The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-10-20
Chicago Fair Special Ex-
Cursion Train in a Dis
aStrOus Collision.
BURNED BEYOND RECOGNITION.
Heads and Limbs seorehed
From the Bodies -Hor-
ribIe Scenes.
Orders We're Disobeyed and the
Excursion Train Crashed Into
a Grand Trunk Express.

BATTLE CREEK. Mich. Oct. 90, 1898.
The worst accident of this year occurred
about four o'clock this morning In the
yards Of the Chicago and Grand Trunk
Railroad, close by the round house in
this city, by which at least twenty five
persons lost their lives and double as
many mors were badly injured. A
Raymond aud Whitecomb special train
of passengers from New York and Boston
were returning from Chicago. The train
was in char re of Conductor Scott of this
city aud Engineer Wooley, and took or
ders at this station to meet at Nichols.
No. 9, the Pacific express going west due
at this station at 1:35 O'clock this morn-
ing. but which was three hours late.
DIsoBEYED ORDERS.
The conductor, or engineer, or both.
of the Raymond special dlaob eyed orders
and passed Nichols Station, and collided
with the Pacific express, coming at the
late of about thirty miles an hour. The
Two engines were driven into each other
and are total wreck. the one on the
express was No. 158, anew Cook engine,
lu use only two weeks.
the engineers and flremen when they
saw that Il collision was inevitable shut
OH Steam, EeVeFseu engines pub on
breaks aud all jumped aud escaped with
out serious injury. Tbs engineer of the
Pacific Express was named Gilcranshow
and the conductor. Burke. The con-
ductor was badly hurt by being caught
in the Car.
HORRIBLE WRECK.
When the collision took place the sec
ond and third day coaches on No. 9, the
train going West were completely reles-
COPIED Il was in THESE cars that the hor-
rible sacrifice of life took place. The
second coach cut through the third coach
like knife aud the roof passed over the
heads OF the sleeping and Ehe ill
fated passengers were completely en-
tombeG in fiery furnace. The engine
and baggage car OF the special were badly
wreeked. but the coaches being sleepers
ana the train moving slowly escaped
injury.
TWENTY-FIVE DEAD BODIES.
The passengers IN the four coaches
were more or less injured. and in one of
.nem. No. 13, Called the unlucky coacn,
which has been in several accidents
before, there were twenJY~five dead
bodies taken out this morning by
the fireman. They were piuioned
under seats and jammed up against
the end OF the coach by the next coach
which had telescopeu 1t and then
burned ike rats in u trap. The accident
was mile from the fire station, and be-
tore water could be Gurned on the cars
were all burned. No one on the Raymond
special was injured. The Pacific express
WAS made up OF thirteen old coaches
and four of them were completely burn
ed, catching tire frou the lamps in the
cars The bodies were burned so badly
rs to be unrecognizaple. Nearly all had
their heads, arms or legs burned off and
cannot be identified as Yet.
BODIES PILED IN MASS.
A. ttA rI1t trA ltaA
second, it swept the people in mass to
north end of the latter car, 10 the vicinity
of the stove, where most of the bodies
were afterwards found. The cars i'm
medlately took fire. and In an instant
they were all In blaze. The night yard
men and the neighbors In the vicinity
were on the scene as soon as possible.
A CHASTITY SPECTACLE.
One passenger escaped through the
doorway. Others who escaped smashed
out the windows aud climbed through.
Only three escaped from the left side and
not more than six from ,he
other side. All the rest of
:ne occupants OF the second coach
perished. The most horrible sight was
tnat presented by Mrs. Charles Van Du-
sen of Fort Plain. N Y. She succeeded
in getting half way out Of the window,
but her legs were fastened and those who
ran to her assistancs could OF release her
eyes with oDe-half of her body hanging
out of the window. Before death came
to release her sufferings she gave her
name.
FIREMEN SUMMONED.
Henry Garfield. one of the night clerks
at the Chicago and Grand Trunk offices.
heard the crash aud Immediately pulled
the fire alarm box aud then telephoned
the engine house aud informed Them of
the wreck. The iremen responded
promptly. but the wreck was over a
mile away.
The distance of the nearest hydrant to
the wreck and the difficulty of driving
the hose wagon between the cars and
tracks delayed them until the fire had
gained considerable heauway
When the line of hose was finaIly laid.
IL took 1,5o0 feet to reacn the burning
cars.
A line of hose was also laid from the
Grand Trunk Water Works, bur there
was not pressure enough to throw a
stream.
THE INJURED.
Following is list of those who are
most seriously injured:-
Mrs. Belle Williams one leg broken:
Joseph H. Archbell of Evanston, ILL.,,
ankle smashed.
Mrs. Lizzie Vance. Simcoe, Ontario,
and fourteen year ola son badly cut by
glass and legs badly Injured.
LIST OF DEAD.
E. Wirtz. idenLifled by handkerchief.
Small unknown baby, head burEed off
One body, unidentified. clothing
marked A A. Allen & Co.. 81 Bay street.
Toronto. Ont.
Mrs. G. w. Van Dusen.
Twenty-Five bodies are unidentifi ed as
yet. every Bit Of clothing being
burned from them. Every one OF the
twenty-five bodies is minus a mead. legs
or arms whicn were burned off.
HUSBAND AND WIFE DEAD.
The death of Mrs. Van Duseu, wae
pathetic. Her agony was terrible, bu t
she retained her senses to the last. giving
her name and address, and telling those
who were powerless to save her what
friends to notify Of her fate.
She was teacher In the Methodist
Sunday school at home, and she died
like n Christian.
Her husband. Charles Van Dusen, was
terribly injured. but was taken from the
wreck alive. he was removed to { be