Arizona republican., 1904-07-14
TWENTY KILLED
The Disastrous Return of a
 Chicago Picnic Party
SOMEONE USUAL ERROR
The Excursion Train Dashed Into and Through Freight Train Occupying Two Tracks-The Scenes About the Place of the Wreck.

Chicago. July 13.-Twenty people were killed and about twenty five were injured tonight in a collision on the Chicago and Eastern Illinois railroad at Glenwood. twenty three miles south of this city. The collision occurred be tween a picnic train from this city, which was returning from Momence, H., and a freight train, into the rear end of which it dashed at a high rate of speed.
 The picnic train was on the right hand track coming north and the freight was on the left track. A mis- placed switch threw the picnic train over on the left track before the en- Gineer could apply the brakes. it ran at 40 miles an hour into the rear of the freight. The engine and baggage car and first coach e the picnic train were demolished. All of the killed and in jured were on the engine and in the two cars.
 After spending the day on the pie nic grounds at Momence. the train started on the return trip, running as
 
 enger train which is due in Chicago as S25. When the picnic train reached Chicago Heights. four miles beyond Glenwood. where the accident occur red. it was switched to the regular lsouthbound track and although it was coming north it was given a clear track by the operator at the Chicago Heights as it should reach Glenwood, four mile. away. The train after leaving Chi caso Heights gradually increased it's speed. and when half the distance be- tween the two stations had been cov- cred it was plunging along at forty miles an hour.
 Just half way between Chicago Height and Glenwood there is a sharu curve. and as the picnic train tore around this on the south track the freight train was backing southbound to the north track. It was. partly on both tracks, and no train could have passed 1t in either direction The bend Is so sharp that the engineer of ths picnic train had no chance to see the freight before he was upon it. It was l too late to do any good, but he applied the air brakes. Before they could takt effect the passenger train smashed int the freight at full speed. The engines and baggage car of the passenger trair went clear through the freight and were piled up in heap of wreckags on the further side of the switch or which the freight was crossing from on, track to the other. The first coach o the picnic train plunged straight int, the wreckage and buried itself in mas; or kindling wood under the demolished baggage car. Nearly all of the pass. ehSers in the first coach were caugh beneath the mass of debris, and it wa here that loss of life occurred.
 The people in the rear coaches wer, hurled from their seats and many O them were badly shaken up and bruis. ca, but all of the serious casualties oc cured In the first car. The uniniureC passengers and trainmen at once has tened to relieve those who were pinned down under the wreckage, who wer, shrfeking piteously for aid.
 The scene of the wreck was twt miles from anywhere, and much dela, ensued before some of the injured, wh, were held down by heavy timbers couIt be extricated. Nothing could be don for them until lifting machinery cam from Chicago Heights. Men were sen running along the tracks to both Chi cago Heights and Glenwood, asking fo aid. and in a short>tim trains bear ing physicians and supplies for tn wounded were on their way from botl stations to the scene of the wreck. Tn first train to arrive on the scene wa from Chicago Heights and carried si. physicians.
 A short time afterward a secont train arrived from Glenwood bringinj additional physicians and a number O nurses. Darkness had fallen when tn second train arrived and the work O rescue and relief went on by the ligh of large bonfires that were built alon the side of the track, of the wreckag taken from the smashed cars A reg ular relief train was made up at Glen wood and the physicians were talk en to the wreck as soon as possibl and every preparation was made t bring the dead and wounded to tn city. It was nearly 10 o'clock whel the last of the wounded had been take, from the wreckage, and half an hou later than that time when a temporar dressing had been applied to the las wound and the train carrying its woe full burden had started for the city.