Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1904-07-08
SCORE ARE KILLED.
TRAIN BOUND FOR ST. LOUIS
DITcHED AND BURNED.
Crashes Into an Open Switch at Litch-
field, IlI.-F1ames Add to horror
Passengers Pinned Under the Fiam-
ing Debris Perish.

Twenty persons were killed early
Sunday evening and fifty more badly
injured In one Of the worst railroad
wrecks that has occurred in Illinois In
many years.
A Wabash train that left Chicago
at II o'clock In the morning filed
with politicians and their friends
bound for the Democratic national
convention at ST. Louis, and others
going for holiday at the worlds fair
ran into an open switch just outside
the limits Of Litchfield, Ill, while run
ming at speed exceeding fifty miles
an hour. The railroad people say the
switch had been tempered with.
When the locomotive struck the
switch the fearful force of the con-
tact threw it off the track and 1t
plowed into the earth beside the rails,
dragging with it on it's course the bag
gage, express and five passenger cars,
all well filled with passengers. The
observation car and a private car re-
NAMED on the track and their occu-
pants were uninjured The ditched
cars caught fire Immediately after the
wreck, the flames increasing the fatal
tiles and adding to the sufferings OF
the injured.
Whole Train Ahame.
The moment the train left the rails
seven cars turned on their sides, and
flames rushing from the fire box OF
the locomotive burst out all over their
whole length, while a full head of
boiling steam beat into every creyice
of the smashed and splintered mass.
1t Is believed that fully $50 persons
were under the burning mass. The
passengers in the private and obser-
walton cars, led by the conductor and
brakemen, went to the rescue, but 1t
was seen that many were already dead
and that a number Of others were so
fearfully tangled in the wreckage that
their speedy death was certain.
The wrecked cars lay side by side,
not telescoped but shivered to splin-
tiers. Some of the victims, pinned be-
meath the heavy wheel trucks, died the
moment the crash came. Dozens OF
others remained held fast to their
seats, and it was among these that the
rescuers were able to do some good.
Axes secured on the train were used
hurriedly, and in this way a number
were saved before the fire reached
them. The people who had been In
the two leading cars and who were
still conscious screamed in terror as
they realized that the fire, catching
the dry wood and varnish of the cars,
was coming closer to them. Some
were taken out MANNED and bleed
ing, but most Of those on the first car
were beyond all hope, and the rescu-
crs saw several Of them die within n
few feet of them without being able
to extend aid.
Litchtield residents organized a re-
lief gang as soon as the news Of the
wreck was known. but before they
reached the scene, armed with axes,
bars and ropes, all those who could
be reached already were dead.
Word was telegraphed from Litch-
field to Edwardsville and q relief train
was at once sent out filled with sur
geons, nurses and bandages. It's ar
rival enabled the rescuers to give
speedy care to the wounded. The
lives Of several were saved in this
way.
st. Francis Hospital in Litchf1eld
was made ready for as many Of the
wounded rs could be accommodated
there, and about thirty others were
taken to ST. Louis late tonight and
sent to various city hospitals.
A few feet from the open switch
where the locomotive turned out on
It's path to death were four freight
cars. These were carried down when
the engine wheeled out over the tracks
and were first caught by the flames,
which began to spread Immediately.
Given No Warning.
The train was an hour late at the
time of the accident and was running
ten miles faster than it's regular
schedule. There were no reversal
lights in the track and the run being
clear three-mile straight line at this
point the engineer had nothing to
warn him Of his danger.
Charles Corneau, station agent, said
that the wreck was the result of ma
licious mischief. He said the north
track, as that siding is called, had not
been used during the day, and it was
plain that the switch was tempered
with. Not fifteen minutes before the
accident the third section of passen-
ger No. 10, south bound, passed over
1t safely. But when No. II was de-
rallied there the switch was turned
and the lock lying on the ground be-