Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-01-25
INTO A TRAIN OF OIL.
Disastrous Collision Few Miles from
ALTON, ILL.,

Disastrous Collision "a Few Miles from
Alton, Ill.
ALTON, ILL.,, Jan. 21.-One of the most
frightful accidents thai ever occurred in
or near this city happened at 9 o'clock
this morning at Alton Junction, four
miles from here, on the Cleveland,
Cincinnati, Columbus & st. Louis Rail-
road. The Southwestern limited train
from St. Louis was thirteen minutes
late, and came into Wann, the station
at the junction, at the rate of forty
miles an hour, and ran into an open
switch, crashing into train of freight
cars containing a number of oil tanks.
Two of the oil tanks were split open
and the oil caught fire. The flames
spread to the otEer tanks, box and fiat
cars, and the entire train is now burning.
The passenger engineer, Webb Ross,
bravely remained on mis- engine to put
on the air brakes, and was killed. He
lived at Nation, I'll. Fireman White
escaped by jumping. The engine and
smoker were destroyed and eight
oil tanks, eight box cars and
six flats were consumed by the fire.
The property loss will probably reach
100000. The passengers were greatly
thaken up, but none of them were seri-
ously injured. A special train with
physicians has gone from here to the
wreck.
HARRISBURG, Pa, Jan. PA repeti-
ton Of the awful Deck Street wreck on
the Pennsylvania Railroad, in this city,
last summer, occurred at Dock Low, the
first station east of Steelton, this
Ill
fast train east which leaves
to repair the air brake, which was out
of order, when the second sec
ton crashed into the rear. demol-
fishing the Williamsport sleeper in
which were four passengers. The car
caught fire from the locomotive of the
second section, and was partially de-
stroyed. Prof. Henry w. Rolfe, assist
ant professor of English literature
in the University of Pennsylvania, was
seriously hurt about the back, but the
hospital physicians have not yet
learned the extent of his in
lurles. Arthur A. Stern, Wholesale
jeweler of New York, is also at the hos
pital. He is injured about the hips.
~. Prof. Role is doubled up be-
tween the upper and lower berths,
and almost sutfocated by the
escaping steam. Stern climbed
through a window with nothing
TO protect him from the bitter
cald but an undershirt. It is said the
operator at Steelton is responsible for
allowing the second section to enter the
block before the first section had left it.
All the physicians in the city were
aroused. The first report was that
eighteen were killed and many injured.
Late reports from the scene Of the &C.
cident are to the effect that at least if
teen of the persons burned by blazing
oil are very seriously hurt. Five of
them will die.
ST. LOUIS, Mo, Jan. 22.-Eleven addi-
tional deaths up to o'clock is the rec
ord of the dual catastrophe at Alton
Junction since midnight last night OF
these all but the first six died of their
injuries after being removed to the hos
pital at Alton, except Charles UT, w.
II. Miller and Mantz, whose dead
bodies were found near the scene of
the wreck this morning. Of the in
jured fourteen, the hospital physician
said at 6 O'Clock, cannot receiver.
Besides these there are more than a
score who sustained injuries of a more
or less serious nature, whose names
could not be learned. All the dead
were burned to death by flaming fire.
Of the fatally injured eleven are more
or less seriously burned about the limbs
and body, but the worst in
juries sustained are fearfully burned
heads and faces. All are also
injured internally from inhaling the
burning fumes, which SO scorched and
parched their throats that their escape
from instant death is almost miraculous.
The others injured suffered from burns
on various parts of the head and body.
When the aWfulness of the catastrophe,
as related by eye witnesses who were
fortunate enough to escape injury,
is made known, the only wonder is
that the list of casualties is not twice as
large as it is.