The Corvallis times. (Corvallis, Or.) 1888-1909, 1904-07-13
TWENTY KILLED
ON WABASH ROAD ON ITS
WAY TO THE ST. LOUIS
EXPOSITION.
Train Runs into an Open switc b
and Several Cars Take Fire,
Consuming the Bodies of
Some of the Victims


Some of the Victims
st. Louis, July 3.-At least twen-
ty persons met death tonight and
two-score were injured in the wreck
of train No. II, on the Wabash
railroad, near Litchield, I'll. The
train, which is known as the Chica-
go Limited, ran into an open switch,
was ditched, and flames attacked
the coaches.
The engine, after running into
the switch, struck string of
freight cars, and with the first three
coaches were piled into a heap a.
cross the track, and caught fire inn
mediately.
Nearly all of the passengers were
bound for the st. Louis Exposition,
but among the number were said to
be delegates to the democratic con-
vention.
| That the exact number of dead
will moi be known for several days
is the opinion of passengers, who
assert that they saw bodies being
cremated in the burning wreckage.
The limited made up Of seven cars,
was twenty minutes late, aud to
make up the time was running so
miles an hour at the time of the &C.
cident. The track had been report
ed clear at the last station, and as
the train entered the north yards in
Litchfeld the open switch was en-
countered.
The engine leaped the track and,
followed by nearly all the coaches,
hurled itself into the string of emp
ty freight cars, The engine turned
around, and the tender was dashed
a hundred yards down the track.
The first cars split open from end
to end with the driving pressure Of
The parlor and dining cars behind.
All turned over and slid across the
switch tracks. The wreckage of
freight cars into which the engine
had dashed caught FIRE at once and
in an instant the train was a roar
ing mass. Screams of agony issued
from the cars as many uninjured
were pinned down and cried aloud
at ths approach of the flames.
Litoh6eld's irebells changed in
alarm, which aroused the town, and
all the citizens turned out and as.
1 sisted in digging bodies from the
debris.
| Henry Reichen Becker saved %
people alone.
The fire department turned out
and fought to stay the flames, but
without avail. The first five cars
of the passsr ger train were totally
consumed, and many freight cars
standing In the vicinity were alec
destroyed.
/ All of the coaches were heavily
| laden with passengers. The three
rear cars, diner and two eleepers
were not derailed. A rumor spread
that one of the freight cars was
loaded with explosives, and for the
| time this had the effect of retardine
the work of the rescuers.
/ DIR. P. Fl. J. Farrell, who was un.
injured, went to'work directing the
rescue work and giving medical at.
tention to the injured. Temporary
hospital headquarters were hastily
established in Litchfeld and the in
ljured were removed to it. Coroner
Tray hurried to the scene and th,
dead were removed as speedily al
possible to undertaking rooms.
Upon receipt Of the first news {
relief train carrying physicians ane
medicine was made up at Decatur
and sent to the scene of the wreck
General Superintendent Magee de
parted on this train.
/. r, Mills, who was killed, wa
internal revenue collector at Deca
tur AMI one of the prominent re
publicans in Central Illinois.
Inquiries established the fact tina
Eex-Mayor John P. Hopkins, of Chi
cago, leader of the state of Illinoi
democracy; Mayor Carter II. Har
lsison, and James K. Eckels, ex
controller of the treasury, a delegat
to the st. Louis convention. wer
not passengers on the train.
Many of the passengers who wer
uninjured were brought to ST
Louis tonight on the Illinois Cen
trail road.
i London, July S.-Mors than 20
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