The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-01-22
Caused by a Passenger Train
Running Into an Oil
Tank Train.
without Warming Two Tanks NOT Broken
in the Wreck Explode With Most
Terrible Results.

and crashed into train consisting OF seven
tank cars standing there. The result was
a fire and Afterwards an explosion which
has already cost six persons their lives.
fatally injured nineteen moro. seriously
hurt others and caused great property loss
to the company. The dead are: Webb
Ross, of Mattoon. ILL.,, engineer of the lin
ited; Hiram Cornelius. OF Iowa; Edward
Miller, of Alton junction, ond two uniden-
titled men and one boy, names unknown.
All were burned.
The following were fatally burned: Will
liam Shattuck. of Upper Alton; Frank
Scullin, of Alton; Jos. Hermann, of Alton;
John Wilkinson, Of Alton; John Fred. of
Edwardsville Crossing. ILL.,; Charles Harris,
of Alton; John Louk, of Alton; A. 4. Fraser,
Of ST. Louis, Mo-; Edward Maupin, of Alton,
Otto Haeerman. Willie Mccarthy. Dan
Harris, Frank Barton. Lewis Mcintosh,
William Mcintosh, George Staples. John
Henry, John Monahan. William Miller.
James Mullane. All fatally burned about
the head and body.
Others injured: B. Menhaus. Pat
O'Meara, F. B. Jobe, Charles Harris. John
Burke. John seisler. Ephraim Richardson.
we'll; w. G. Harrison, iof WRnn; Henry
Pennington, Of Wann; Louise DeneAve Of
Montreal, Canada; Henry Pilgrim, of
Alton; Jos. Luttsrelle. Of Alton; VIM. E.
Richardson, OF Alton; Herman Estke, of
Alton; Frank Bartlett. Of Branford, Can
ada; Hameltine Salentins, OF Philadelphia;
Charles Hammond. Of Alton junction.
The southwestern limited was due at
Wann at 8:45. There are no side tracks,
but about half mile beyond, at Alton
junction, there are several switches. The
tender of these switches. p. Grattan by
name. is the man upon whom is laid tho
blame BY railway officials and trainmen for
the accident, and officers arc now searching
for him, as he fled during the excitement
following the dual accident.
The train reached Wann twelve minutes
late. At Alton junction she was running
at the rate OF forty miles an hour, the en-
Rineer being desirous Of making up lost
time. The switch was 10 turned as to send
the flying train onto one of the side tracks
On the track were seven tank oars filled
with refined lubricating oil. The engineer
called to his fireman, Dick White, to jump
for his life. He then reversed the engine
and applied the air brake, but he was too
late. The engine crashed entirely through
two tanks, splitting them in half, and then
forced them entirely over the others.
q
once caught FIRE and sea of flames
instantly surrounded the engineer. who
jumped Just as tho pilot of the engine
struck the first tank. The brave man strug-
gled to the embankment at one side of the
track, but as soon as he reached it he sank
to the earth. crisp and blackened corpse.
The fireman escaped with slight bruises.
The engineers action in reversing the en-
CINE and applying the brakes slackened the
speed of the train sufficiently to prevent
any serious injury to passengers, of whom
there were about sixty. In the baggage car
the mails. eleven pieces of baggage and a
corpse were all burned in a few moments.
The flames spread to the other coaches
and all were soon In ruins. Three oil tanks.
together with the engine and tender, were
also consumed. Passengers and villagers
crowded around tho burning wreck. anxious
to assist if possible any unfortunates who
might be in need of help.
At this time the elimination OF the hor-
rible affair occurred. The two tank cars
left uninjured by the engine simultane-
ously and with fearful force exploded,
throwing pieces OF iron sides out into the
fields and showering upon the assembled
crowd of sight seers a mass of flaming
liquid. For second after the noise OF the
explosion there was no sound save the
whish OF seethng oil as it was forced
through the air. Then there arose a con-
fusion of agonizing appeals for help and
cries of terror to which no tongue or pen
can DO justice. For several minutes
the panic was indescribable. Those
touched by blazing oil grouped
relief from the torture. Almost without
exception the injured were burned about
the face and had their eyesght temporarily
if not lermanently destroyed. Those who
we're uninjured were so terror stricken as
to be unable to assist their loss fortunate
companions for some time. Hastily i'm
provised litters were formed and willing
hands tenderly carried the dead and njured
to Wann, where they were placed in the
derot until a relief train could be brought
to the scene.
Word was dispatched to Alton by courier,
the heat having melted the telegraph wires,
to have train made up and sent for the
wounded. When the train bearing the
dead and wounded reached Alton, crowds
gathered and henrtrendiug scenes were wit
messed when sobbing women recognized d
among the dead some relation or friend.
The financial loss to the railroad COM
pany will be very large. The engine and
tender, four coaches. seven tank cars and q
considerable section of track was totally
ruined. Two small dwellings which stood
near the track were also burned with their
contents. The total loss will probably ag-
greRate 1926, 0oO A track was constructed
at ono side of tho ruins and trains on both
tho Alton and Big Four are running regu-
larly tonight.
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