The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-07
/ REAR END COLLISION.
4 Terrible Disaster on the Chicago and
Northwes,ern Railroad.

4 Terrible Disaster on tho Chicago and
Northwestern Railroad.
Three persons were killed outright
and about twenty or thirty persons in
jured in q real erd collision on the
Chicago and North western Road. at
12:45 Thursday morning at West
Chicago, thirty miles out of Chicago,
on the Galena division. The dead
are: Mrs. R. Shipman, Appleton,
Wis, Mrs. John Gooding, Appleton,
Wis unknown tramp who was riding
on the front end of the baggage al
the victims of the collision were
Christian Endeavor delegates, who
left Chicago Wednesday night, en-
route for the great convention in San
Francisco. The colliding trains were
sections Nos. 4 and S of a Christian
Endeavor special sent out iu nine sec.
tons, beginning at 1870 a m. Sec
ton No. 5 ran into section No 4 which
left Chicago fifteen minutes ahead oft.
Section No. 4 carried the Wisconsin
delegation, nearly 500 strong, and
in the a sleeper were people from
Fon Du Lac, Green Bay, Appleton
and other Wisconsin cities. Section
No. 4 had come to a stop just out of
West Chicago, where the Ffeepnrt
DIVORCES from the main line. No
s came up behind at great speed,
and the shock of the collision Was
terrific.
The passengers in the two rear SLEEP
ers of section No. 4 we're all ia their
births. They received no warning,
and those not killed outrieh 1t awoke to
fod themselves jammed in the wreck
age. Passengers on both trains hasten
co to the spot and began the work of res
cue. One of the first OF the in iured was
Engineer Charles Courtney, of section
No. 5. He had stuck to his post like a
hero and is so seriously injured that
he cannot live. An immediate call
was made for help on every point with
in reaching distance. Chicago was
notified and asked to send physicians
at once, and medical help was request.
ed from Geneva, Wheaton anu Au.
rora.
The engine of section M. 5 struck
the zeal sleeper of section No. 4 with
terrific force. The engine was totally
wrecked. Strange to say. the rear
sleeper CT section No. 4 was not the
one to suffer most. /! was driven with
terrific force upon the second sleeper,
and such was its impetus that it crush
ed through it as though it had been a
cardboard box and reduced it to a
mass of wreckage. The passengers in
the second sleeper were therefore the
mes to suffer most, and it was in that
most of the victims were hurt. Mrs.
Shipman and Mrs. John Gooding
were both in this sleeper.
Men ard women could be seen strug-
Cling to extricate themselves from
the wreckage. Others, pinned down
by some crushing weight, were crying
for help. Here and there was an arm
or a leg protrouding from the debris.
A pathetic scene was the rescue Of
the two daughters of Mrs. Shipmap,
of Appleton. The rescurers were at
tracted to them by their cries. They
were unable to extricate themselves,
and though hurt refused assistance,
begging that their mother be first
helped.
Mrs. John Gooding, of Appleton,
was probably Instantly killed. The
force of the collision crushed together
the partitions of her berth, and she
had no possible chance Of escape.
Prof. Leo A. Williams, of Fon Du
Lac, was found buried under a pile of
debris, and though he was unable to
extricate himself and it seemed as if
he must be seriously injured he es.
capped with q broken arm and a cut
wrist.
The Chicago and Northwestern off
Gals did everything in their power to
relieve the sufferers. The two hotels
in West Chicago were turned into hos
pitfalls and able physicians were
promptly in attendance. The Sec
tons folio wing those which met dis.
aster, six, seven. eightand nine, carry.
ing g. 800 people, were delayed up
ward of three hours. Finally che
northbound track was cleared and
they were enabled to proceed.