The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-22

ing hands tenderly carried the dead and
injured to Wann, where they were placed
In the depot until q relief train could be
brought to the scene Word was dis
patched to Alton by fast courier the
heat from the burning oil had melted all
the telegraph wires. and while O train was
being made up and sent for the wounded.
preparations were made for their reception
ut ST Joseph's Hospital.
When the train bearing the dead and
wounded reached Alton, q little after noon,
almost another panic ensued. Great crowds
had gathered at the stopping place of the
traln--a point some distance from the sta
tion. and but short distance from the hos
pltal. Many OF these had loved ones among
the victims of the burning oil and. as fast
as the bodies were taken out of the train.
sobbing wives, mothers and daughters. IN
their attempts TO catch sight of the feat
ures. would snatch frantically at the COW
erlng sno. nndine that which they dreaded
to see. would throw themselves upon the
body IN agony and grief Finally all the
dead and wounded were taken care of and
the crowd dispersed or gathered into little
knots and discussed the horrible affair.
SCENES AT THE HOSPITAL.
Before the hospital door another immense
throng was gathered. anxious to view the
unrecognIzable faces that passed on litters
through the entrance way. Inside all was
confusion and hurry. DR.. Haskell the
physician in charge. returned with
the train and hurried to and fro,
gathering about him his staff and
urging his assistants to great speed.
Sisters of Charity busted themselves IN
taking the suffering 10 the respective
rooms. In q little while three rooms on
the main floor were filled with wounded.
The sick that had occupied them were
borne out into the hall or carried into
other rooms less crowded. The work
was lovingly. anxiously done. Each
otrrh
response in the heart OF the self-sacrIfcing
attendants. The scenes In the rooms where
the wounded were removed from Thorough
temporary lItters into the snowy couches
We're heartrending. Their removal was
necessary. however. and. much the vic-
Tins shrieked and groaned. the work went
on.
Lying on the couches the dirty. oil
soaked rags were cut away from the bodies
and the horrible work of the burning oil
laid bare. The hands and faces of all were
scorched. torn and bleeding. The lips and
noses were swollen and distorted, and
the eyes were either burned out or were
tiame-eaten. The hands of many were
burned to crust, fingers were miss.
ing and arms broken. Several of the vic-
time, when uncovered. were found TO be
without cuticle. the flames having cooked
and burned il until it chung TO the CLOTH
ing in removal or fell away of its own ac-
cord.
When ell arrangements had been made
the public was admitted. Aneager throng
of mothers, fathers. wives and daughters
hurried along the aisle and into the cham
bers OF the suffering. Here they viewed
each face, but an many cases without
avail. for the forms and faces were
unrecognIzable. By dint of questioning
many of the sufferers were induced to re-
veal their names. These were preserved ia
guide the inquirers- Soon. by each bed,
with tear-stained faces and dishcveled ap-
pearance. stood the relatives and friends
M Ia arfn rda nf fort int
dying ears. sobbing words Of cheer
that were half choked in the
utterance. In the main hall stood throng
of anxious parents. whose boys had gone to
not yet returned. They appealed to the
physicians, the Sisters and the attendants
generally for information concerning tho
missing children.
at $50 p. NJ. a second train arrived from
Wann with four more bodies. and the same
scenes were enacted. sew al of the in
jured constantly begged to be killed, that
they might be free from their pain. "0h,
Pm blind" moaned one. II feel thas
my eyes are gone Oh, could stand all,
veSything; could be burned with salts
faction; could be crippled or deformed
forever. but TO be without eyes, to have the
light shut out forever. that is too much.
want to die" And then loving
mother bowed low over the moaning form
and buried her tear-stained face and mis-
ery-convulsed form in the clothing that
shielded her son. Several little boys were
among the victims. and their meanings
were the source OF much distress to all.
STORY OF AN EYEWITNESS.
Accounts OF the explosion as given by
eye-witnesses do not differ greatly in 10
tail. One OF these witnesses. Robert Curjy,
said to-night: Il think the force OF the
explosion must have spent itself in
my direction. Although i was ak hun
dred feet distant when it occurred. the
flames swept by me and passed in sheet
over my horse and rig, which were stand
ing near. L can hardly describe the noise.
1t WAS not like a cannon. nor like thunder.
but more as the rushing of a mig ghty force of
air. Looking around me, i saw boys and
men running IN all directions through tie
fields. One man headed toward me. I
did not recognize him. but / called to
him to stop, which be did. / had my knife
In hand. and az he halted / rushed ND to
him and cut and slashed away through the
sheet of flame until there remained not q
veetige or his habiliments. L tried with my
voice TO console him In his awful plight,
and did what / could to alleviate his pain.
He recognized my voice and, with his
burned and sightiess eyes turned toward
me- he managed to INFORM me that he
was my old friend. James Murray. In pull
ing oil the sleeve OF his coat the skin of his
hand came of like a glove. 1 threw dust
over him and rolled him In the dirt. When
i QdQ extluxulSueQ tu6 uufDts Hktlc WAS
there IN that charred but breathing mass
having any mblance to James Murray.
Others, hurrying up. took him In charge.
and, buDdling him into wagon, bore him
him to his home in Alton.
"Oyer near the house on the embank-
ment, ana TO the west or the scene of the
horror continued Mr.. Curdy, LAY the
smoldering remains of O boy of fourteen OF
fifteen years of age. 1t is supposed his
name was Hagerman. L shouted 10 the fiee-
ing ones to walk, not run. as running but
famed the flames. Hurrylng on, L over
took Willie Mccarthy. lad of thirteen.
After | had done ell i could for him
and with scarcely bit OF clothing on him
he lay down. and in his agony rolled over
crowd of helpers had swelled considerably
and, finding Mr. Maupin. we jumped in
the rig and whipped MP toward Alton TO
secure increased medical attendance. To
every one we met We hastily commune
Gated the sad intelligence of the second
disaster, and the dreadful plight of the
victims. Houses were stripped of bed
clothes. pillows and the like, and q multi
tude of tender aud sp mpathetic care-t takers
were soon In attendance. On the road we
met several doctors urging their steeds to
the limit OF endurance. In n short time
after our arrival at Alton, every available
physician was speeding on his errand Of
Mercy
The financial loss of the railroad COM
pany will be very large. The engine and
tender. the fonr coaches. the seven tank
cars and a considerable section of the track
are ruined. nothing remaining but mass
of twisted iron and few charred pieces Of