Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1893-10-26
A FEARFUL HOLOCAUST.
Caused by the Collision of Passenger
Trains,


BATTLE CREEK, Mich, Oct. 90
The worst accident of the year oc-
Cured early this msrning in the
yards OF the Chicago and Grand
Trunk road close by the round
house in this city, by which at
least twenty-six persons lost their
liyes and doubly as many more
were badly injured. A Raymond
and Whitcomb special train oi
passengers from New York and
Boston was returning from Chi
cago. The train was in charge of
conductor Scott of this city and
Engineer Wooley and took orders
at this station to meet at Nichols,
No. 8, the passenger express going
west, due at this station at 1875
O'Clock this morning, but whi4 n
was three hours late. The conduc.
tor or engineer or both of the
Raymond special disobeyed orders
and passed Nichols station and cols
lided with the express coming west
at the rate OF about thirty miles an
hour. The two engines were
driven into each other and are q
total wreck. The engineers and
firemen, when they saw that a col.
lision was inevitable, shut of
steam. reversed the engines, put on
brakes and all jumped and escaped
without serious injury. The en-.
gineer of the passenger express was
named Gilcraushow and the con
ductor Burke. The conductor was
badly hurt.
When the collision took place
the second and third coaches on
No. 8, the train going west, com
pleteiy telescoped. As the third
car crashed through the second, 1t
swept the people in a mass to the
front end OF the latter car, in the
vicinity of the stove, where most OF
the bodies were afterwards found.
The cars Immediately took fire and
in an instant they were al in a
blaze. The night yard men and
neighbors in the vicinity were on
the scene as soon as possible. One
passenger escaped through the door
way. Others who escaped smashed
out the windows and clim bed
through. Only three escaped from
the lett side and no more than six
from the other side. All the rest
of the occupants of the second
coach persisted. The bodies were
burned go badly as to be almost
unrecognizeable. Nearly all had
their heads, arms or legs burned
off, and but few haYe been iden-
tilted. The engine and baggage
car of the special were badly
wrecked, but the coaches being
sleepers and the train moving
slowly escaped serious injury.
The accident occurred a nile
from the fire station, and before
water could be turned on the cars
they were all burned. No one on
the Raymond special was injured.
The Pacific express was made up
of thirteen old coaches and four Of
them were completely burned,
catching fire from the lamps in the
cars.
Henry Garfield. one of the night
clerks at the Chicago Grand Trunk
office, heard the crash and inns
mediately pulled the fire alarm box
and then telephoned the engine
house and informed them Ct the
wreck. The fremen responded
promptly but the wreck was over a
mile away. The distance OF the
nearest hydrant from the wreck
and the difficulty Of driving the
hose wagon delayed them and the
fire had gained considerable head.
way when the line of hose was
finally laid, it lacking 1900 feet to
reach the burning cars.
At 8 O'Clock, twenty~slx dead
bodies had been taken out of the
ruins of the wrecked cars and this
is supposed to be the total number
OF victims. As fast as the charrei
satchels, valises, pocket books.
watches, ETC.. were rescued from
the debris they were turned oyer to
the police officials. 1t is hoped
that some of these grim relics will
give a clue to the identify of some
Of those who met euch an awful
ceath, Many of the watches were
o. gold and ore at the pocket
books contained nearly $500. All
the physicians in the city were
aroused and were soon on the scene
doing what they could to ease the
terrible sufferings of the injured,