The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-11-28
TWO TRAINS COLLIDE ON WABASH
RAILROAD WITH APPALLING
RESULTS
DEAD MAY REACH A HUNDRED
Trainload of Emigrants Crushed,
Trapped in Twisted Debris and
Die in Agony if Not
Killed Outright
DEAD MAY NEVER BE KNOWN

DETROIT, Nov. 27.-An enigrant train
with two engines, west bound collided
under a full head of steam with an east
bound train on the Wabash railroad,
about one mile from Seneca tonight.
Five or six coaches on the enigrant train
were crushed and it's passengers, believed
to number $50 people, We're sent into eter
nifty in a moment. while one coach on
the other train, which consisted of par
lor car diner and baggage car, was
also telescoped. Four dead bodies have
been taken from the ruins of this train,
but the number of dead, injured and
burned will be anywhere from 60 to $50.
The people on that train were caught
like rats in a trap and crushed. Then
the wreck caught fire, and those who
We're not instantly killed were slowly
roasted to death. and none of the few
spectators who hastily gathered from
the farm houses near by were able to
afford aid. The whole emigrant train
was soon consumed by the flames, and
every person on that train, it is re-
ported now, was killed.
Farmers residing along the track rush.
ed in on the blazing mass to rescue those
whom they thought to be alive The
bodies hauled out of the wreck were
taken to nearby farm houses, which are
filled with dead, and a large number of
injured were taken to a hospital at
Peru, Ind.
Along the track long lines Of burned
bodies lie covered with blankets, pre-
senting a gruesome sight. 1t may be
possible that the exact number of killed
or who they are will never be known.
At present it is impossible to get any
thing resembling list of injured or
dead from Seneca.
1t is said here. that the accident was
the result of misunderstanding of or
ders. It is reported in Seneca that No.
should have waited at Seneca station
and No. 13 should have taken the sid
ing. This was not done. Then the crash
came.
The net result is that one whole train,
No. 10, is burned, the engines are COM
plete wrecks on both trains ard the
coach between the diner and the bag
gage car on the east-bound train is
crushed into kindling wood.
Someone BIundered FearfulIy.
Many physicians from Detroit have
gone to the scene. No. 4, the continental
limited. had engine No. 609, Engineer
Strong; Conductor G. J.. Martin No. 49,
double-header, had engine So, Engineer
Work, and engine ISL, Engineer PARKS,
Conductor Charles Troll No. 4, it is be-
Heved, disobeyed orders in not waiting
at Seneca for No. 13, thereby causing the
wreck.
The track at the point where the col.
lision occurred was straight and at first
the officials could not understand how the
accident could have happened. No. l3.
which ordinarily is due to leave Detroit
at 2:30 o'clock was two hours late, leav-
ing at 4:20@The two trains met at Mont.
pelier, Ohio, according to schedule, but
No. had orders to meet NO. 13 at Seneca.
The blame is therefore placed on the con-
ductor or engineer of No. 4. Had this
train been held at Seneca the accident
would not have occurred. Train No.
was due at Seneca at 6:43, according to
the change in the schedule, but apparent
ly orders to wait were disobeyed and the
probabilities are that the reason will
never be known, as the train crews un-
doubtedly met instant death.
Advices from the wreck at midnight
state that the country for miles around is
lighted up by the burning cars and that
the flames could not be Quenched be-