The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-11-16

Chicago, November 12.-More b
grant train on the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad were killed n injured in a
collision today between the passenger
train and a freight near WOOdville.
Ind.
One hundred and sixty-flve passen-
gers were on the train. Of these At
were either killed outright or were
burned to death in a fire that broke
out in the wreckage Immediately after
the collision. The ame of all of the
dead will probably never be known,
as forty-five of the bodies were con-
sumed in the flames or were so badly
burned that identification will be out
OF the question. Thirty-eight people
were injured and several of these will
die. Eighty others escaped unhurt,
but lost nearly all their baggage and
clothing.
The disaster was caused by a blunder
of some employe of h railroad COM
pany, but just where the blame lies,
has o as yet been determined. The
passenger train which was loaded with
Russian Jews. Servians and Poles, all
Of recent arrivals in this country, and
bound for Chicago or points in the
northwest, was the second section of
a through train from Baltimore.
The engineer of the freight train
No. 90. on instructions received at Nc
Cool. Ind. waited at a siding at Bah
cock, Ind. to allow the immigrant
srain to pass. One report is that the
engineer of the freight train had not
been informed that the passenger train
was running in two sections: the other
is hat the first section Of the train
carried no lights or signals of any kind,
Indicating that a second section was
close behind.
AS soon as the first section Of the
immigrant train had passed the switch
at Babcock, the freight train started
eastward. A light snow was falling
which increased the darkness of early
morning and as the freight was round
ing a sharp curve just west Of Wood
vile, the second section of the immi-
grant train came in sight a short dis
lance away, tearing toward Chicago
dI Iuc Idlc VI ~ uIlltS oil lOul. 1lC
trains came together with unslacken-
ed speed, and in the crash six passen-
ger coaches and several freight cars
were knocked into kindling wood, and
together with the locomotives went
rolling down the ten foot embank-
ment. .
Fire broke out almost Immediately
in the w~reckage, and although a num-
Der of the injured were saved by the
desperate efforts of the train crew and
surviving passengers, the greater part
of those who were pinned down In the
debris were burned to death. The
flames spread throughout the wreck
age so rapidly that it was impossible
to save a number of people who were
only slightly hurt, but we're held fast
by timbers that weighted them down.
These were burned in plain sight of
the throng that stood around the scene
Of the disaster, utterly unable to lend
assistance in anyway. The fire cOntin-
ued until all of the shattered cars were
entirely consumed, and of the Al peo-
pie whose death followed the collision
As were burned to ashes.
The crash of the collision was so
great that a number of farmers and
other residents of the n~eighborhood
came fastening to the scene, but they
could do nothing except lend assistance
to the injured who had already been
taken from the wreck,
All of the six cars of the immi-
grant train were burned as were also
three freight cars.
Relief trains were at once sent out
from South Chicago and from Valpair-
&c, Ind, with every available physi-
clan and every possible aid was given
to the injured. A large number of
relatives of passengers on the ILL
fated train were in Chicago awaiting
their arrival and when the report was
received that many had been killed and
injured in a wreck the scenes around
the Baltimore and Ohio depot were har-
rowing. Men were there who had come
to this country TO escape the massacres
in Russia and who after months of
hard work had saved enough to pay the
passage of members or their families
and their grief when they became