The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1904-07-15
PICNIC TRAIN WRECKED.
Twenty-one Persons Were Killed and
About 20 Injured.

GnlcaSO, july 14.-IWSnJy-One p6O-
pie were killed and about 20 injured
Wednesday night in a collision on the
Chicago & Eastern Illinois railroad at
Glenwood, 23 miles south of this city.
The collision occurred between a
picnic train from this city which was
returning from Momence, H., and a
freight train into the rear end of which
it dashed at high rate of speed. The
picnic train was on the right hand
track coming north, and the freight
was on the left track. A misplaced
switch threw the picnic train over on
the left track and before the engineer
could apply the brakes it ran at 40
miles an hour into the rear of the
freight. The engine, baggage car and
first coach of the picnic train were de-
molished and all of the killed and in
Jured were on the engine and in the
two cars.
The train which was wrecked left
the 31st street station Wednesday
morning for Momence The picnic
was the annual outing of the members
of Doremus church, formerly chapel
of Plymouth Congregational church, Of
this city. After spending the day on
the picnic grounds at Momence, the
train started ON the return trip. run
ming in as the second section of the
regular passenger train, which is due
in Chicago at 1913.
When the picnic train reached Chi.
cago Heights, four miles beyond Glen
wood, where the accident took place,
it was switched to the regular south.
bound track, and although it was com.
ing north it was given a clear track
by the operator at Chicago Heights
until it should reach Glenwood, four
miles away. The train after leaving
Chicago Heights gradually increased
its speed and when half the distance
between the two stations had been COW
cred it was plunging along at the rate
OF 40 miles an hour. Just half way
between Chicago Heights and Glen
wood there is sharp curve, and as
the picnic train tore around this ON
the south bound track freight train
was backing from the south bound to
fNAAO I'LL AA-OOu4O II dCh. IL as pal lily
on both tracks and no train could have
passed it in either direction. The
bend is SC sharp that the engineer of
the picnic train had no chance to see
the freight before he was upon it. Il
was too late to do anything but set the
airbrakes, but before they could take
effect the passenger train smashed
into the freight. The engine and bag
gage car of the passenger train went
clear through the freight and were
piled up in heaps of wreckage on the
further side of the switch on which
the freight was crossing from one
track to the other The first coach OF
the wreckage and buried itself in q
mass of kindling wood under the de-
molished baggage car. Nearly all of
the passengers in the first were caught
beneath the mass of debris, and it was
here that the loss of life occurred.
The people in the rear coaches were
hurled from their seats and many OF
them were badly shaken up and bruis.
ed, but all of the serious casualties &C.
CURED in the first car. The uninjured
passengers and the trainmen at once
FASTENED to the relief of those who
were pinned down under the wreckage.
who were shrieking piteously for aid.
The scene of the wreck was two miles
from anywhere and much delay en-
sued before some of the injured who
were held down by heavy timbers
could be extricated. Nothing could be
done for them until lifting machinery
came from Chicago Heights.