Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-10-26

BATTLE CREEK, Mich, Oct. 20.-The
worst accident of this year occurred about
4oclock this morning, in the yards of the
Chicago e. Grand Trunk railroad, close by
the roundhouse in this city, by which at
least % persons lost their lives and double
as many more were badly injured.
A Raymond q Whitcomb special train
of passengers from New York and Boston
were returning from Chicago. The train
was in charge of Conductor Scott of this
city and Engineer Wooley, and took orders
at this station to meet at Nichols No. 0, the
passenger express going west, due at this
station at l.35 o'clock this morning, but
which was three hours late.
DIsoBEYED ORDERS.
The conductor or engineer, or both, of
the Raymond special disobeyed orders,
and passed Nichols station and collided
with the express coming west at the rate
of about 80 miles an hour. The two en-
gines were driven into each other and are
a total wreck. The oneof the express was
No. 1853, new Cook engine in use only
two weeks.
THEY JUMPED AND ESCAPED.
The engineers and firemen, when they
saw that a collision was inevitable, shut
off steam, reversed engines, and put on
brakes, and all jumped and escaped with
Pacific express was named Gilcranshow
and the conductor Burke. The conductor
was badly hurt by being caught in car.
HORRIBLE SACRIFICE OF LIFE.
When the collision took place the second
and third coaches on No. 8, the train going
west, were completely telescoped. 1t was
in these cars that the horrible sacrifice OF
life took place. The second coach cut
through the third coach life knife and
thereof passed over the heads of the Sleep
ing inmates, and the ill-fated passengers,
when the cars took fire, were completely
entombed in a fiery furnace.
The engine and baggage car of the
special were badly wrecked, but the
coaches being sleepers and the train NOV
ing slowly, escaped serious injury.
TWENTY-FIVE DEAD IN NO. 13 COACH.
The passengers in the four coaches were
more or less injured and in one of them
No. l3, called tlfe unlucky COACH which
has been in several accidents, before, there
were Is dead bodies taken from the wrecl
this morning by the iiremen. They were pin
ioned under seats and iammed up agalns
which had telescoped them burned lik,
rats in trap.
THE RAYMOND PASSENGERS ESCAPE.
The accident was a mile from the fir
station and before water could be turnet
on the cars were all burned. None on tn
Raymond special was injured. The Pacifi
express was made up of l3 old coaches am
four of them were completely burned
catching fire FROM the lamps in the cars.
BODIES HORRIBLY BURNED.
BATTLE CREEK, MIcH., Oct. 20.-Th
bodies were burned so badly as to be un
recognizable. Nearly all had their heads
arms or legs burned of, and cannot b
identified as yet.
As the second car was driven bacl
through the third it swept the people in
mass to the north end of the latter car, il
the vicinity of the stove, where most c
the bodies were afterwards found. TIL
cars Immediately took fire and in a
instant they were all in blaze.
ONLY SIX ESCAPED.
One passenger escaped through tn
doorway. Others who escaped smashe
out the windows and climbed through
Only three escaped from the left side an
no more than six from the other side.
the rest of the occupants of the secon
perishcd. t..
BURNED TO DEATH BEFORE THEIR EYES.
The most horrible sight was that pr
scented by Mrs Charles VanDusen of Fo
Plain, n. Y. She succeeded in gettT
half way out of the window, but her LEI
were fastened and those who ran to her d
sistance could not release her. She w
burned to death before their eyes with ol
half of her body still hanging out Of Il
window. Before death came to relea
her suffering she gave her name.
Following is list of dead: Il. Weirt
identified by handkerchief small u
known baby, head burned off. One boz
had business cards in the clothing vii
the name of A. A. Allan g. Company, N
81 Bay street, Toronto. Mrs. Q. W. Va
dusen.
ATTENDING TO THE INJURED.
All physicians in the city were arous
and were soon oil the scene doing VIII
they could to ease the terrible sufferin
of the injured. The injured were taken
the Target House, to the railroad otiic,
to the Bowling boarding house and to I
residences in the immediate vicinity of +
disaster.
BATTLE CREEK, Mich, Oct. 20.-Twent
six heaps of charred, blackened flesh,
that remains of what, less than "a hou
n ago. were men, women and children,
the enjoyment Of life health and hap
morgue, in the basement of furnitr
store of this city.
A mile away in the City Hospital ar,
score or more of human beings wi
gashed bodies and broken limbs. Add
this an engineer in Jail and a conducto
fugitive from the law, and the story
told in brief of the latest of railroad h
rors, and one of the most appalling
character of this or recent years.
THE DEAD AND THE UNIDENTIFIED BoDIE
This is the list Of the dead and uniden
6ed bodies;
e. 4. Magoon. Providence, r. l., ider
W led by papers in pocketbook. Otl
articles found in what remained of clio
Ing were a pair of spectacles railro
ticket, two blank books, pocketbook &C
laining $64 in money, silver open-fat
A watch. pocket knife and bottle of pills.
f Q. Woman burned to crisp, no cloth
> remaining.
W 8. Boy. apparently about IL years 9
IA. lace and upper portion of head, as well
W eet, burned to crisp. few red hairs
4 baihing on back of neck. In pocket
4H }oat, handkerchief, with red border, chs
t lain watch.
s A. w. w. Henry of Woonsocxet, r.
Ill lumber dealer; identified by business car
MI 8. Male. Paper in vest pocket. "
$ tatement from John Monroe, bans
n Few York, 70 Charles u. Wensell als'