The herald., 1893-01-22
AN APPALLING DISASTER
A Terrible Wreck on the Big
Four Road.
Six Persons Killed, Nineteen
Fatally Injured.
The Victims Frightfully Burned by
Blazing Oil.
Misplaced Switch Was the Cause of
the Accident rhe Horror Gull
minated in a Death Deal
ing Explosion.
By the Associated Press |

and crashed into train consisting OF
eeven tank cars standing thereon. The
result was fire, and afterwards an ex-
plosion, which had already cost six per-
sons their lives and probably fatally in-
jured 10 others, while fully fifty more
are cuff sring from painful burns. E
The dead are:
Webb Ross of Mattoon, ILL.,, engineer
of the limited.
Hiram Cornelius, Iowa.
Edward Miller OF Alton Junction.
Two unidentified men and one boy,
name unknown.
All were burned to death.
The following were fatally burned:
William Shattuck, Upper Alton.
Frank Scullin, Alton.
Joseph Herman. Alton.
John Wilkinson, Alton.
John Reed, Edwardsville Crossing, Ill.
John Louk, Alton.
A I. Frazer, st, Louis.
Edward Maupin, Alton.
Otto Hagerman.
Willie McOarthy.
Dan Harris.
Frank Barton.
Louis Mcintosh.
William Mcintosh.
George Staples.
John Henry.
John Monahan.
William Miller.
James Eullane.
Other injured are w. g. Harrison
of Wsnn, Henry Pennington OF Wann,
Louis Deneave of Montreal, Canada,
Henry Pilgrim of Alton, Joseph Tutter-
ellie of Alton, William E Richardson of
Alton, Herman Es5ke of Alton, Frank
Bartlett of Brantford, Canada, Hazel
tine Valen inc of Philadelphia, Charles
Hammond OF Alton junction, B..
Menhsus, Pat O'Mesra, q. B Jobe,
Charles Harris, John Burke, John Seis-
Ter, Ephraim Richardson. John Finley,
John McPhike. Evan Caldwell.
A BARBER TO BLAME.
The southwestern limited is due at
Wann at s as. No sidetracks are there,
but about half mile beyond at Alton
Junction are several switches. The
tender of these switches, P. Grattan by
name, is also a barber. Upon him is
laid the blame by the railway officials
and trainmen for the accident, and Of
fcers are now searching for him, as he
fled during the excitement following the
dual accident.
THE MISPLACED SWITCH.
The train reached Wann IL minutes
late; at Alton Junction it was running
at the rate of 40 miles an hour, the
engineer being desirous of making up
lost time. The switch was go turned as
to send the flying train into one of the
side tracks On the track were seven
tank cars filled with refined lubricating
oil The engineer called to Fireman
Dick White TO jump for his life. He
then reversed the engine and applied
the air brake, but is was too late. The
engine crashed entirely through two
tank cars, splitting them in half, and
then forced entirely over the others.
IN A SEA OF FLAMES.
The oil from the wrecked tanks at
once caught fire and a sea of flames in
stantly surrounded the engineer, who
jumped just as the pilot of the engine
struck the first tank. The brave man
struggled to the embankment at one
side of the track, but as soon as he
reached it he sank to the earth crisp
and blsckened corpse. The fireman
escaped with slight bruises.
THE HEROIC ENGINEER.
The engineers action in reversing the
engine and applying the brakes slack
ened the speed of the train sufficiently
to prevent any serious injury to the
passengers, of whom there were about
60. In the baggage cart the mails, II
pieces of baggage and corpse were all
burned in few moments. The flames
spread to the other coaches, land all were
soon in ruins. Three oil tanks, together
with the engine and tender, were also
consumed.
THE ELIMINATION OF THE HORROR.
The passengers and villagers crowded
around the burning wreck, anxious tc
assist if possible, any unfortunates who
might be in need of help. At this time
the elimination of the horrible affair
occurred. Two tank cars left uninjured
by the engine, simultaneously and with
fearful force exploded, throwing pieces
of their iron sides out into the adjacen,
fields and showering upon the assembled
crowd of sightseers mass of flaming
liquid.
ACCOUNTING APPEALS FOR HELP.
For second after the noise of the
explosion there was no sound save the
whish of seething oil as it was forced
through the air. Then there arose a
confusion of agonizing appeals for helI
and cries of terror, to which no pen can
do justice. For several minutes the
panic was indiscribable. Those touched
by the blazing oil CROPPED about wildly.
seeking in vain for reiief from their tor