Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-13
Burlington Fast Mail Train
Runs Into the
Ditch. ss
THREE CARS C(z : UMED
One Man Dead and Q 8 fatally
Injured.
THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED IN ILLINOIS
Flange on the Rear Wheel Of the Lo-
connective Broke-Engine Left the
Track and 1t and Cars Go Over the
Embankment.

Biggsville, Ill., Dec. 13-(Special.)- y
Burning mail cars lit up the country
around this place early this morning
and quickly notified the people of one
of the most disastrous wrecks that has
occurred on this diision of the Bur-
lington railroad. AS result one man
is dead, another fatally injured and
several mail clerks hurt. The acci-
dent occurred two miles east of this
place about / o'clock this morning and
was caused by the flange on the rear
drivers of the locomotive breaking
while running at high rate of speed.
The engine left the track and with it
went the mail train, over high en-
bankment The wreck quickly took
fire and two mail cars together with
vast quantity of mail was consumed.
Wrecking crews were ordered from
Burlington and are now engaged in
clearing the line in order that traffic
may be resumed. The line is blocked
and the road is compelled to send
trains around the scene of the acci-
dent by circutious route.
Scene of the Wreck.
The dying embers of the remains of
three mail cars and the blackened
trucks and other iron work together
with demolished engine is all that
! is left of the magnificent train which
for years has rushed across Illinois
prairies.
The train shot thru this place this
morning like rocket, and when about
two miles east of here, without a mo.
ments warning, the engine left the
track and with it three mail cars, the
whole train plunging over high en-
bankment. Fireman Shannon was
caught in the wreck of the engine
and killed and Engineer Dove is SO
badly injured that he may die.
The engine was reduced to scrap
iron, and the heavy mail cars in the
roar were piled on top if it. 70 ado
to the horror of the scene the latter
caught fire and together with their
contents were entirely consumed.
The people of this little place, mum
bering about 700 inhabitants were all
or the most part of them, at the scene
of the wreck this moning, and say
that the manner in which the cars
were ground up shows the terrific rate
of speed at which the train was run
ming when it left the track.
The road was torn up for rods and
the earth was ploughed up in great
furrows. No cause is known for tn.
accident except that the f1ange on the
rear driver of the locomotive broke
which, from hasty examination ol
the engine, is the most likely theory
Mail Clerks Slightly Injured.
Burlington, Dec. Especially y
The Burlington fast mail which left
Chicago at 9:15 o'clock.slast evening
was wrecked two miles west of Kirk
wood early today. Fireman Shannon
was killed and Engineer Samuel Dove
was badly hurt. The engine jumped
the track and was demolished. Two
mail cars with contents were burned
The mail clerks We're not injured Sc
yerely. All main line trains are de
layed, being finally sent around b,
Oquawka and Keithsburg.
The derrick and car crew from this
city were sent to the scene of the
wreck this morning, to assist in the
work of clearing the wreck.
Agency Men in 1t.
Chet Long and AL Fair, O
Agency, two men who are
well known in Ottumwa, are
supposed to have been on the trail
that was wrecked. No word has beer
received from them and it is no
known whether or not they We're in
jured, but it is thought, from what In
formation that has been secured, tha
they escaped injury, if they were OF
the train.
Was Not Dickson.
Creston, Dec. 13.-Sheriff Joe Miller