The record-union., 1893-01-23

all of Alton Ali Of these died at the hos
pital at Alton, except Utt, Miller and
Mantz, whose dead bodies were found
near the scene of the wreck this morning.
The injured fourteen at the hospital
the physicians say cannot recover. They
are: Otto Hagwan, John Fred, Joseph
Herman, Henry Pilgrim, John Luttrell,
William u. Richardson, David Richard
son, all of Alton; A. T. Frazer, st. Louis;
Frank Barth, Brantford, Canada; Frank
Scullin, John Burke, both of Alton juno
ton; Murray and Rotof, both of Upper
Alton.
Those who sustained serious injury,
but who will probably recover, are Mrs.
a. L. Willen and child, Henry Wiggings,
George Staples, John McPike, Herman
Nuske, Eren McCaldwell, Louis Deneau,
Henry Staples, Montgomery; Dan
Harris, Frank Berton, Louis McIntosch,
William McIntosch, John Henry, John
Monahan, James Mullane, Charles Har-
ris, W. c. Harrison, Hameline Valentine,
Charles Hamilton, B. Menhaus, Pat
OMeara, Y. B. Job, John Seister,
Ephraim Richardson, John Finley, John
McPike, Evan Caldwell, Patrick Finlay,
Charles Crow.
Beside these are more than a score who
sustained injuries of a moro or less seri-
Gus nature, whose names could not be
learned.
Perhaps the most pitiful sight of all
was that Of l3-year-old Willie Mccarthy.
The boys flesh was cooked from head to
foot, his eyes burned out, the skin peeled
OF the face and head, taking with it large
portions of flesh. The only response his
anxious mother received to the inquiry
as to how he felt was. "Oh, my head; doc
tor, can't die ?"
Some patients lay perfectly quiet, no
sigh or moan escaping from their lips,
and they will soon be beyond earthly
suffering.
Not until visit was made to the
morgue did the horrible reality of the acci-
dent become apparent. Here, awaiting
the undertaken, were the bodies of five of
those who died during the night. The
bandages were removed from the bodies
and the fearful ravages of the burning oil
were plainly apparent. Scarcely one in
the five could be recognized even by
relatives. The oil, wherever it touched
the skin, burned deep into the flesh, while
such portions of the cuticle as escaped en-
tire destruction were blistered and many
places blackened by the intense heat.
The lips were terribly swollen and dis
colored, and the eyes of all five were
burned out entirely. Every vestige of
hair was burned off the face and head,
and in many places the skull and cheek
bones were exposed.
Wives and mothers, sisters and daugh-
ters. on being shown the bodies of
their beloved dead, shrank back in hor-
ror and could scarcely be convinced that
the distorted features before them were
all that remained of those so dear to
them.
A Coroner's inquest was held at the
hospital, having previously been in ses-
sion at Wann and Alton junction. The
verdict III each case states that death was
caused by burning oil accidentally ex-
ploded and thrown over them.
When Mrs. William Mantz reported
this morning that her husband, who
started for the scene of the accident. had
not yet returned, a searching party
was organized, and, after a long time.
the dead body of Mantz was found near
Wood River, over half mile from the
place where the explosion occurred. The
supposition is that he started to run in
the direction of his home as soon as the
explosion took place, and was caught by
shower of the seething fluid. He, how
ever, must have run some distance after
he was burned, and probably fell dead on
reaching the spot where his body was
found.
Reports about others missing led to
finding other bodies, and when the re-
porter left the city parties were still out
searching for additional victims.
The scene OF the catastrophe was yis-
tied by hundreds to-day. Every avail
able vehicle in Alton was pressed into
service to convey sightseers to their desti-
nation. Every train running between
the two places was crowded. and scores
made the distance of four miles on foot.
No trace has been found of the run
away switchman, Richard Grattan. The
total loss to the company. 80 the officials
state, will be between Sl25,O and $780,
600.