River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-10-26

it formed its own draft and
crept upward towards the vic
Tins in waiting There was no
water, nothing to quench tie
red fury, and soon the neighboring
farmhouses could be seen, the light
was so great The fire soon became a
great white furnace, devouring men,
women aud children. and melting iron
and warping wheels of cars, and when
the fire department attempted to
quench it the water sizzled as il struck
the red hot iron and went up in steam.
The blaze was seen for miles around
The wreck and the bright light at
tracted crowds of people to the Grand
Trunk yards and the work of rescue
was pushed as rapidly as possible. This
work became a frantic struggle as the
fire increased and the prisoners one by
one passed into lnsensibiity. Stories
of suicide among the cremated people
were told, but could not be substan-
tiated.
The death of Mrs C. w. Van Dusen
was very sad. She had got partially
out of the ear, but her feet had been
caught and held her fast by the
timbers aud there she burned to death.
Her agony was terrible. but she re-
tanned her senses to the last and gave
her name and address and told what
friends TO notify. She was a teacher
in the Methodist Sunday school and
died like a Christian. Her husband,
Charles Van Dusen. died at the Nichols
Memorial home at 10 o'clock
c. II. Ward and Il. S. Ward brothers,
Of Moretown, VT, were in the ill
fated coaches and were among the
number who escaped uninjured. After
the coach was over c. II. Ward jumped
out of the left side through window.
In front of him sat lady with a
baby. lie pulled her through the win
dow, when she cried out to save her
baby, but the little one was fastened
beneath the seat, and persisted
while the crazed mother had to be
taken away by force. Ward says that
in front of the woman was young
lady and just behind her young man.
Back of him were two young men.
None escaped.
AS fast as the eharred remains were
separated fror the ashes of the ILL
starred No. Is they were blanketed and
laid in box cars. From this rude
morgue at noon they were transferred
to the undertaking establishment
OF Ranger & Farley. In the base.
ment rough pine slabs were laid
ont, and here, wrapped in white
linen. the remains were placed.
The Identification was that of circum-
stantial evidence, for in most cases the
heads and arms were burned away,
and jammed up against the stove in
coach No. Is were found the remains OF
woman and in her leshless arms she
clasped an infant Part of chain
bracelet, two narrow bits of flouncina
of black silk ana part of leather belt
were all that remained to identify the
mother and child.
In the only two faces recognizable in
the morgue all the nameless horrors OF
death by fire were stamped. One body
lacked limb. another au arm; eyes
had gone from sockets. ears and noses
had been licked off by the flames. Two
of the bodies might have been but
charred stumps of trees for all the evil
dences that renamed that they were
human beings but few hours ago.
Friday afternoon at o'clock Justice
Henry issued warrants for Henry
Wooley, engineer of train No. o, anC
Conductor Burt y. Scott. At O'Clock
Deputy Sheriff King arrested Wooley
and brought him before Justice Henry,
where he asked for an eXamina
ton and was put under $4,000
bail for his appearance next Mon
day. lie could not furnish the bail
and Deputy Sheriff King viii take hin
to Marshall Wooley and Scott ar,
charged with manslaughtcr. Conduc
tor Scott was arrested at p m. on &
warrant charging criminal negligence
He gave bonds in s., 900 to appear Mon
day. He made a brief statement &c
the effect that he gave the engineer {
duplicate of the order he received; that
he supposed he understood It; that he
afterwards went into the baggage ear
and did not know the engineer had
gone over the siding and taken the
double track until the collision oc
Cured.
Euginccr.Wooleyt told the justice that
while oiling his engine Conductor
Scott came to him and banded him his
orders. ASKING if he was ready to go.
Scott said to him that the dispatcher
must be crazy. as Ne. Q had gone
through. Tse engineer continued:
II hurried up and got through oilng my en-
CINE, got up IN tle cab ana that time Conuue
tor Scott was over near the platform He asked
me II was ready to 20 asked him II he
was sure No Q had gone through. lie said
Yes She has My fireman heard that After
ne said that No. Q had gone through asked hin
how the board was He said; 'All clear. Loob
out for the board at Bellevue ] got UP on my
seat and started the engine 1 did not pass
any switch engine, as he has been reported, on
the double track After got into the yards
saw headlight Thought at first It was the
switch engine. but in a moment saw that ii was
coming too fast. l shut the throttle and re
versed my engine. Ny train came TO stoI
and was standing stil when No struck my
engine l went to get OF. but before could
do so | was thrown against the tank and my
side was hurt l asked my fireman after
the wreck IL he remembered what Con
ductor Scott said 70 me. He said he did He
told me that No had gone through. saw
Conductor Scott after the wreck. He was
much excited. I asked him in regard to The
order again He muttered out something aud
said he thought that No had gone. Ny side
has been very sore all day have hecn lying
down all day and not able 10 come out