Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-03-27

skin almost entirely scraped from |
right side of face. Bruised and cut |
Right ear torn
In the hospital at Clinton:
MRS. CARRIE HOWAnD, Butte, |
Mont, bruised and cut.
LEON NJ. LEWIS, Chicago travel |
ing man, right arm badly cut, face
bruised.
Five people were badly injured, one
possibly fatally so, number of 9TH
ems suffered minor hurts. and two
cars, Pullman sleeper and IA chair
car, were demolished and later burn
ed by the wrecking at Thomson, ILL.,,
of No. AS, the Burlington through st.
Paul St. Louis train due in Rock ISL
and at 6:35 a. m. south bound The
accident occurred early this morn
ing.
The occasion of the wreck is sup
posed to have been bad frog. The
train, in charge of Conductor Cuddy,
Brakeman Taylor and Engineer Nc
Quade, was late and running at a fair
rate of speed when the defective frog
was struck. The engine and coaches
passed over in safety, but the heavy
chair car left the main track, drag
ging the sleeper with it, the two run
ming off onto a side track. moment
later to dash from the rails. turning
over on their sides.
Injured In Chair Car.
Both cars were well filed Most
of those injured were seated in the
chair car. The wood work was de
molished and glass shattered. The
passengels were forced to find their
way to the broken windows on hands
and knees. Those less fortunate were
pinned fast in their seats. To add to
the horror of the situation the sleep
er caught fire, the flames spreading
quickly to the ruins of the chair car
in which the pinioned were sending
out beseeching cries for assistance.
Levi sat in front of Key and Rich
ardsOn near the center of the chair
car. When the crash came the two
latter were thrown far forward
When they were able to locate them
selves they were near the end of the
car Richardson, possibly the worst
injured of any, thought he was al
right at the time. He set about to
pull the porter out of the wreckage,
the latter held fast. For the first
time Richardson became aware of his
hurts when he attempted to use his
arm. He became faint, and managed
to crawl out into the open.
II PInioued In Burning Car.
Levi was held so firmly i'm a mass
of woodwork and twisted iron that it
was necessary to chop him out. the
task being a formidable one, as a
number of iron castings had to be
broken. But the survivors went to
work with a will, their action being
FASTENED by the rapid advance of the
flames from the burning sleeper.
When removed the man was very
weak from the shock and suspense,
and was taken TO one of the forward
coaches, and later sent to the Clinton
hospital.
All the injured were taken to the
forward coaches, and when all had
been taken out of the ruins, the train
proceeded on to Clinton. where Levi
and Mrs. Howard were taken off and
sent to the hospital as it was thought
at the time that they were the most
seriously injured.
Brought to Rock Island.
The train reached Rock Island
nearly two hours late, about $50. On
the way from Clinton the seriousness
of Richardson's injuries began TO de-
velop, as signs of hemorrhage began.
The three, Richardson, Ericsson and
Key, had intended to go to Galesburg,
but just as the train started to pull
out of Rock Island they changed
their minds and got off here instead
The three made ghastly sight as
they tottered with feeble steps from
the train to the depot, their heads
were swathed in bloody handker-
chiefs. their arms in sings, and their
clothing torn. and smeared with
red blotches of the vital fluid.
They were taken into the wash
room. where Dr. Koontz, of Boards
town, the company's surgeon, cleaned
them up and bound up their wound.
preparatory to having them sent t.
5 the hospital.
Richardson Hurt Worst
Ericsson and Key will be able tt
q leave for their homes soon. possibl,
q today or tomorrow, but Richardson
& may develop complications which vii
result fatally. as it will take a day o
two for the seriousness of the inter
a Inal injury to become apparent. Mrs
Howard will be able to leave the Gin
ton hospital shortly and proceed OF
q her way to Lewiston. her destination
There seems to be no direct respon
Isibility for the accident. All the sig
mails were right and there were wa
no delinquency of any kind on tn
a part of the crew or line officials. TIL
q Iearly hour of the accident, 4:45 a. IN
D lmade it necessary to proceed on Z