The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-12
FORTY KILLED
Two Trains Crash Together on
the b. & 0.
Cars Rolled Down a Bank and
Caught Fire.
Most of the Dead Were Cremated
in Wreckage.
FORTY WE'RE INJURED.
Disaster Was Caused by Mis-
directed Orders.
Trains Came Together Head on
at Full Speed.
One Was Emigrant Train Carry
ing 1876 People.
FORTY WE'RE INJURED.
Disaster Was Caused By His
directed Orders.
One Was EmIgrant Train Carry
ing 1876 People.

Chicago. Nov. IA wreck occur
red today on the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad at Woodville, Ind, about 80
miles from this city.
At 1 o'clock officials of the Balti-
more & Ohio announced that they had
received positive news from the wreck.
and it was known that out Of 135 per
sons on the train, forty were killed, 90
others injured and so escaped un-
hurt.
The accident is said to have been
caused by a confusion regarding sig
nails which allowed the emigrant train
to pass a station when a freight was
approaching from the opposite direc-
ton. The two trains came together at
full speed and the impact wrecked
both of them completely. A number
of the cars of the emigrant train were
hurled down a 10 foot embankmene
and imme ediately caught fire. Although
every possible effort was made to ex-
tricate them from the wreckage the
flames spread so rapidly that this was
impossible in many cases.
It is understood that five Of the emil
grants were Killed outright and the en-
gineer of the emigrant train was so
badly injured that his recovery is i'm
possible.
Woodville is a small station about
/ IN iAAiES nOELH Ol valparaiso. and AID
was Immediately summoned from that
place.
A wrecking train which was at once
made up at Woodviile. was dispatched
along the line to secure medical aid
E and every physician within reach was
! at once taken on board Of the train and
/ hurried back to WoodviIle-
The coliiding trains were express
train No. A, westbound. made up Of
+ express and passenger cars and freight
train No. 96, eastbound.
The railroad company gathered
/ physicians from every available point
and a wreck trains from Chicago
brought others. There were fifty at
the scene to attend the injured.
The wreck occurred on curve and
4 the engineers had but little time to
/ reverse their levers and jump.
The Baltimore & Ohio road notified
i Mercy hospital here to be prepared for
/ the reception CT forty injured persons
The accident. it is declared, was the
result Of a misdirection by a train dis
patcher. He ordered westbound
train held al Chicago Junction. Ind,
! to allow an eastbound passenger train
TO pass The passenger train was run
/ ming in two sections but the conductor
J of the westbound train was not noti-
! had passed he therefore pulled out and
started for Chicago on the main track
and the collision followed.
Immediately after notifying Mercy
/ hospital to prepare for the reception
of the wounded. the officials Of the
Baltimore & Ohio railroad requested
the aid of the police department in
/ caring for them and Chief of Police
Collins at once ordered "A ambulances
to meet the train at the depot
Injured Number Forty.
Laporte. Ind. Nov 70. The fniur-
ed in the Baltimore & Ohio wreck will
number forty. The passengers were
/ asleep when the accident occurred.
7 The cars caught fire at once and many
We're caught in the wreck and were
unable to release themselves and it Is
thought they were consumed by the
/ flames. Cries of the victims filled the
air and those who were not badly hurt
tried to save others but they were not
very successful as the flames drove
them back.