The morning call., 1893-01-23
AWFUL RAvAGEs OF THE OIL.
Many Victims Burned Beyond Recog-
nition-Harrowing Scenes in the
Hospitai-The Injured.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.


William Mantz Of FOsterburg, Ill.
Charles UT.
Willie Mccarthy.
W. Ii. y. Miller.
John Lgeke.
Charles Paris.
Edward Mauhin.
John Wilkinson.
The seven last were all Of Alton.
All these died in the hospital at Alton.
except UT. l.. II. Miller and Mantz, whose
dead bodies were found near the scene Of
the wreck this morning.
OF the injured, fourteen, the hospital
physician said. cannot recover. They are;
Otto Hagwan, John Fred. Joseph Herman,
Henry Pilgrim, john Luttrell. William b.
Richardson and David Richardson, all of
Alton; a. I. Frazer of st. Louis; Frank
Barth of Branford. Canada; Frank Scullin
and John Burke, both of Alton Junction;
Murray and Rotoff. both of Upper Alton.
Those who sustained serious injury. but
who will probably recover. are: Mrs. a. L.
Willen and child. Henry Wiggens. Herman
Nuske. John McPike, Eren McCaldwell
Louis Deneau, Henry Staples, - Mont
gomery, Dan Harris. Frank Berton, Louis
Mcintosh. William McIntosh, John Henry
John Monahan, James Mullane. Charles
Harris, W. c. Harrison. HamIine Valentine
Charles Hamilton. b. Menhaus, T. b. job
Pat 0'Meara, John Seister, Ephraim Rich
ardson. John Finley, Jonn Mopike, Evan
Caldwell, Patrick F!nlay, Charles Crow and
George Staples.
Besides these there are more than a score
who sustained injuries OF more or less seri-
Gus nature, whose names could not be
learned
The fatally Injured are more or less seri-
ously burned about the limbs and body, but
the worst Injuries sustained were the fear
fully burned heads and faces. All are also
injured internally from inhalDg the flames,
which scUrched and parched their thrOats
10 such an extent that their escape from in
slant death wss almost miraculous. The
other injured suffer from burns on various
parts of tie head. limbs and body.
The wreck and It's consequences is the
topic of conversation In Alton to-day.
representative Of the Associated Press al
rived at the city early this morning and Wis
tied the hospital. The scenes In the wards
occupied by tho injured were even more
heartrendiDg than yesterday. Lying on
cots, wrapped in cotton bandages untllthey
almost lost the sembiance Of human beings,
and surrounded by weeping relatives and
sorrowing friends. they formed a picture
that brought tears TO the eyes Of even the
physicians. The meanings OF the patients
were piteous, every few moments some tor
tured soul writhing in agony woula half
rise from the couch, then fall back suffer-
ing more intense pain than before and
beg piieously to be relieved from pain.
Perhaps the most pitilul sight of all was
that of 13-year-old Willie Mccarthy. The
boys flesh was cooked from head to foot
HIS eyes were burned out. the skin peeled
off lis face and head. taking with it large
portions of flesh. The only response the
anxious mother received TO the inquiry as 20
how he felt was, ION, my head. doctor.
can't die?"
Some patients lay perfectly quiet. no sign
or moan escaping from their lips. They
will soon be beyond earthly suffering.
Not until n visit had been made TO the
morrue aid the horrible reality Of the ecc-
dent become apparent. Here. awaiting Tie
undertaken, were the bodies Of Eve Of those
who had died during the night. The band
ages bad been removed from the bodies and
the fearful raysges Of the burning oil were
plainly apparent Scarcely one of the five
could be recognized, even by relatives. The
oil. wherever It touched the skin, burned
deep into the fesh while such portions Of
the cnticle as escaped entire destruction
was blistered. and in many places blackened
by The intense heat. The lips were terribly
swollen and diseolored and the eyes of all
five had been burned out entirely Every
vestlge OF hair was burned off the face and
hesd, and In many cases the skull and
cheekbones were exposed.
Wives and mothers, sisters ard daughters.
on being shown the bodies OF their beloved
dead shrank back In horror and could
scarcely be convinced that the distorted
features before them were ell that remained
of those SO dear TO them.
The Ceroner's inquest was held at the
hospital, having previously been In session
at Wann and Alton junction. The verdict
in each case states that death was caused
By burning oil. accidentally exploded and
thrown over them" The funerals of
number Of The victims will take place to-
morrow morning and those OF the otaers on
Tuesday. Edward Miller was buried this
afternoon at Alton.
There was a rumor on the street this
afternoon that eleven students from Shut
lef College had been missing since the acci-
dent. All effort 10 verify the rumor failed.
however, but the fact that bodies were
found this morning near the scene of the
wreck gives rise TO the thought that there
may yet be more bodies which have not
been found.
When Mrs. William ManiZ reported this
morning that her husband. who started for
the scene Of the accident had not vet re-
turned, searching party was organized and
after long time the de d body Of Mantz
was found near Wood River, over half n
mile from the place where the explosion oc-
CURED. The supposition is that he started
10 run IN the direction OF bis home as soon
as the explosion took place aud was caught
by the shower Of the seething fluid. lie.
however. must have run some distance after
be was burned and probably fell dead on
reaching the spot where bis body was found.
Reports about others being missing led TO
the finding of other bodies aud when the re-
porter left the city parties were sill out
searching for additional victims
The scene Of yesterdays dreadful catas-
trophe was visited by hundreds to-day.
Every available vehicle 10 Alton vas pressed
into service to convey tho sightseers TO their
destination. Every train running between
the two places was eT6wded ard scores
made the distance OF four miles on foot.
No trace las been found CT the runaway
switehman, Richard Grattan. The total
loss TO the omrsny, so officials state. will
be between s125.0c0 and $50. Oo0.
SWrTCH-ENGINES MOVING.
IL