Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-03-02
HORROR IN MEXICO.
Details of the Terrible Disaster
in the Canon.
TRAIN RUNS AWAY DOWN A GORGE
Locomotive and I hree Cars Full OF
Human Beings Plunge OveI
the Precipice.

Two Other Loaded Coaches Stop ON the
Edge Of the Chasm-One Hundred and
-Four Persons Killed Outright. Many BE-
ing FriEhsfuiiy Mangled and Mutilated,
and Nearly 100 Others Wounded, Many,
Perhaps Ali, of Whom VIII Die-Two
Cases of Fatal Building Collapse at New
York XIII Five Men and Wound a Score
Others.
CITY OF MEXICO, March Alt is now
known that POD people were killed and in
jured in the terrible wreck on the Inter-
Oceanic railroad Thursday afternoon. 1t
is impossible as yet to say how many of
this number are dead, as the wreck has
not yet all been cleared away and reports
are very conflicting. 1t is feared, how
ever, that over 100 are dead. The train
was an excursion, carrying nearly !, ,200
passengers, returning from the pilgrimage
annually made to Sacre Monte shrine.
Near Piedra Blanca there is a sharp curve,
and at this point from some reason not
yet definitely known, five coaches jumped
the track and went down the side Of the
mountain.
Three of them werc smashed completely
into kindling wood. As ssoon as word was
received in this city n relief train was sent
out with surgeons and n wrecking force,
and the work of rescuing the wounded
and taking out the dead has been pro-
crossing since. As fast as possible the
wounded were brought to this city, Presl-
dent Diaz having ordered the military
hospital with its staff to care for all sur
vivors. A gen d'arme who returned on
one of the relief trains says that he saw
fourteen dead bodies taken from one
coach. These bodies were mangled in the
most shocking manner; some of them
were in fragments and limbs, heads, and
bodies were mixed up in such a manner as
to make Identification almost impossible.
Sickening and sOrrowfuI Scenes.
The scene sabout the wreck were most
sickcning as well as sorrowful. Relatives
were searching for missing members of
their families, and women and children
who had lost husbands and fathers were
crying and moaning in n heartrending
manner This is the most serious wreck
in Mexico since 1881, when a train-load of
soldiers went through bridge, 400 of the
men being killed. The most careful in
quiries in this city and of the railroad
people indicate that there Were no Amer
leans on the train, the passengers, SO far
rs can be learned, all being natives. The
train crew are Americans, and in accord
ancc with the Mexican custom such of
them a. were not killed will be arrested
Mt once, the Mexican law concerning the
responsibility of traInmen for such af-
fairs being stringent.
May Have Cost zoo Lives.
a later report says that 10i persons have
been X. He'd and nearly 100 Others seriously
ifnot fatally wounded The story of the
disaster is as follows: A few days ago a
great number of persons l,f5 the capital
and the towns in the vicinity to go on a
pilgrimage 20 the Roman Catholic shrine
at SacIe Monte. Tickets We're sold at re
duccd rates over the Inter Oceanic line
and this road carried the bulk of the
pilgrims. Thursday long train aboard
of which there Were 1850 passengers wa.
returning from the place of pilgrimage
All went well until u point on the linC
about midway between Temamtla and
Tenango was reached On this part of thS
road there is steep incline, the line al
one place on it having a sharp curve
where it runs close TO the edge of high
precipice. This Is one of the most danger
Gus places on the road, and was rendered
more so by the fact that the track her,
was not in the best OF condition.
Train Gets Out OF Control.
AS the train began to run down the in
cline many passengers were laughing ant
joking while others Were looking out o
the windows Mt the rapidly passin,
scenery, which is very grand. Soon tn,
speed of the train began TO increase and i
was running ut n friGhtful rate. The pas
scngcrs cea. ed their laughter ami jokin.
and looked at each other with a strang,
fear depicted in their faces. Steadily tn,
momentum of the train, which was nov
swaying ana bounding fcarfully, in
creased and soon the dangerous higl
curve was struck. As the pilot wheels o
the engine took the curve the locomotive
swayed outward and then back.
PLUNGE INTO THE FATAL ABYSS.