The record-union., 1893-10-21
sneoial to the REcoRp-UN1ox.

BATTLE CREEK (Mich.), Oct. W.-1ne
error of one human being, one man who
crouches affrighted in prison cell to-
night, led to the greatest railroad holo-
caust in the history of Michigan to-day,
and twenty-six human lives paid the
penalty of moments negligence. Two
trains, both laden with passengers, met
in direct head in collision on the Grand
Trunk Railroad at 3:45 this morning in
the subur OF the city, and that the
number cad and injured is not four
fold /. e. is due to fortunate circum-
stances.
The coLAi.n occurred in the suburbs
of this city, where trains slacken speed.
Twenty-six charred, disfgured and un-
recognizable bodies lie in the Morgue
tonight, and twenty-seven charred and
bleeding victims are groaning in agony in
Charity Hospital. How many of these
wounded may be in the death list to-
morrow none can tell, for the Injuries in
many cases are quite unfathomable to the
medical examination that is possible
now.
All that surgical science can do is being
done, and officials Of the railroad are do
~
the dreadful disaster.
Two trains met face to face. Both were
regular trains. although each was con-
siderably behind time. One was the
Raymond Il Whitcomb special train re-
turning from the Worlds Fair, and the
other a regular Pacific Express west
bound. The engineer of the Raymond 81
Whitcomb train had positive orders to
sidetrack for TIE express at siding a
mile east Of this city. He ignored The
orders, and 600 feet beyond the siding he
met the eastbOund train full on. Both
trains were wrecked, and half the train
Of the Pacific Express was demolished
and burned. The Raymond IL Whit
comb train, being composed almost en-
tirely of heavy sleepers, escaped serious
injury, and none OF the eXcurslOnlsts lost
their lives. The engineers and firemen
of both trains jumped in time, but
twenty passengers of the Pacific EX-
press met almost instant death. The day
coaches in the front part of this train
telescoped and burned, and of the
tweuty-siX human remains at the
morgue tonight, conjectures can only be
made as to the identity Of six. Twenty
remain entirely unidentified.
The identified are as follows: c. c. Van
Duzan, Sproutbrook, n. Y, died in the
hospital; Mrs. c. c. Van Duzan, Sprout-
brook y, Y. burned to death after the
Wreck anu n6lOIO o1G COu4Q Dt GALL lCdl6Ai3
w. w. Henry, Woonsocket, r. l., burned
to a crisp: Mrs. f. r. Mckenzie, Middle
town, Conn.,, burned to crisp;RT. a. Nc
Garyey, Ontario, Canada, mangIed' and
burned TO death; j. w. Beardley, Wat
kins, n. Y, burned and mangled.
The Coroner numbered each of the
bodies now in the Morgue consecutively
and noted the articles found on each body
that might lead to Identification. on one
body paper marked +. j. Mogon, Prov
idence, r. l., was found. On another was
a statement from John Monroe, banker,
of New York to Charles Z. Verde; also
note in German from Charles Il. Wen
zele to DIR. Howard Evance. An un-
known baby was burned TO a crisp.
The following articles were found in
the debris, but it was impossible to con-
meet them with the bodies: Book,
League Of American Wheelman," with
the name inside of William Louis Wilson,
Northwestern University, Evanston, H.,
632 Sheridan Road; cards and envelope
marked Miss /. B. Hayes; cards bought
Of George Muir, Evanston, ILL.,; box of
pills marked Bradley, Evanston, Ill. a
Bible, Thoroughly wet and partially
burned, gave the following on the title
page: Emblem for st. Clements Class,
An Anchor, Hebrews 6, 19, teacher j. S.
Arch, Easter. 1885" The name was so
near the edge that only ''Arch" could be
deciphered.
There are in the Morgue eighteen bodies
eight males. seven females and three
corpses burned beyond means OF identiti-
cation or ascertaining the sex.
Immediately after the accident the
manned and injured were conveyed to
the Nicholas Memorial Hospital in this
city.
The Raymond & Whitcomb train was
in charge OF Conductor Scott of this city.
Engineer Henry Wooley was pulling it,
and there appears to be no doubt that
Engineer Wooley's negligence caused the
accident. The conductor and engineer
received orders here to meet the Pacific
Express at Nichols. Engineer Wooley
got orders at Battle Creek, and getting
beyond the stretch of the double track
kept right ahead at rattling pace. He
met the Pacific Express half a mile or
less below the meeting point made for
him. The Pacific Express was coming at
thirty miles an hour. From Nichols a
curve begins, SO it was impossible for
either engineer to see the other until the
headlights appeared. They had scarcely
time TO reverse, apply the air brakes and
save theselves as best they could. The
head-on engines came together.
The Raymond Il Whitcomb train stood
the shock without more than a shudder
jar, excepting the baggage car at the head
end, which had its front stove in. None
O1 Tue pdSS0IlGeIS on bDS lTd1n W6IS III
jured beyond a severe shaking up.
On the other train all the horror was
experienced. The fraiI day coaches be-
hiud the baggage car went 10 splinteTs.
The train was made up OF thirteen
coaches, and the first four of them were
telescoped. The passengers were caught
in the seats and the general mass OF ruins,
and. TO add 10 their misery, burning
lamps exploded, and in a moment the
cars were sheet OF tiames
The Battle Creek Fire Department did
heroic work. They received the alarm
five minutes alter the accident. Horses
could not be driven between the cars on
account of the flames, so a rome was
hitched to the chemical, and it was hauled
bv hand into position, and the rear
sleeper, Sabrina, was saved. The fire.
men took out verybody and practically
cleared away the debris. The third
coach of the express left the trucks. and
Moved right through the second. scrap-
ing all the seats ami passengers along
with il. and depositing them in a heap al
the north end OF the car, where most OF
the bodies were found.
The bodies were loaded on q fiat car and
taken to Battle Greek station. They were
conyeyed into Ranger d Earley's under
taking rooms. where a Morgue was ex-
tainporized. While everything was done
to relieve the victims, there remained
their ghastiy appearance. The scene III
tho Morgae appalled, the StoGieSt hearts.
The dead were ranged along the side OF a
dark basement, which was illuminated
by feeble fiickering jet. The remains
were so mangled and distigured that they
Fssembled nothing but an ancient