The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-10-26
WORST THIS YEAR.
WRECK on THE GRAND TRUNK
"a MOST APPALLING.

WNECA IN THE GRAND IttCN NM
MOST APPALLING.
Many Of the Bodies Recovered Were
Burned Beyond Hope of Identifies.
tion-I.ist of the Dead Numbers
Twenty.six, and as Many More Are
Injured.
BATTLE CREEK, Mich, Oct. 90
Twenty-six heaps of charred, black
ened flesh, all that remains of what,
less than "a hours ago, were men.
women and children in the enjoyment
of life, health and happiness, rest upon
the floor in an improvised morgue in
the basement>of a furniture store in
this city. A mile away in the city hos
pital are a score or more of human be-
ings with gashed bodies and broken
limbs. Add to this an engineer in jail
and conductor fugitive from the
law and the story is told in brief of the
latest of railroad horrors and one OF
the most appalling in its character OF
this or of recent years.
Direct Disobedience of Orders
on the part of a Chicago and Grand
Trunk engineer and conductor. both OF
whom had seen long service with the
company and were considered model
employees, was the cause of the tragedy.
A RAYMOND excursion train filled with
Eastern folks who had been taking In
the sights of the worlds fair, left the
f. Sixtieth street depot of the road at
Chicago at e:l5 as the first section OF
the night express known as No. 3. The
train was in charge of Engineer Henry
Woolly and Conductor Bert N. Scott,
both residents of this place. All went
well until the, Battle Creek depot was
reached. This was at 1887. From here
to the railroad yards, distance OF a
mile and half, there is a double track.
When the Raymond Special
came to full stop at the depot, the
night operator handed to Conductor
Scott two-eopies of an order for the
train to proceed to the double track
east of Main street, about half a mile
distant, and there await the passin g
of the west bound Pacific express
known as No. g. This train, which
was nearly three hours late, was com.
posed of Is day coaches and two bag
gage cars. Most of the day coaches had
seen many years. service and were in
poer condition to Withstand collision
Every one of the fated number was
packed with Eastern people, the ma
jority Of whom, taking advantage Of
the low rates, were on their way te
take in the last week of the exposition
The Pacific express was in charge OIL
Engineer Gil Cranshaw and Con
ductor John Bird, both of whom haC
received orders>at Lansing to look ou
for the eastbound train -
On the Double Track.
After receiving his orders at Battl;
Creek station, Engineer Woolley pulled
out on the double track, but instead o.
waiting until The westbound expires:
had arrived, he continued on and en-
tered again the single track. lie hat
hardly gone an eighth Oh Ii lniie wheI
the headlight Of lie Pacific exl ress wa
seen coming around TIE curve. 1t Wa
spe,o.kg Westward al I've late CT iuil,
80 niles III a1.-.c. 4Eeie Was 10 TIM
10 a,liy Az u ,t.t,.e levers. lii
fireii I'll ard eEg-,i, els OF both tram
jl.n,ed for lei. lives AID Il secon,
later the 6 az, locomotives
Came Together " it'll a Crash
that coud be Ee;iiu iialf a mile away
Ihc H., OK was SC ler,itc that the frs
four cars were completely teiescoped
IL l.!sJ eo;cn cuulnS through III
.elon,i. ana he second into the thir,
like ii fish Of lightning. the roof O
eaci. ,;issiGg over the heads of tn
s.esi ng Z, gers and sweeping then
in Il ,uaSs 10 lie north end OF the cars
70 aod 10 The honor the wreck too
r ire. ana AS II flames mounted up tn
81. IL S ard scrleks OF the manned an
injured were succeeded by the heart
le..1iug. agcnizing apl calls for he'll
FROM tie scores imprisoned by tn
le&sy li1l.ie!s. The travellers on tn
special neayly all of whom had bee
shaken cut OF their berths by the shock
lou,ed cut OF the cars, but they wer
:lE est lower.ess TO render assistanc
10 Ire injured. An alarm of fire wa
tlrLc,l in ard the department quick
,esl oi.GeG, bat Ly the time a stream G
water WAS available the telescope
Goac. es were reduced to
Fragments OF Charred Timber,
little mere tan tie trucks remaining
liz trelnen then commenced the grut
some work of recovering what re
NAMED of the vic inns, tie police tai
ing charge If he valuables and keel
Jag tie cload at distance. In r,
spouse Ia TIE alarm from the fire st;
con lretty l.eaily The whole town ha
turned out and the leading RESIDENT
SISTED By their wives, devoted then
selves 10 these injured i'll tie fonrt
car 1lese ere placed in buggies an
carts anu i;;ken 10 the Nichols Hom
where a corTs of PHI, sicians and nurse
We're In waiting to minister to the
suffer :.gs. The first body was foun
;bon. & O'Clock ar, few minutes afte
Il &, zen We're discovered in hea