The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-10-24
BATTLE CREEKS HORROR.
Time Alone Will Indicate the Identity of
Some of the Dead.

Battle Creek, Mich, OCTOBER Z5.-Ah
especially pathetic feature OF the Grand
Trunk wreck is that many in the East
who had friends or relatives going to the
Fair via the Grand Trunk can
not for some time know wheth-
er they have been killed OF
not. In few cases, whore friends never
return, it can only be surmised whether
they were burned or not. as identified
ton can not be made.
The scene of all attempts at identified
ton has been changed from the morgue
in the basement Of Farley & Rangers
undertaking establishment to the office
of DR.. G. Gillett, the coroner. In lit
tie back room of his Office are the relics
of the wreck that are apt to have any
thing particular to do with those that
have perished. In one corner of this lit
tie room are twenty-six sacks. Each one
of these sacks is labeled and neatly tied.
In some cases small paper boxes are en-
ployed instead of the paper sacks. On
the table, in the centre OF the room, are
a number of charred relics that were
found in the ruins that were on no par
ticular body. 1t is thought these may
be able to satisfy those who have friends
missing that they were in the wreck.
A telegram was received by Father
Siddler from Toronto, asking informa-
ton about Rev. Father Clark, of Brant-
ford, Ont, who was known to be travel
ling on the train. The telegram de-
scribed the missing priest as being short,
slight, dark hair, front tooth filled With
gold, dark overcoat, short undercoat,
and weight $50 pounds. Considering the
condition of the bodies, the only item
there of any use for the purpose of iden-
tification was the fact that one of the
front teeth was filled with gold. With
heroic fortitude Father Siddler Went to
the morgue to pursue investigation on
this line. 1t is unnecessary to detail the
awfulness of his task. When he was
met on the stairway after an honest at
tempt tosfind what was left on earth OF
his brother, he said ''l'm afraid it's no
use. shall ask for a better description
by wire and then make another attempt.
Only gold filling in tooth to identify
man, when many Of the victims of the
furnace were without headsr'
Investigation by the road authorities
shows that the wreck took fire from the
stove instead Of the oil lamps.
The Commissioners Investigation.
Lansing, Mich, October 23.-Railroad
Commissioner Billings is going to order
an investigation of the Battle Creek
wreck at once with special reference to
the question:: What. set the cars afire?
He thinks the car stove is largely re-
sponsible for the terrible loss oflife. The
statutes of the state provide that rail
road companies are to heat their cars
''by generating the heat for warming the
cars outside and independent of said
cars, or by the use of heaters in the cars,
so constructed that in case of accident
it will be practically impossible for the
fire to escape from the stoves or heater
so as to set fire to the cars, or provided
with some automatic or quickly and
easily operated provision for extinguish-
ing fire; and when the heat is generated
outside of the cars, heaters constructed
as provided for in this section may be
retained within for use in case of emer-
gencies." The railroad commissioner
has power to order removed any heating
device that he believes dangerous.
Perhaps Victim.
Bellows Falls, Vt, October 23.-John
O. SpriAg left here Tuesday night for the
Worlds Fair via the Central Vermont
and Grand Trunk railroads, and has not
been heard from except by a letter bear
ing the postmark. Kingston, Ont, October
49, The friends of Mr.. Springer fear he
may have been one of the killed in the
accident at Battle Creek. Friday morn
ing.
Four More Identified.
Battle Creek, Mich, October 23.-Four
more bodies of the victims of Fridays
wreck on the Chicago & Grand Trunk
were positively identified this morning.
They are: j. R. Brown, Strathroy, Ont;
Mr.. and Mrs. Oliver Darlan, Tilsonburg,
Ont: and Mrs. Eveline A. Aldrich of
Edwardsburg, Mich. This ma'Ses IS in
all that have been identified.
No One Seriously Injured.
Pittsb arg, Pa, October pa Balti-
more 6 Ohio vestibule train which left
Chicago at o'clock last evening, ran in
to an open switch at Gallery Junction on
the Pittsburg & Western division of the
Baltimore & Ohio railway. 25 miles west
of Pittsburg, at 7.30 o'clock this morn
ing. The engine and four sleeping cars
were derailed. One of the sleeping cars
went over an enlbankment. Although
many of the passengers jumped from
the doors and windows of the train, not
one was seriously injured. A wreck
crew was sent out from Allegheny to re-
place the train on the track. The train