The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1897-07-10
A FRlGHTfUL COLLISION
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVoR DELEGATES
HIANGLED NEAR CHICAGO.
Section Five Dashes Furiously Into
section -Four on the North
western Railroad.

Chicago, July l.-Three persons were
killed outright and about 20 other per
sons injured in rear end collision on the
Chicago and Northwestern road at Las
yesterday morning, 80 miles out of Chi
cago. The dead are: Mrs. r. Shipman of
Appleton Wis; John Gooding of Austin,
New, and an unknown tramp. The in
jured were all residents of Wisconsin.
The colliding trains were sections No.
4 and of the Christian Endeavor special
which was sent out in nine sections.
Section 8 ran into section t. which left
Chicago Is minutes ahead of it. Section
4 carried the Wisconsin delegation, near
ly 500 strong, and in the sleepers were
people from Fond du Lac, Green Bay, APP
pleton and other Wisconsin cities. The
section had come to a stop just out of
West Chicago, where the Freeport line
DIVORCES from the main line. Section 5
came Up behind at great speed and the
shock Of the collision was terrible Pas
sengers in the two rear sleepers of section
were in their berths and most of them
were asleep They received no warning
and those not killed outright awoke to
find themselves iammed in the wreckage
The passengers ON both trains began the
work of rescue. One of the first of the
injured taken out was Engineer Charles
Courtney of section No. 5. He had stuck
to his post and was seriously injured.
Men and 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 leg pro-
truding from the debris. A pathetic scene
was the rescue of the two daughters of
Mrs. Shipman of Appleton. They were
unable to eXtricate themselves and al
though hurt, refused assistance, begging
that their mother be helped. Mrs. Ship
man was found crushed under a part of
the roof and life was extinct when taken
out
John Gooding was probably instantly
killed The force of the collision crushed
together the partitions of his berth AMI
he had no possible chance OF escape.
The Chicago and Northwestern Of
ficials did everything in their power TO
relieve the sufferers Two hotels in West
Chicago were turned into hospitals, and
able physicians were promptly in attend
ance.
Owing to the crush caused by the
? Christian Endeavor business. all SEIZED
ules were abandoned and trains were
l sent out as fast as filed. Nine sections
left the Northwestern depot at intervals
of Is minutes, beginning at l0:30, to say
nothing of the trains sent earlier in the
evening.
Assistant General Superintendent w
c A. Gardner said this morning ne could
not give tangible reason for the acct
. dent.
Told by survivor.
3 cit was the most awful sight | eve
i saw says j. j. Kelley, of Kelley Bros.
Cooperage Company of Kansas City. 4"
was in the front car, going to Excelsio
, Springs We were directly behind TIN
sleeper and we stopped with suddennes
that bumped us about bit We hear'
cries and shouts and hurried out into tn
rain to see what had happened. In
Il fish of lightning we could see the wrecl
piled up in most awful shape, while tn
3 raging waters went foaming over am
Il through the cars. | never saw NOR
u frightful picture. Cries came from al
parts of the wreck, and people wer
u climbing and hurrying out of it. Me
Il with the blood streaming over them cam
re struggling out, and women with clotI
n ing disheveled and covered with blood pit
a eously appealed for help. Everybod
IL helped as soon as we could Men wei
10 pinioned down beneath great masses
10 seats, limbs were broken and it was a!
Ia ony unspeakable to get them out, bu
those who could render assistance did 4
= that was possible. There is no tellin
- how many people are down in the waite
at 1t was from six to 10 feet deep and I'll
current was very swift"