The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-01-23

miles noTlh OIL H''s IVY ""s 1880 u,'
a n,',I by double accident Of appalling
",ooorsions. As q result six persons
s,o dead and at least 20 more will DO
within short time,
Tbo first accident befell the South
eastern Limited express train between
Tow York and St, Louis, The road Is
ono,oted by tho Cleveland, Cincinnati,
CHICAGO 4 st, Louis Railroad, The train
Iott 81 Louis at sos a, m, and arrived
al the junction yards at $3.50. Just be-
io,e reaching tho yard the engineer no.
iced that tho switch was turned The
min was running so miles IN hour and
il was impossible to stop,
Webb Ross, tho engineer stuck TO
,be engine and was applying the air
Srokes when tho engine struck q string
ii loaded oil cars, The second oil car
ornloded and 1000 gallons OF oil were
ssnt living in all directions and spread
ovcr the tracks in "a sea Of fire, Engineer
Ross Jumped from tho engine to escape
before ho had gone ten teet he was
corpse,
iii was roaring and sending up volumes
oi smoke Hundreds Of people tioekod
tn the scene and persisted in standing
in close proximity to the wreck and
burning cars OF oil. When the crash
came the passengers were thrown about
tbe cars, but tho most OF them escaped
through the bravery Of the engineer
FIVE orHER TANKS EXPLODE.
The crowd of onlookers had been In
cressing. 1t was ll;39 when one of the
remaining tanks exploded and SO near
" thereafter as to make it seem as II 1t
was all in one, four other tanks OK
plodod. ASST by magic $1,000 gallons
Of boiling and burning oil were hurled
birh in tho air. The roar and vibra.
tic Han could DO heard for miles. The oil
seemed to be carried by the air and over
tho vast Ossemblage OF onlookers, and
far outin the village didi fallin streams
and pools. 1t was literally a sea Of
flame that swept over the gathered null
tilude.
The switchman at Wann, four miles
distant caused the disaster. Officers
arc now aearchpg for him, as he fled
during the excitement following tho
DI Dick White, tile fireman, jumped
from the cab the instant the engine
struck the switch, and escaped with n
few slight bruises.
In the baggage department. OF the first
cat we're the mails, eleven pieces OF bag.
gage and a corpse, and these wore all
burned in a few moments. The corpse
was that OF Mrs. Morrison, and was
being forwarded from the southwest TO
Boston, Mass.
For several minutes the panic was
inlesCribahle. Those touched by the
burning oil CROPPED about wildly, seek
ing in vain for relief from their torture.
Almost without exception the injured
wOrO burned about tho face and had
their oyeslght temporarily, il not per-
mAnently, destroyed. Those who were
uninjured were 80 terror-stricker1 as TO
DO unable to assist their less fortunate
companions for aome time.
AN AWFUL SCENE.
The scenes in the rooms whore the
wounded we're removed from the rough
temporary filters into the snowy
couches were heart rending. The vic.
Tins shriekOd and groaned. Lying on
the couches, the dirty, oil.soaked rags
were cut away from the bodies, reveals
ing the horrible work OF the burning
oil, The hands and faces OF all were
scorChed, torn and bleeding. The lips
aud noses were swollen and distorted,
and the eyes we're either burned out or
were flame.eaten and encrusted with
blood and dust. The hands OF many
were burned to q crust, fingers were
missing and arms broken. Several OF
tho victims when uncovered we're found
to DO without cuticle, the flames having
cooked and burned 1t until 1t chung TO
the clothing in removal or fell away Of
ita own accord.
Several Of the injured constantly
begged 10 10 killed that they might DO
free from their pain. "0h, Pm blind"
moaned one, II feel that my eyes are
gone, Oh, l could stand all, everything
could be crippled or deiormed forever
but to DO without eYes. to have the
sight shut out forever, that is too much.
want to die. ! want to die, and then
allowing mother bowed low over the
moaning form and buried her tear.
stained iaco and misery.convulsed form
In the clothing that shielded her son.
THE DEAD AND THE INJURED.
The list OF tho dead as made out late
tonight is Us follows:
Webb, Ross Mattoon, ILL.,, engineer Of
Tho limited, aged thirty.three
Hiram Cornelius, Iowa, aged twenty.
eight years
Edward Miller, Alton Junction, aged
twenty-five years. 4
Two unidentified men aud one boy,
namO unknown.
All wore burned to death.
Ih9 following were fatally burned:
Alton, III.
Frank scullln, aged 25, Alton, ILL.,
! Joseph Hermann, aged u, Alton, III.
John Wilkinson, aged IL, Alton, III.
r. John Fred 42 years old, Edwardsvillo
Crossing, Ill.
John Louk, 20 years old, Alton.
NJ A. Il Frazer, 20 years old, ST. Louis,
Edward Moupin, "a years old, Alton,
WE HNgOrman, Alton.
Willie Mccarthy, Alton.
Pan Harris, Alton junction.
frank Barton, Stamford, Ont.
l le1is Mcintosh, Alton Junction,
William Mcintosh, Alton junction.
yyeofge Staples, Alton junction.
JIohn Henry, Alton junction.
tenn MonAhan, East 81, Louis.
WILLIAM Mtitor, Alton junction.
James MullanO, Alton Junction,