Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-01-21

Terre Haute, Ind, Jan. 21.-The eH-
act number of persons Killed in the de-
struction of the Big Four passenger
train at Sanford will probably never
be known. The coroner has record
Of 10 dead, but it is known the record
is far from complete. The number of
dead is at least 25, according to the
best estimates.
1t is believed several bodies were
burned in the fire that followed the eX-
pIosion.
Four More May Die.
Paris. ILL.,, Jan. 21.-Of the 23 vic
Tins of the Sandford, Ind, disaster
brought to this city. four may die six
are seriously injured. and the others
are injured about the head and neck
by particles of glass and gravel. 1t is
believed several will lose the sight of
one or both eyes.
Wilbur Menke and E. c. Sisk of this
city, who assisted in the work of res
cue, say fully half a dozen bodies were
cremated in the wreckage of the train.
Gather Up BODIES.
lCltG IldutS. llAt.. jan lOt6t
of men spent yesterday gathering the
fragments OF bodies. scat ttereds over the
countryside for distance of 500 yards
by the powder explosion which last
night destroyed a Big Four accommo-
dation train at Sandford.
The full cost of the explosion will
not fall short of 40 lives. OF those who
escaped with lives none escaped in
jury. In the case of several of these
death is regarded as inevitable.
Most Horrible of Wrecks.
In explanation of this the most hor-
rible of all railroad wrecks several
causes have been advanced. The one
which officials of the Big Four advance
is that of criminal negligence or fraud
in packing the car of powder response
BILE for the horror
The railroad officials are almost con-
vinced there was dynamite mixed with
the powder in the car that exploded.
The great difficulty will be to prove
this. as not a vestige of car or con-
tents. remain. A former employe of
the Fontanet powder mills near here
says it is a common practice to ship
dynamite at powder freight rates,
which is five times as cheap as dyna-
mite rates. The railroad commission
of Indiana will make an investigation
tomorrow.
Billed to East Alton.
The carload of powder was billed |
from Concord Crossing, Mass. to East |
Alton. The Big Four road received it |
from the Grand Trunk railroad. The |
freight train hauling the powder took |
a switch at Sanford to allow the Big |
Four local train running from Indiana |
polls to Mattoon, Ill, consisting of the |
engine, combination mail and baggage |
car, smoking car, and one coach, to
pass.
AS the local was running past the |
freight and almost at the instant |
when the crowded passenger car was
abreast of the powder car the powder
exploded
Exnct Cause Mystery.
The first theory advanced was that
sparks from the passenger engine ig-
nited the powder, This, it is declared.
would have been impossible. Another
theory was that the freight was stand
ing. over a leaking gas pipe line. and
that the gas had poured into the pow
der car. 1t was found. however, that
the pipe line is some distance from the
tracks.
The theory which the county author
tiles hold is that the car was laden
with dynamite or nitroglycerin. packed
with criminal carelessness, and that
1t was exploded by concussion.
FrightfuI Eject of Explosion.
Though the exact cause of the ex-
plosion is not definitely known, the
for nearly a quarter of a
mile around bears evidence of it's
frightful effect
The explosion. shattered every car in
the passenger train and eight cars in
the freight train. The heavy mogul |
engine of the passenger was hurled |
so feet into an embankment Trucks
of. the tender were hurled so yards /
over and beyond the engine. The tank |
was thrown 100 yards. The three .
coaches were splintered into kindling