The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-01-24
A SEA OF FIRE.
An Express Train Runs Into OIL
Tanks on 4 Switch.
The Cars Immediately Envsloped n
the Burning Liquid.



ST. LOUIS Jan. aA~sntnrday the exr
press train bctween New York and 81
Louis arrived az the outskirts Of The
Junction yards at $50. Just before
reaching this yard Il q curve and after
rounding this and within . hundred
yards * i siding. the engineer noticed
that the switch was turned. Their
was running 1T tho rate 81 fifty miles
an hour and Il was impossible % stop
Webb Ross. The engineer, stuck 20 the
engine and WIS applying tho air brakes
when the engine struck q string 81
twenty loaded oil cara Az The moment
when the collision occurred, the second
oil car exploded And 200 gallons Of oil
svare sent lying III all directions and
spread out over tho tracks n . sea n
ire.
Engineer Ross was, 50 far. nnhurE
and he jumped from the engine 10 -.
cape No man could cross through tho
tamcs that surrounded The engine. Be
fore he had gone ton feet he was =
CORPSE The flames spread 10 the other
on cars. and seven Of them were eoon
kissing and roaring. and eendinE up
volumes 81 smoke. Hundred 81 people
iiaclea % the scene and persisted n
standing In close proximity 70 Z
wreck and burning cars Of oil NJ en
tho crash cMn6 the passengers were
thrown about the cars. but most Of
them escaped through the braxnry Of
tho engineer.
Rut tile worst casualty wna yet TO
como. The crowd Of on-lookefs had
been increasing and stood shout In
large groups discussing the accident 70
the train.
IL was ii:aa when a Of the tanks
exploded. And 10 nearly thereafter a.
"a make II secsn as Il & was All ia one,
four other tank cars exploded. As II
BY magic s5, 900 gallons Of boiling and
burning oil VIM hurled high In the dir.
The roar and vibration could b heard
for miles Iii the instant between the
explosions some Ind tried 70 run. and
one Of the dead men found with his
limbs In such d position as TO Indicate
he was trying TO save his lifo.
The oil seemed ia 30 carried by tho
air out md over the vast assemblnge ~
on-lookers, and fur out in the village
did II fall Ia streams and pools. Hiram
Cornelius. 4 student. whose home Il III
Iowa, was standffig with Edward Nil.
Ter. q Young man from Alton junction.
When the flames abated their eharrcd
bodies were found side by side and be-
You'd recognition, save for the articles
In their pockets. Their bodies iay near
the engine, but q little further on could
be seen the bodies on two men and a
boy. Who they are Ii not known. nor
will II be known until IL Is ascertained
who u missing
Thirty-six Of tho ~bystanders were In
jurcd, and twenty Of them VIII proba-
bly, die from their burns
Since Saturday night tho death roll
resulting from tho terrible wreck on
the Big Four railroad at Alton Junction
Saturday. and the explosions 81 tho
oil-tank cars following has grown very
rnpidiy.
Nineteen persons were reported fatal
ly injured Saturday night. OF these
eleven have since died. making seven
teen lives destroyed BY that seethinR
hell Of burning oil that sngnlfed the
spectators at the wreck.
The scene Of suffering has for the
most part been transferred from Alton
Junction TO the hospital at Alton. and
now that the oreness has set IN from
the burns the victims writhe and screams
III their agony.
AL least fourteen Of the wounded
will die. At the Junction there are
four men who can not
All the dead were burned 10 death BY
flaming oil. OF tho fatally injured all
are more or less seriously burned about
the limbs and body. but the worst in
jurics sustained are fearfully burned
heads and faces All are also injured
internally from inhnIing the burning
flames, which scorched and parched
their throats to such an extent that
their escape. from instant death l. IL.
most miraculous.
The other injured suffer from burns
on various parts Of the head, limbs and
body.