The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-07-20
TWENTY LIVES LOST.
Picnic and Freight Train Come To
gether With Crash.

Twenty persons were killed and
about twenty-five injured Wednesday
night in a collision on the Chicago
and Eastern Illinois railroad at Glenn
wood, Ills, % miles south of Chicago.
The collision occurred between pic
mic train from Chicago, which was re-
turning from Monence, Ills, and a
freight train, into the rear end Of
which the excursion train dashed at
high speed. The picnic train was
coming north and the freight train
was on the southbound track. A mis-
placed switch threw the picnic train
over on the southb )und track, and be-
for the engineer could apply the brakes
it ran at 40 miles an hour into the
rear OF the freight. The locomotive,
the baggage car aud the first coach Of
the picnic train were demolished, and
all of the killed and injured were on
the locomotive and in the two cars.
The picnic was the annual outing of
the members of Doremus. After
spending the day on the picnic
grounds at Momence, the train load
started on the return trip, running in
as the second section of the regular
passenger train, which is due in Chi
cago at s 35 p. 10.
GIVEN CLEAR TRACK.
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 clear track
by the operator at Chicago Heights
until it should reach Glenwood, four
miles away. The train, after leaving
Chicago Heights, gradually increased
it's speed and when half the distance
between the two stations it was
jumping along at the rate Of 40 miles
an hour. Just half way between
Chicago Heights and G'enwood there
is a sharp curve. AS the picnic train
tore around this on the southoound
track, a freight train was backing
from the southbound track 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 vas almost on it. 1t was too
late to do anything but to set the
brakes, but before 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 further side Of the
switch track.
CAUGHT UNDER DEBRIS.
The first coach Of the picnic train
plunged into the wreckage and buried
itself in a mass of kindling wood.
Nearly all of the passengers in the
first coach were caught beneath the
mass CT 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 casual
ties occurred in the first car. The
passengers and trainmen at
once hastened to the relief of those
who were pinned under the wreckage.
The wreck was two miles from any
where and much delay ensued before
the injured, who were held down by
heavy tinbers, could be extricated.
Nothing could be done for them until
lifting machinery came from Chicago
Heights. The first train to arrive
came from Chicago Heights, and it
carried six physicians. A short time
a second train arrived from
bringing additional physi-
clans and a number Of nurses. Dark
ness had fallen, and rescue went On by
the light OF bonfres. A relief train
was made up at Glenwood, and it
b ought the dead and wounded to
Chicago.