Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1897-07-10
A FRIGHTFUL COLLISION
CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOR DELEGATES
MANGLED NEAR CHICAGO.
Section Five Dashes FuriOusly Into
Section Four on the North
western Railroad.

Chicago, July Three persons were
killed outright and about 20 other per-
sons injured in rear end collision on the
Chicago and Northwestern road at l: +5
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 3 ran into section t, which left
Chicago Is minutes ahead of it. Section
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
came up behind at great speed and the
shock of the collision was terrible. Pas
sengers in the two rear seepers 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 damned 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
Il hyys
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 ana
he had no possible chance OF escape.
The Chicago and Northwestern of
ticials did everything in their power to
relieve the sufferers. Two hotels in West
Chicago We're turned into hospitals, and
able physicians were promptly in attend
ance.
Owing to the crush caused by the
Christian Endeavor business. all sched-
ules were abandoned and trains were
sent out as fast as filled. 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.
A. Gardner said this morning he could
not give Il tangible reason for the acct
dent.
Told by n survivor.
at was the most awful sight | ever
saw" says j. j. Kelley, of Kelley Bros
Cooperage Company of Kansas City. 81
was in the front car, going to Excelsior
Springs. We were directly behind the
sleeper and we stopped with Il suddenness
that bumped us about bit. We heard
cries and shouts and hurried out into the
rain to see what had happened. In
fish of lightning we could see the wreck
piled up in most awful shape, while the
raging waters went foaming over and
through the cars. | never saw a more
frightful picture. Cries came from all
parts of the wreck, and people were
climbing and hurrying out of it. Men
with the blood streaming over them came
struggling out, and women with cloth
ing disheveled and covered with blood pit
eously appealed for help. Everybody
helped as soon as we could. Men were
pinioned down beneath great masses of
seats limbs were broken and it was az
ony unspeakable to get them out, but
those who could render assistance did Ill
that was possible. There is no telling
how many people are down in the water.
1t was from six to 10 feet deep and the
current was very swift"