Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-07-14
TWENTY PERSONS KILLED.

Twenty persons ware killed and about
25 injured last night in a collision on
the Chicago and Eastern Illinois Rail-
road at Glenwood, ILL.,, 29 miles south
of Chicago.
The collision occurred between pic
mic train from Chicago, which was re-
turning from Momence, ILL.,, and a
freight train, into the rear end Of which
the excursion train dashed at high speed.
The picnic train was going north and
the freight train was on the southbound
track. A misplaced switch threw the
picnic train over on the southbound track.
and before the engineer could apply the
brakes it ran at 40 miles an hour into
the rear of the freight.
The locomotive, the baggage car and
the first coach of the picnic train were
demolished, and all of the killed and in
iured we're on the locomotive and in the
two cars.
The picnic was the annual outing OF
the members of Doremus Church. After
spending the day on the picnic grounds,
at Momence, the train load started on
the return trip, running in second Sec
ton Of the regular passenger tram,
which is due in Chicago at S:25 P. m.
When the picnic train reached Chicago
Heights, four miles beyond Glenwood,
where the accident took place, il was
switched to the regular southbound
track, aud although it was coming north,
it was given a clear track by the op-
orator 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 covered it was plung-
ing along at the rate of 40 miles an
hour. Just half way between Chicago
Heights and Glenwood there is sharp
curve.
As the picnic train tore around this
on the southbound track, freight train
was backing from the southbound to the
northbound track. 1t was partly on both
tracks. and no train could have passed
it in either direction. The bend is so
sharp that the engineer of the picnic
train did not see the freight until he
was about on il. 1t was too late to do
ANYTHING but to set the brakes, but be-
fore they could take effect the passenger
train smashed into the freight at full
speed. The locomotive and the baggage
car OF the passenger train went through
the freight and were piled up in heap
of wreckage on the farther side of the
switch track. The first coach of the pic
mic train plunged into the wreckage and
buried itselfin mass of kindling wood.
Nearly all of the passengers in the first
coach 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 bruised, but all Of the serious casu-
alties occurred in the first car. The un-
injured passengers and trainmen at once
fastened to the relief of those who were
pinned under the wreckage. The wreck
was two miles from any house and much
delay ensued before some of the injured,
who we're held down by heavy timbers,
could be extricated. Nothing could be
done for them until lifting machinery
came from Chicago Heights. The first
train to arrive at the wreck came from
Chicago Heightsand it carried six physi-
clans. A short time afterward a second
train arrived from Glenwood, bringing
additional physicians and a number OF
nurses Darkness had fallen and rescue
went on by the light of bonfres.
A regular relief train was made up at
GlenwOod, and it brought the dead and
wounded to Chicago.