Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-12-24
GROUND To DEATH
Fastest through Passenger Train
from Pittsburg to New
York Wrecked.
ESTIMATE 6S KILLED
About ~ More Badly Jnjurcd-W hole
Train " rnt over n Bnnk nfter Strik-
ing Some Iumbcr-NcarIy Every
Passenger Dn1cd by the
shock-TcrribIe Scenes.

'OnnClISNlllc, IA, Dec. -s'.-N lth - ter
riblc crash and a grinding noise. the
DuqucSnc limited. the fastest through
PASSENGER train from pittsburg to NV
York on the Baltimore &. Ohio, plunged
into pill" of lumber at Laurel Run, two
miles west of Dawson at 1:io o'clock this
evening and ii il estimated that fully SO
lives wore lost and 30 persons were in
jur"d. The train loft fittshIrc; this even
ins. running a few minutes late in charge
of Engineer William Thornley, of iIazcl-
wood. When passing Laurel Rur.
which is particularly bad piece OF road
bed. the train was running al a high
rate OF speed. Suddenly the passengers
were thrown from their seats by the
lightning like application Of the air
brakes, and Il moment later there Wa i
terrible crash. The train was made Up
OF two hagS1eo ears, two day coach, =,
ono sleeper and one dining car. and was
carrying at the time at the lowest eSti
mate $50 passengers. The train plougncd
along for n. considerable distance and the
cars w2rc tom to pieces. passengers jump
ing. screaming, falling from the wreck ~
it tore along. Suddenly the engine SWerN-
ed to the left ANA the Coachcs plunged
down over the emhankmcnt to the edge
OF the YouChio"hcnY river
rho minute tho ears stopped rolling.
there WaS wild scene. Many persons
were piniuuod beneath the wrcckage and
TIA" screams aud cries that rent tho air
wcr" beyond description. Many were in
iur"d in their mad excitement and others
plunged into tic river. Others, piuionod
Lencath the heavy timbcrs pleaded in
agony for release. So terrific was tho
force of the wreck that nearly cvcrv pas-
SonSer suffered moments unconscious
ness. and many Of the able bodied mon
'rc unable to assist in helping tho in
iurcd from tho wreck on account Of haV-
ing tainted.
'l,.
who w'rc in the smoker. just back Of the
baggage car. They Wrr" literally roa Stcd
In death. the baggage ana smoker tel"-
ecoping the cuCmo and Immediately CATCH
ing ire. NJ larry of th" bodies Vorc burned TO
crisp. All the dead were taken to the
baggace room Of tho Baltimore & Ohio
d pot to he removed later to the different
undertal;u. shops in tho city. Tho en-
tire popula ton has turned ont on ma:,Sc
to assist in caring Cor tic living and in
diSposing OF tn" dead. \ peculiar feature
OF tho accident Is tho fact that not Il
woman was seriously injured.
IN" wreck was caused hN the Drcnll-
ing Of the castings ON a carload uf
bridge timhcrS, on "a west bound freight
tram winch mad passed Laurel Run not
more than ~ minutes before thc ill
fated passenger train. The wreck oc-
CURED ON a curve ANA it was impossi-
bic for Engineer Thornley, To see FAR
enough ahead tn detect the obstruction
ON the tracks Th" big Atlautic-Typc
engine plunged into the tImbcrs. at 1t
velocity of s" miles an hour.
Tho ofii' 'lal statement OF Superintendent
". {. l.oroc follows:
No 12was dorailod Drumming into somc
switch tinlhors or timhcrs oc about that
size deraing TN" cngiuc ana all cars. All
tn cars ar" badly damaged. DO not think
any Of the equipment will hc able t. -.
away from thu accident ON their own