Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-12-18
ORDER WAS IGNORED
And the Result is Nine People
Killed and Twelve Bad
ly Injured.
VICTIMS cREMArED IN WRECK
Frightful Disaster on the Illinois
Contra. Railroad Near Rockford,
Ills.-Namcs of the Dead.

Rockford. His, Dee 16.-psoGadi-
ence OF plain orders by the crew ii
the freight train caused the wreck on
the Illinois Central eight miles east
of this city Just before midnight Nine
persons We're killed and twelve were
injured in the debris OF crushing steel
flying splinters. and broken glass THAI
resulted from the fearful impact of the
two trains. The trains came together
on Il sharp curve. There was no tine
for warning shrek of the whistle.
There was the flashing of two head
lights. Il shock, and both engines were
crushed into shapeless masses of steel.
Six passenger coaches and ten
| freight cars loaded with merchandise,
| were piled into one great mass of bro
| ken timbcrs and splintercd woodwork.
In this mass was buried the engineers
and iiremen of both trains and mt least
five others. This pile OF wreckage
| leaped into flames almost in an instant.
| Those of the victims who We're not FOR
| tunate enough to lie Killed outright
| Were burned TO death hours before
| relief could reach them.
The killed: David Beehan. engineer
of freight train. resides in Freeport;
Edward Carey. fireman on freight
train, remains taken to home in Free
port; Richard Ormsby. engineer Of pas
senger train. body held ut Rockford
for conclusion of inquest; James Real
don, fireman OF passenger train, body
taken to home in Freeport; William
Reynolds Of Irene. his: George Rey-
nolds. in tho employ Of the company
rs section foreman. with headquarters
at South addison: Robert Thompson,
baggage eNVfesSman on passenger
tram, residence III Dubuque. Ia; col.
cred porter Tn passenger train; news.
. boy or passenger train, believed to
be Coats Of Chicago.
| Following is the list of the injured
Il. Il. .lhrent, Chicago, bruised on the
face and head; y. j. Chichester, Chi
cago. bruised about the body. left arm
/ cut; Hays Fletcher, Chicago. cut il
, right arm and head; L. Howard. CHI
oago. bruised on body and cut over lief
/: eye: jack Lewis, Chicago, bruised OF
e lead and lett shoulder: II. NJ. Miller
' Chicago. slight cui On left hand, RICH
i leg wrenehed; j. II. Quiulan, conducto
Il of passenger train, bruised about III
+ chest and severe scalp wound, reside
o ut Chicago probably fatally injured
i IL. b. Welinan. $50 Jackson boulevard
. Chicago, left shoulder dislocated, righ
t arm crushed and amputated, conditiol
: serious.
Fire Follows the Wreck. .
The fire followed so close upon th
impact that those who escaped otl
er horrors and suffering We're con
no11n1 to or in, t1a rro Trio Wit
the temperature 20 degrees below zero
u lnsufticiently clad while the survivin
members of the crews of the wrecke
!, trains tramped four miles through til
:, storm to secure relief.
= The passenger was the regular On
q aha train. due in Chicago at 9:40 p. II
h 1t consisted of baggage and expires
car, a smoker, a coach, parlor car. an
c diner. 1t was running at q high rat
+ CT speed, being over three hours at
e on account of the cold weather. TIL
freight train was running as No. !
and it was composed of fourteen ioas
ed cars. three empties, and Il way ca
. The freight was running at high spec
!. and the trains came together witho1
:. warming, slight curve hiding eac
= from the other. Neither engine wifi
:, tied for brakes nor used the air so +;
= as could be ascertained.
/. Engines Reduced To Scrap Iron.
!. The crash was terrific. both engine
q being reduced to scrap iron. The ro'
of one chr was hurled into field f;
Il from the right of way. while cas-
ing weighing 100 pounds was throw
into field 200 feet away. The tempe
allure was 30 degrees below zero Il!
d an icy wind was blowing across ii
is prairie. the point where the wreck q
j. Cured being in shallow cut, affor
e ing no protection. The injured we
lie without hats and wraps and suffers
h. terribly. BY the united efforts of Il
il survivors the way car was pusht
is back from the wreckage to escape II
lg | flames and the wounded were plac,
lg on the bulks inside. Two hou
pr clasped before any relief WAS at han
Then an engine arrived from the ell
and pulled away , the car to lrell
three miles distant.