrecked tanks
at once caught fro and sea
| of flames instantly surroundeds the engi.
neer, who jumped just as tho pilot of the
engine struck the first tank. The brave
man struggled to tho cmban kmcnt at one
side of the track but ~ soon rs he reached
| Il, he sunk to the earth crisp and black.
ened corpse. Tue fireman escaped with
slight bruises.
The engineers action In reversing the
engine and applying the bra kcs slackenetl
| the speed Of the train sufficiently to pre-.
vent any injury to tho passengers, oi
1 whom there were about 20. In the baggage
car the mails. II pieces of baggage aud q
corpsc we're all burned in few moments
| The flames spread TO tho other coaches
| and all were soon in ruins. Three oil
tanks together with the engine and tender
were also consumed.
The passen gers and villagers crowded
around the burning wreck anxious to as
| slst II possible any unfortunate who might
Il h. In nned of holm. Al this time tho cui
,n,r. .sior ~ ,he horrible affair occurred
IN. 80 ,ank car, lef, uniniured by ,he
| sn-,rs .inuI,aneousIv and with fearfu
soroo exploded, throwing pieces o
car aides out into tho fields nm,
shoverinr upop tho assembled crow,
Of si~htseers n mass of flaming liquid
For \ secoud after the noise Of the explo
sion there was no sound save the whish o
the sesthina oil as II was forced throuRl
the air. Then there arose confusion. aa
onising appeals for help and cries Of ter
ros 70 Which no tongue nor pen can d
justice. For several minutes the pani
was ipdcscribablc. Those touched by ia
blssine oil groped about wildly seeking i
vain Tor relief from their torture. Almos
without exception the injured were burue
about ths face and had their eycsigl