The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-22

Another dispatch says that there are no
side-tracks at Wann. but about half mile
beyond, at q small village known as Alton
Junction. are several switches The tender
of these switches r. Z. Grattan by name,
is also barber. and combines his tonsorial
duties with those of attending to the nu-
merous switches at this point. Upon him
is laid the blame by the railway officials
and tralnmen tor the accident and Its
friRhtful after consequences. and officers are
now searching for him. as he fed during
the excitement following the dual accident.
The limited tram. consisting of an engine
and tender. q com animation baggage and
buffet car and three coaches. being late,
the engineer was desirous OF making MP
the lost time as soon as possible. A switch
was turned so as to send the flying train
into one of the sde-tracKs. On this track,
only few yards distant from the switch,
were seven tank cars filled with refined
lubricating oil. AS soon as he saw the
danger engineer Ross called to the fireman,
Dick White, to jump for his life. He
then reversed his engine and applied
the alr-brakes. But he was too late. The
engine crashed entirely through two of the
tank cars. splitting them in half. and was
then forced on entirely over the others.
The oil from the wrecked tanks ut once
caught fire and sea of flames instantly
surrounded the engineer. who had jumped
just as the pilot of the engine struck the
first tank. Throwing bis hands to his face
the brave man struggled to the embank-
ment at one side of the track. but as soon
as he reached it he sank to
the earth o crisp and blackened
CORPSE. The fireman who jumped
from the cab the instant the engine
struck the switch. escaped with few slight
bruises. The engineers action In revers-
ing his engine and applying the brakes
slackened the speed of the train sufficiently
to prevent any serious injury to the pas
sengers, of whom there were about sixty.
Several were bruised by being thrown vio-
lently against seats or she sides of the
coaches. but none was seriously hurt
In the baggage department of the first
car were the mails. eleven pieces of bag
gage and corpse, and these were oil
burned in a few moments. The corpse was
that OF q Mrs. Morrison, and was being for
warded from the Southwest to Boston,
Mass. The flames spread to the other
coaches. and all were soon in ruins. Three
of the oil-tanks. which were broken open
by the engine crushing over them, were
also consumed in brief space of time, to-
gether with the engine and tender. The
passengers and villagers crowded around
the burning wreck. anxious to assist, if
possible, any unfortunates who might be
in need of help. Crowds from Wann and
Upper Alton and Alton also began to ar
rive as soon as the news spread.
TWO TANKS EXPLODE.
It was at this time III o'clock), when a
great crowd was watching the rapiu de-
struction of the railroad property. that the
elimination of the horrible affair occurred.
Two of the tank cara were left uniniured by
the engine. The heat of burning oil all
around them generated from their contents
q gas, the pressure of which became too
great for the huge iron casks to Withstand.
simultaneously and with fearful force they
exploded. throwing pieces of their iron
sides far ont into the adjacent fields. and
sbowering upon the assembled crowd of
sIght-seers mass of flaming LIQUID.
For the first second after the noise
of the explosion there was no sound
save the swish of tho seething oil
as il was forced through the air. Then
there arose confusion OF sgoniziDg appeals
for help and cries OF terror to which no
tongue or pen can do Justice. For several
minutes the panic was indescrbable.
Those touched by the burning OIL groped
about wildly. seeking in vain for relief
from their torture. Almost without ex-
ception the injured were burned abeut the
face and had their eyesight temporarily, il
not permanently. destroyed. Those who
were uninjured were terrcr stricken as
TO he unable To assist their less fortunate
companions for R0me time.
Gradually the horror of the5disaster gave
way to . realization of tho necessity for
quick relief for the wounded. Hastily i'm
provtsed litsers were formed Of doors and