Evening journal., 1904-07-14
EXCURSIONISTS IN
A FATAL WRECK
Eighteen Killed and over Sixty
Hurt at Glenwood, Ill.
EXCURSION TRAIN HITS FREIGHT

Pleasure Seekers From a Chicago
Church Returning From Days Out
ing In a Terrible Accident - Large
Number Of Injured Have Broken Legs
Chicago, July Eighteen persons
killed and over sixty injured is the
fearful result of a collision on the
Chicago and Eastern Illinois railroad
at Glenwood, H., twenty-three miles
south of Chicago.
About 20 per cent of the injured sus-
tanned fractured legs. In many cases
both legs were broken.
The collision occurred between pic
mic train from Chicago which was re-
turning from MOmence, H., and
freight train, into the rear end of
which the excursion train dashed at
high speed. The picnic train was COM
ing 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 forty 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
injured were on the locomotive and in
the two forward cars.
An Annual Church Outing.
The picnic was the annual outing Of
the members Of Doremus church. Aft
or spending the day on the picnic
grounds at Momence the train load
started on the return trip. running in
as the second section Of Sc regular
passenger, which is due in Chicago at
$50 p. m.
When the picnic train reached Chi
cago Heights, four miles beyond Glen
wood where the accident took place, il
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
1t should reach Glenwood, four mile
away. The train, after leaving Chica
90 Heights, gradually increased its
speed, and when half the distance be
tween the two stations had been GOV
cred it was plunging along at the rate
Of forty miles an hour.
Saw Danger Too Late.
Just halfway between Chicago
Heights and Glenwood there is sharl
curve. As the picnic train tore around
this on the southbound track a freigh,
train was backing from the southbounc
to the northbOuhs track. 1t was partly
on both tracks, and no train could have
passed it in either direction. The ben6
is so sharp that the engineer Of the
picnic train did not see the freight
until he was close TO it, 1t was toe
late 10 do anything but to set the
brakes. but before they could take
effect the passenger train smashed into
the freight at fun speed.
The locomotive ana the baggage car
Of the passenger train went through the
freight and were piled up in a heaI
Of wreckage on the farther side o.
the switch track. The first coach O.
the picnic train plunged into the wreck
age and buried itself in a mass
! kindling wood
Nearly all of the passengers in tn,
! first coach were caught beneath tho
mass Of debris. and it was here tina
the loss of life occurred The people
in the rear coaches were hurled fr0n
their seats and many 0f them wer
bruised, but all Of the serious casual
lies occurred in the first car.
In explanation of the wreck Englnec
Hoxie and the crew of the frelgh
train say that their train parted q
Chicago Heights and the break wa
not noticed until the train was nea
Glenwood causing delay. The engnee
knew that the excursion train wa.
coming, but believed that it was OF
the northbound track and was switch
ing his train from the northbound tC
the southbound track in an effort {,
keep out of its way.