The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-11-29
WITH CRIPPLED PEOPLE FROM
TERRIBLE TRAIN WRECK.
OVER ONE HUNDRED KILLED
Two Passenger Trains on the Wabash
Come Together at Full
Speed.

Detroit, Nov. 27,-From 100 to $50
persons were killed or injured to-
night in the most disastrous railroad
wreck in the history of Michigan rail
roading. Two heavily loaded passen-
ger trains on the Wabash railroad col
lided head on at full speed one mile
east of Senaca, the second station
west of Adrain. The west bound train
consisting of two cars loaded with i'm
migrants and five other coaches was
smashed and burned with awful loss
Of life and fearful injuries to a major
ity of it's passengers. The east bound
train, the Continental Limited, suffer
ed in scarcely less degree.
The track in the vicinity of the
wreck is strewn with dead and dying.
Many physicians from Detroit have
gone to the scene.
No. 4, the Continental Limited, it
is believed, disobeyed orders in not
waiting at Senaca for No. 13, thereby
causing the wreck. Apparently or
ders to wait were disobeyed and the
probabilities are that the reason will
never be known as the train crews
undoubtedly met instant death. Ad-
vices 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
because of lack of proper apparatus.
Mangled bodies were picked up
along the track by farmers before the
special train sent from Adrain arriv-
ed on the scene In some instances
bodies were mangled beyond all recog-
milton. The bodies which rescuers
managed to pull from the burning
ruins of the immigrant cars were so
badly burned that their identity will
never be ascertained. Train No. 13
was regular train, carrying two cars
of emigrants going west and was be-
hind time. This train was composed
of seven coaches, hauled by two en-
gines. Reports differ as to the num-
ber of coaches carrying emigrants
One says there were but two and an
other says there were five or six
coaches carrying this class of tourists.
1t is not believed that any Detroit
people were injured as train No.
Immediately behind No. 13, contained
Detroit passengers for Chicago.
The east bound train was made up
of an engine, baggage car, combina-
tion coach and sleepers,
The trains came together one mile
east of Seneca under full head of
steam. All but the two rear coaches
on the west bound train were demolish-
ed and the coach on the other was
telescoped. Five of the cars of train
No. 13 caught fire and are still burn
ing.
The loss of life is estimated at 100
on this train. It is said to be 25 on
No. 4. Engine No. sS of train No. 13
exploded and engine No. 60 on No. 4
turned over into the ditch.
Two firemen and one engineer on
No. 13 were killed and the fireman
and engineer on No jumped and es-
capped.
AS soon as the news of the disaster
reached Division Superintendent
Burns of Detroit the wires were kept
hot ordering specials from Adrain,
Peru and Montpelier to- the scene of
the wreck. A special train from De
troit carrying 80 passengers and sur
geons started for Seneca and was CIV
en- the right of way.
When it reached the scene of the
swreck work was at once commenced
succoring the wounded. A special
from Adrain bearing all the doctors
and physicians in the city had been
at work for an hour, but flames re-
tarded the work of rescue. The wound
ed had been placed on stretchers in
coaches sent from Adrain.
At 10:45 o'clock the first train load
ed with wounded left the scene of
the wreck for Adrain. The dead were
left behind to be carried in on a later
train.
A wrecking train ordered from
Montpelier. 80 miles away, arrived
shortly after 9 o'clock but the heavy
vestibuled cars of No. lay between
it and the burning emigrant cars SC
that but little aid could be rendered