Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1901-11-30
That most q them were unable to e.

Very soon the wreckage began burn
ling feroely and those in the cars were
slowly roasted to death There were
no means at hand to fight the fire and
the agonized shrieks OF the poor IN
lfortunates were appalling.
veritable He'll OF Fire.
aTt was a yeritable hell Of fire. 2 said
| Victor G. Greenbaum of New York
city, who escaped with slight injuries
s'People who came hurrying to the
scene from farmhouses In that locality
stood about the wreckage helplessly
and held their hands to their ears to
shut out the frightful screams and
turned their eyes away because 1t was
more than they could bear"
AT the Union station in this city
during the night were many sad spec
tacles. Relatives and friends Of pas
sengers who were known to have been
on the wrecked train besieged the of
ficials with entreaties and inquiries.
One little girl waited until 2::S0 a. M.
for her sister, Vida Degas of Topper
vile, Ont, and was then informed that
the sister was among the dead.
Dead! Dead! Dead!' - she
shrieked, fastening her arms about the
neck of the operator who had an
nounced the names, while tears Welled
up in the eyes of the spectators. The
grief of the child exhausted her so
that she had to be carried away.
Job Witchell of the firm of Mitchell
Sons & Co. of Detroit was expected
home on No. 4. His son was at the
depot to meet him. At midnight a
dispatch came numbering Job Wit
chell among the dead. The son was in
the waitingroom when the news was
broken to him. He sWooned, falling
against a radiator. He was assisted
to his seat and remained in that at
titude, stunned by the calamity. His
father had been absent in Dallas, Tex.
for some time and had just tele-
graphed his intention to return on the
Inflated train. The relief of those
whose friends and relatives were
gradually announced to be still living
was pronounced in contrast to the
Sadness of the Mourners.
A large crowd stood about anxiously
awaiting tidings until long after sum
rise. Outside ambulances from all the
city hospitals waited for any of the
wounded that might be brought to the
city.
A special relief train arrived at
Adrian at a. m, bringing five dead
bodies, four men and one woman, and
a stretcher full of burned and black
ened pieces of dead humanity. One
of the men was droveF from Kansas
City. who had $1.100 In money and a
gold watch on his person. His name
is not known.
Wabash train No. arrived at the
Union station, Detroit, from the West
several hours late. It carried no dead
nor injured, but brought Engineer
Strong and three undnjured passengers
of No. 4. Strong reiterated his state
ments previously made to the effect
that his telegraphic order read to pass
at Sand Creek, and he supposed No.
1875 order was to meet No. 4 at Seneca
All the cars on No. Is but two were
smashed or burned. OF the eigh4
coaches on No. 4 two were smashed or
burned. The latter was a New York
Central day coach. Fifteen to 20 of
hat coach's passengers are dead. Two
lied after being taken out. None Of
5he occupants of the other coaches of
he eastbound train were killed. Fully
50 of No. 1875 passengers are believed
70 be dead. Every occupant of both
rains was badly shaken, shocked and
bruised. The few passengers who
reached Detroit were still in nervous
Ind excited state and declined to
speak for publication in the early
morning hour
Scene of Wreck by Daylight.
The dawning of daylight upon the
lorrid scene of Wreckage did not min
mize or detraet from the early re-
,orts. Most of the Wreckage has been
feared from the track. It continues
o appear that the number of dead |
,ictims will reach from 80 to 100 and |
hat more than the latter number are |
greater or lesser injuries.
'ome of the railroad officials assert
eed so, but the number of corpses and
arts of human forms being collected T
GEMS to indicate an increase rather
han a diminution of the first reports. J.
he latest news from the scene is be- /
ng handled over a special wire ar
anged for by the Associated Press.
Considerable light was thrown on
he cause of the disaster by the or
ers which the conductor showed as
is authority for proceeding past Sand
!reek. The order, which was deliv-
red to the train at Holloway, reads
S follows:
Order, No. %, to trains Nos. Is and I
No. 4, engine 500, will meet No.
8 at Seneca and No. 8, engine 623,
Sand Creek. Engines No. SO and
81 will double head on No. 1872
It is understood that the engineer
nd conductor of No. received sim
ar order at Montpelier, o., but if so
lese orders were disregarded. If It
evelops that the orders issued to both /;
sains were to the same end, it is con-
dered that the responsibility for the
isaster rests wholly with the engineer
nd conductor of the eastbound Con-
mental Limited.
Many of the burned bodies cannot
9 identified. Only six bodies have
ctually been recovered. A small pile
crisp, blackened fragments that Gov
red two stretchers was all that could !
20 y, al