The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-10-24
A CRASH THEN FLAMES.
POSSIBLY MORE THAN TWENTY-FITE
LIVES LOSTIN THE ACCIDENT.
MANY of the Unfortunates Were Burned Be-
yond Recoanit,an-The Engineer D'so-
beyed Orders-A Terrible Affair.

error of one human being of 4 man, who
croucbes affrighted like a hunted animal i'll
a prison cell tonight, led to the greatest
railroad holocaust in the history OF Mlchi-
gan today, and twenty-sx human hves
have paid the penalty OF the moment neSh-
gence-
Two trains, both ladened with passengers
met in a direct head-cnd COHESION on tle
Grand Trunk railroad at j:4O O'CLOCK thls
mornn. in the suburbs OF TINS city, ahu
that the number of dead and injured was
not fourfold greater, is due that the col
lison occurred in the bounds OF city IN
stead of an open country, where both trains
would have been running at tull speed.
Description of the Dead.
The coroner has numbered each OF the
TWENTY-FIVE bodies now III the morgue con-
secutiyey and noted the articles that have
been found on each body that might lead
to Identification. Relatives or friends
teleeraphing from distance as to the
identity of the remains shouu mention the
number of the body i'll order that the proper
record mav he made by he coroner and
mistakes avoided in forwarding the remains.
The coroners oiiica. list of the remains
now in the morgue is as follows:
Va. Male, hunting spectacles, two blank
bottle .
nook containing $64 in money, and paper,
,,,orked ..E j. Morgan, Providence II. l."
eIysr open-face watch and pocket knife.
No 2-Female. burned TO crisp; no clothing.
M Boy. red hairs pocketbook, Chatelan
watch handkerchief with RED pofder snort
nonts and long stockings
No ~ w Henry. of WOOnsocket, r. l.
M 5-Maie, dark handkerchief, marked
..rr black suit, statement on paper from
Holm Monroe, banker, of New York, to Charles
T. Ward.
;"npd front flap. money on person, S33, Eng
Iish gold. gold spectacles, SIX scarf hand-
krrchief with III. e., i'll old London letters.
No. Male, one hundred and seventy
pounds, charred beyond recognition. ,,uo,
No. S-Woman, weight about one hund Iail
ami sxty-tiye pounds, chain bracelet, Pa df
black kid gloves. handkerchief with name OF
NJ X. Kenze, package of rubberS IN paper
marked NIiddlet0wn. Conn, red plush cloak;
gold watch in leather case. hands clehched ana
terrible expression of pain on face; letters on
person addressed TO Mrs. g. Il Mchehae,
from Mrs. NJ. Parker, of Stanford, Conn, SO
No. 9.Female burned beyond recognition.
No 1O.-SuppOsed to be 7. \. McGaryey, OF
Ontario gold Open-face watch.
No. 1l-Airs. Charles Van Dusen, of Sprout
No. IA baby unknown, burned to a crisp.
No. 13-Male, no Identification, burned to q
No. 14-Male. weight about one hundred
and eighty-six pounds, silk handkerchief, no
other identification; burned TO a crisp.
No 15-WOman, no identification, burned 10
No i6-A man, one hundred and forty-five
pounds, silver hunting watch with lnltaiS
No. 17-woman, one hundred pounds, no
Identification.
No. 1S-Woman, one hundred and forty
pounds, chain bracelet. with key lock.
No. 19-WOman chain bracelet. black SILK
dress, blue striped underskirt burned beyond
further Identification.
.Il-NOm1Q.
No. 2l-Man named j. w BeardSley. of Wat
kus, y. y, had $1O0 and 500 in checks and
No 22-Burned beyond Identification.
No. 23-Burned beyond Identification.
No. 2+-Burned beyond identification.
No. 2I-Man. weighing one hundred and fit
~ pounds, Open-face watch. no further iden-
All of the physicians in the city We're
summoned. The wounded were taken to
the Target house, to the railroad offices, to
Dowling's boarding house and to residences
in the vicinity.
Mrs. Van Dusen's Horrible Fate.
The most awful experience of this ter
Tiblc affair was that OF Mrs. G.. G.. Van
DuSen, of Spr0ut Brook, \. y, who was
burned 10 death with hands free and III
full possession of her senses III spite of the
utmost eudeavors of the party of rescu-
GrS.
Soon after the wreck occurred Mr.. Van
Dusen was removed from beneath ii pile
of debris and taken to the hospital, where
IL
10 the last. He left his business affairs
in The hands Of Rev. George Culp, Of this
city and died without knowing that his wife
had met the most awful fate of all.
Mrs. Van DuSen was penned IN the tel
escOped car and at first had no doubt OF
her Rescue. As she looked out of the win
dow and awaited her rescue the alarm OF
fire was suddenly given.
Hurry up, please, hurry up she said as
the fear crossed her mind that perhaps
SIa zy-oS in 1ar Of \ IN ia
later while strong men were StraInlng to
cXtricate her. the possibility became proba-
bllity that she would burn and the flames
crept rapidly toward the imprisoned wo-
man.
You shan't burn; We'll get you out" said
the men hcrOically as they Wrestled with
the spiintered tinberS.
There was Il luu of speech for five min
utts. The men had become giants IN
strength and mad men in desperation, and
they struggled wildly with tangled masses
of wood and iron The woman WAS 81
lent and gazcd impl0ringiy and lnqulrlnSly
into the faces of the 1irelnen-
My God, Oh, my 11od!' suddenly burst
from the lips of one of the heroic workers
and in this deSpairing cry the helpless
woman read her death warrant She gave
one aGoniZing wall and then her woman ;
weakness gave way to \ martyr sifeuSJh.
Il can die-oh. yes, | can die, II | must,
she said soothugly to the strong men VINO
were weeping in their imD0tent strength.
Again they struggled brcathlessly to the
rescue. but the flames were enclrchng the
party and the blaze claimed the victim
I.4at the crash had spared.
Il am a Christian" she SAID res!gnediy,
and a moment later her voice was raised IN
PRAYER.
The flames now completely encircled the
helpless victim and the tiremen were drlF-
eu away.
As the blaze caught her arm and rs she
fought to keep the flames from her lace.
sine told her name and address and lett
messages of love for her husband and lam
.y. -.
The closing minute was pathetic strug-
gle against the inevitable, but 1t was Inc
flesh that fought and not the spirit. Inc
white face of the woman gazed he1yenWard
and her lips moved i'll prayer. Even the
furious flames that wreathed her lips
AMI hlistered and cured the white flesh OF
her arms were powcrless to cause scream
Suddenly there was crashing OF TIM
lyr-. wild groan burst simultaneously
FROM the lips of the spectators ana strong
mcn wept.
Through their tears they saw The flames
sweep around the face of the martyred Wo-
laau and her hair burned wildly for 4 mo-
mont Her head dropped 70 one side as
the victim inhaled the flames and the soul
of Mrs Van Dusen had passed beyond
the fury Of the elements of earth.
An hour later the husband, for whom che