The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1893-01-26

HIRAM Iowa.
EDWARD MILLER, Alton Junction.
Two UNIDENTIFIED MEN.
WILLIAM SHATTUCK. tpper Alton Ill
HENRY PESNISG. Wann. Ill.
WILLIE MCCARTHY Alton Ill.
JOHN LOCKE, Alton.
EDWARD MAUHIN Alton.
DANIEL HAEERS Alton Junction.
WILLIAM MASIz Fostcrburg, Ill.
CHARLES TIT, Alton.
W. II. MILLER Alton.
CHARLES PARIS, Alton.
JOHN WILKINSON, Alton.
OF these all but the first six died OF
their injuries after being removed to the
hospital at Alton, except TIT, W. II.
Miller and MantZ, whose dead bodies
were found near the scene OF the wreck
the following morning.
The fatally injured arc:
OTTO HAGwAN. Alton
JOHN FRED. Alton.
JOSEPH HERMANN. Alton.
HENRY PILGRIM, Alton.
JOHN IrTrEELL, Alton.
WILLIAM B. RICHARDSON. Alton.
DAVID RICHARDSON. Alton.
4. T. FRAZER. st. Louis.
FRANK BARTH. Branttord, Ont.
FRANK SCULLIN, Alton.
JOHN BURKE. Alton.
WILLIAM MILLER. Alton Junction.
MURRAY Upper Alten.
RoToFF. tpper Alton.
How the Disaster Came.
The accident Is the most disastrous
the country in which it occurred. An
open switch was the original cause of
the grea; sacrifice Of life. The limited
passenger ran through it. crashed into
the freight and the wreck caught fire.
In an Incredibly short time the freight
train was Il mass of flames. Fear of
an explosion from the oil tanks pre-
vented any attempt 10 save them. The
wrecking train cane up from East ST.
Louis. but could do little or nothing.
Half Il dozen switch engines We're run
cut from Alton to clear the yards.
Traffic on both the Big -Four and Bur-
lington was entirely suspended and
special train was made up on the Chi
cago and Alton to carry the belated
passengers to st Louis.
4 few minutes past II o'clock there
was a light explosion of one tank which
scattered the debris on all sides. setting
fire to the stock yards Enclosures. This
one blow-up caused the impression that
the danger from explosions was passed.
and the thronS of by-standers rushed
in to save the stock yards from dcstruc-
ton. \ minute later there was deaf
ening report that shook the earth for
half a minute ami spread sheet of
seething, burning oil in all directions
wards there was no escape. Some OF
them We're struck dead by pieces
of flying iron and scores of them We're
knocked fat on the ground. Their
| clothing caught fire from the spreading
| flames and was burned from their bod
| les. Those who could rise did SO and
| ran hither and tither making frantic app
peais for help. Some of the sufferers
ran to the nearest water and plunged
in. Others ran through the fields. and
| a few of them were still missing at last
| reports.
An utter panic followed for time
after the explosion, and those who We're
not seriously or fatally injured could d"
nothing to help the less fortunate.
When they finally recovered their senses
they set about with will to relieve the
sufferings of the men whose flesh was
| cooking on their bones. Two barrels of
lnseed oil were taken from a grocery
store and applied to the wounds 10y sew
eral physicians who We're summoned to
the scene. Every house in the little
village was turned into a temporary
hospital, and every doctor in Alton and
| its vicinity was summoned.
Rns, Was Boiled to Death.
The burns and bruises of all Of the
| Injured were lTt HIeu dS 1iSL as Ilc
| physicians could attend to them and the
bodies of those who We're buried in the
wreck We're cxtricated as fast as they
could hc reached in safety. Webb Ross,
/ the brave engineer who lost his life.
! leaves a widow and six children at Mat
tnon. TIE fireman jumped from the
| cab sust in time to save himself from
the crash. The crew of the FIRE ght
| train also saw the passenger engine in
time to escape from The caboose, which
was driven to splinters. Ross body
when found was pinned in between the
boiler and tender and covered with Oil
from the burning tank. He was literal
ly boiled to death.
The Southwestern limited, winch
crashed into the freight, was running
out of st. Louis about thirteen minutes
behind time. To make this up she was
| going at a speed of nearly fifty miles
an hour. The passengers Were fear,uiy
iolted when the collision came, but none
of them We're seriously hurt. The force
OF the collision S ,,!it two OIL barrels wide
open and the oil Immediately caught
fire. An eye witness SAYS that the
flames shot fully fifty feet in the air.
The passenger engine, the freight ca
boose and several Of the cars were COM
pletely destroyed. The passenger cars,
however, were beyond the reach of the
flames, and We're not injured except 10y
the wrecking they received in the col
llsion. No accurate estimate of the
financial loss can now be given, but il
will doubtless greatly exceed Sl00,'O0