Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-01-22
ALL BURNED In OIL
Appalling Result OF Wreck at
Alton.
THREE OIL TANKS EXPLODE
Nine Persons Burned Alive, Thnsen
Fatally Injured and Fifty Slightly
HaEt-Horror of the YsAs-

ALros. H.. Jan 2i--Nins persons
killed outright. tweivs fatally injured
and nearly a hundred more or less Sc
rlousiy hurt, Is the appalling result OF
. series OF accidents a. Alton Junction
today. An open switen on the Big Four
niaia track was the prime cause OF the
disasters The southwestern limited
ran through the switch into freight
train Standing on the siding and En-
gfneer Webb R0ss Of the limited was
Instantly killed. The wreck took ire
and while great crowd wss watching
toe spectacle an OH tank car exploded
with terrific force. snveloping the spec
tators IN a sheet OF burning OIL Eight
OF them were instantly killed and
scores were frightfully burned, dozen
Of whom AZ least Will die.
Burned IN oil.
Ia an Incredibly short time the
freight train was a mass OF tir9. Fear
OF an explosion prevented any attempt
30 save II. Ihe wrecking train came
up from East -. LOUIS AT IL O'Clock.
bat could do little, and nalf dozen
sMitcn engines were run out from mere
g. clear the yards. Traffic on the two
roads was entirely suspended and =
special tram was made up on the Chi
cagO Il Alton To carry belated pas
seugers through 10 II. LOUIS.
Hearing Of the wreck. hundreds OF
PERSONS from this city and the vicinity
were attracted. by curiosity, To the
scene And then occurred one of the
most awful disasters on record. A
few minutes past IL O'Clock there was
a hight explosion OF one tank which
scattered the debris on all sides. setting
fire TO the stock yards enclosures. This
produced the impression that the
danger of explosions was passed and
the gnrong OF by-standers rushed IN to
save the stock yards from destruction.
A minute later there WAS . deafen-
ing report that snoOk the earth Tor
haif q minute after. and spread one
sheet OF seetnlng, burning oil III all
directions. For those within the circle
OF 100 yards there was no escape.
Their clothing was burned and literal
ly fell from their bodies. In u moment
those who were not disabled began run
ming hIther and thitner moving their
hands and screaming Tor nelp.
The injured
Some went for the nearest water and
others ran into the fields ana are miss
ing yet- PANE relxned for 8 short time
until the unInIured recovered their
presence of mind 10 care for the sfilict-
ed. Two barrels Of linsecd OIL were
taken from 4 grocery store and applied
90 the wounds by several physicians
who happened 10 be on the ground.
Every house IA the little village was
turned Into a temporary hospital and
every doctor II Alton aud ,ts vicirity
was summoned. "a soon as possible a
train vas m<do ny and twenty of the
sufferers were brought here TO -.
JOssph's hospital.
The lIst VI killed and injured, as
nearly complete IS possible at this
hour = as follows
Dead--iiiram Cornelius. student OF
shnrtitYe college. from Iowa; Edward
Miller of Alton Junction, Henry Pm
ney OF Alton Junction, William Nc
earthly. boy, CT Alton, John Fritz of
Edwardsvilis Crossing, Edward Mau-
pin, Charles TIT, two unknown men.
ok other bodies not yet identified and
burned 10 a crlsp-
Fatally injured Otto Hagerman, Al
ton Junction; George Staples, boy. Al
ton; John SutterFeie. Alton; Joseph
Hermann. Alton; John WillIans, Al
ton; Frank Barteli, Stamford, Canada,
a. Frazer. san FrsuciscO; Lewis Nc
Int0sh. Alton: William Mcintosh,
Alton.
Iniured Nathan Richardson OF
Wann, badly hurt: Herman Nsster of
Alton. meek and face burned; William
Snattuck Of oper Alton (student at
Suurtlh college,. face and hands
burned: Frsnk Sculiin (railrOad manl.
face and hands burned; Charles Norris
of Wsnn, badly burned; Jonn Lock OF
Alton, probably fatally burned; Bar
nsy Nechsus OF Wann. slightly burned; /;
John Mulssne of Wsnn, slightly; John
Ileglsd, residence unknown, badly
burned; Dan Harris of Wann, slightly
burned; James Nullane of Wsnn,
signify burned; Thomas Williams
Of Upper Alton, dangerously; Thomas
Dillon of Festsrburg. dangerously;
Assessor James Murray OF Upper Al
ton. fatally. J. NJ. Montgomery OF Az
lants. Ills. dangerously; George
kOloE of Upper Alton, fatally; -
shaeifsr OF Upper Alton, dangerously
Frank SAIL Of Alton badly injured;
John Berg Of Alton, seriously, boy
named Glassuer of Alton seriously;
Wilkinson OF Alton. boy, fatally JOhn
Henry. Jr.. Of Nann, may die, John
Iuttereil, railroad hand, badly burned;
Joseph Hermann OF Alton, boy, badly
burned. Henry Pilgrim of Alton, face
snd hands burned.
severely injured-E. NJ. Caldwell,
Henry Pilgrim, Nathan Richardson,
David Richardson. Henry Priney,
Charles Harris, John Henry. John
sack, Patrick o. Near, John Segler, 81
Of Alton and vicinity; James Mont
gomery, Upper Alton; James y.
Murray. Upper Alton. Monoh0n.
There are besides not less than thirty
people more or less severely scaidei
who vii be lad up for weeks. The
total loss. so far ss an Re sscertsined.
includes the engine. No. ZOE 0f the
limited, and baggage car No. 500. seven
tank cars fuH of OIL eixnt box cars and
half dozen fat care. All Of these be-
ing completely destroyed. Va accurate
estimate Of the loss can be made Al
present. cut e wi rescn At lesst $780,
coo.
Webb Ross, the brave engineer who
lost hfs ffe. leaves wife aud sx cnl
aren a. Nattooa. No attempt 90 tx
the hfsnse tor the fstsi wreck hn- yet
been uissie. and nothing furtaer wlli
b known until after tos investigation
of the coroner's Jury tomorrow.