Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1893-01-27
Extraordinary Railroad Accidents.

| Nine pers ons killed outright, twelve f.
tsliy injured and nearly a hundred
more or less seriously burt, was the apal-
iing result of series Of accidents at Alton
junction, Illinois. last Saturday. An open
witch on the Big Four main track was the
cause OF the disaster. The Southwestern
limited ran through the switch into q
freight train standing on the siding and
Engineer Webb Ross, Of the limited, was
instantly killed. The wreck took fire and
| while great crowd was watching the
-pectacle an oil tank exploded with ter
riic force enveloping the spectators Wit
, sheet of burning oil Eight Of them Were
Instantly killed and scores were frightiuiy
| burned
There were besides not less than seventy
| people more or less scalded who will be-
| laid up for weeks. Alton function, or
| Wann, is located two miles east of Alton,
| III and is a watering, transfer and feeding
| station for the Cleveland Cincinnati, Chi
| eugo aud ST. Louis and the Chicago. Bur
| lingtnn and Quincy railroads. The latter
road joins the Big -Four at this point, run
| ring into ST. Louis over the same track.
rho fast through train known as the South
western limited was coming ont from st.
Louis al 47-mile per hour speed when
II ran into a switch and collided with a
Tong freight train, consisting mostly of
oaded tank cars Engineer Webb Ross.
+ NJ Fl.... .lufa hytff,
hrew on the air brakes and stayed With
his machine being buried in the wreck and
burned to crisp Fireman White jump
ed and escaped uniDjured. The passen-
gers were seriously hurt. An eye witness
says that the shock of the collision was
such as to split two loaded tanks wide open
and the oil caught fire, the flames shoot
ng fifty feet into the air. The locomotive
and baggage csrs we're totally wrecked but
the remainder IF the passenger train was
| removed beyond the reach Of the flames
In an incredibly short time the freight
| train was mass OF flames. Fear of an eX-
plosion prevented any attempt To save II.
| The wrecking train came up from East ST.
| Louis at III o'clock, but could do little, and
| half a dozen switch engines were run out
to clear the yards Traffic on the
two roads was entirely suspended, and
a special train was made up on the Chicago
and Alton to carry belsted passengers
through to st Louis. Hearing of the
| wreck, hundreds of people from Alton
and vicinity were attracted by curiosity 20
| the scene.
| And then occurred one of the most awful
disasters on record few minutes past
| l2 O'Clock there was II slight explosion oi
one tank which scattered t>e debris on
either sides, setting fire to the stock yards
enclosures. This produced the impression
that the danger of explosions was passed
| and the thropg of bystanders rushed in to
save the stock-yards from destruction. A
| minute later there was q deafeniug report
that shook the earth for half minute and
aud spread one sheet of Seething burning
ui' in all directions For those within the
circle of one hundred yards there was no
| escape. Their clothlng was burned anu
literally fell from their bodies. In a mo-
ment those who were not disabled began
running hither aud thither waving their
| hands and screaming for help.
Some went to tbs rearest water and 9th
ers ran in the fields and are missing yet.
Panic seigned for a short time until the
uninjured recovered their presence oil mind
l fff care itI lnt uuliGttd. wv bdiltiS VI
linseed oil were taken from grocery store
aud applied To- the wounds by several ply
sicians who happened TO be on the ground
| Every house in the village was turned in
~ temporary hospital and every doctor
III Alton and its vicinity was summoned.
| AS soon as possible tTaisi Was made up
and twenty of the sufferers were taken 90
Alton To St. Joseph's hospital. The total
loss so far al can be ascertained includes
The engine No LOG, Of the limited cafe
aud baggage car No. SOP. seven tank cars
iuIi oi oIl. eight box ears and hall a dozen
OF flat ears, all uf these being completely
destroyed No accurate estimate of the
loss can be made At present, but it will
reach al least 800 600
Webb Ross. the brave engineer who lost
his life, leaves a wife and six children at
Mattoon. No attempt to fix the blame Tor
The fatal wreck has yet been made, and
nothing further will be known until after
the Investigation Of the ooroners jury.
THE French propose To span the English
| Channe! with n bridge thirty four mics
long at a cost of $l65. 900, 900. About
2,G00, 600 tons of metal would be required.
Mile Run School.