River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-07-21
DIE WITH HYMNS
ON LITTLE LIPS
,hildren Singing Joyously as They Return
from Picnic Are Killed-Their Train
Wrecked-NineteenD Dead
Many Injured.

struck the coal train just at our house
| was eating supper at the time and
jumped up and ran over. We climbed to
the baggage cars and took out two chill
dren alive. One was boy of eight with
both legs severed and another girl with
both arms and legs broken. Others be-
gan to arrive at that time and We all
turned in and started pulling out the
bodies. We had a row of 80 dead and
wounded on the grass before the physi-
clans came. Several died after we had
removed them.
ct was the most trying ordeal ever
went through. The little things did not
cry, even those conscious. They were SO
stunned by the shock that pain was not
appreciated or felt. Two dead bodies we
took out were those of a bride and groom,
who were taking this trip as their honey
moon. There were two little girls among
| the dead whose mother is i'll III Chicago
hospital and who were with another
woman The woman was killed too One
mother, with four children on board, lost
her brood, but was unhurt herself. She
stood at the car entrance and watched
the bodies taken out, but never recog-
nized them. Few were identified here.
Cause Of Disaster.
In explanation of the accident the
trainmen say that the freight tram
parted at Chicago Heights and the break
ing Of the coupling between the second
car from the way car and the car in front
of it was unnoticed by Engineer Hoxie
until he had reached Glenwood. Then
they declare the engineer switched his
train to the south-bound track in the be-
lief that he would escape possible COL
lision with the excursion train, which
he believed was on the north-bound
track, and started back to Chicago
Heights to pick up the freight and the
way car. The engineer of the freight
train said he had been given orders to
switch to the south-bound track, and
was delayed by the breaking of the train
near Thornton. The passenger train
had likewise been given instructions to
go on this track, and was approaching
the coal train at speed of about 80 miles
an hour when the collision occurred.
Engineer Blamed.
Chicago, July 15-Engfneer F. E.
Hoxey, who had charge of the special
| freight train against which the lives
of Is persons were dashed out, is be-
ing held in detention as responsible
I for the terrible catastrophe at Glen
wood on the Chicago G. Eastern Illi-
nois railway Wednesday evening. Di-
vision Superintendent J. F. Russ, who
is conducting the investigation into
the disaster, has ordered Hoxey held
in custody at Dalton station until
called for by Coroner Traeger.
1t has been learned that J. w. Smoot.
station agent at Glenwood, not an au-
thorized operator, heard the messages
going over the wires to Thornton;
that he stopped the extra freight and
pleaded with Hoxey to get off the
track
I'm not taking orders from you.
I've received no ORDERS" Hoxey is de-
clared to have replied. Then Smoor
showed him a copy of the orders
which he had made and Hoxey,
; aroused at last started to get his
train onto a siding. He was 100 feet
from this when the picnic train
crashed upon the coal cars.