The San Francisco call., 1907-01-21
Details of Sandford Hor-
ror Show That Entire
Train Was Demolished
FIRE COMPLETES
WORK OF DYNAMITE
Twenty-Seven Charred and
Mutilated Bodies Have
Been Found by Searchers

TERRE HAUTE. Ind. Jan. 20
Twenty seven charred and mutilated
bodies have been taken from the snol-
dering ruins Of passenger train No. :
on the Cleveland. Cincinnati. Chicago
and St Louis CBig Four). which was
destroyed by the explosion OF carload
OF powder as it passed a freight train
at Sandford, nine miles west of here
last night The number of injured
will reach at least thirty-iv
The entire train was blown from
the track and demolished and the en-
gine hurled fifty feet. The passen
gers were either blown to pieces. Gre
mated OF rescued in more or less in
jured condition.
The injured. some of whom are fatal
" hurt, are at the hospitals in Terrs
Haute and Paris. ILL and at Sand
ford.
The full extent OF the disaster was
revealed at daylight. but the death
list will not be complete until the
worknen have cleared the debris away.
According to trainmen Of the freight.
the powder was exploded by the con-
cussion made by the passenger train.
which was slowing down for the sta
tton at Sandford Another theory IS
that gas escaping from an oil pipe linz
nearby entered the powder car ana a
spark from the passing engine ignitsd
the gas. Others express the belief
that the disaster was due to tramp
or intoxicated man firing q shot into
the car.
Cars were smashed TO pieces by the
force Of the explosion. Huge pieces
of iron were found hundreds OF feet
away from the track. The tank of
the engine was hurled nearly a nun
dred feet from the track. Two pas
senger coaches and one baggage coach
were consumed by fire.
SANDFoRD Is DAMAGED
The freight train in which was ths
car of powder was demolished Sand
ford Fas badly shocked. Windows were
shattAed. dishes and furniture broken
and doors torn from their hinges.
The night was dark and heavy rains
had rendered the streets of Sandford
almost impassabIe. AS the passenger
engine went by the powder car stand
ing on an adjoining track the explo-
sion came without warning The en-
tire train was blown from the tracks
and crashed into the mud a mass OF
beings. Fire broke out and before
the eyes of citizens who rushed to the
rescue many persons were burned to
death before aid could be rendered
them.
In the darkness by the light OF the
burning coaches. the people OF Sand
ford did their best for the stricken
Cries of the injured and the crackling
of the flames. together with the odor
or burning human flesh. greeted the
rescuers, who worked frantically, but
were soon forced back by the terrific
heat
Among the first rescued was l. F.
Rose of Mattoon, Ill, engineer Of main
tenance of way of the Big Four road.
His leg was broken and he was So
verely bruised. He was carried to the
home of c. E. Marrs, 200 feet away
Soon Mrs. Rose was brought in pain
fully bruised. but assisted in the care
Of her husband until she collapsed
FIRE DEFEATS RESCUERS
Others we're rescued as the flames
advanced. AS men threw their strength
to the work Of disentangling the human
forms from the wreckage. the women
Of Sanford cared for the injured
When the fire drove the rescuers
away they waited until the flames died
down and then started TO drag out the
charred bodies. Men searched nearby
fields and found pieces Of human flesh
and wearing apparel
There was no efficient water supply
to fight the flames, and the bitter cold
added to the suffering.
Four badly mutilated bodies we're
found in the woods several hundred
feet from the tracks.
one thousand feet of track was torn
ND and a great hole shows where ths
powder car stood This car vas being
hauled from Concord Junction. Mass,
to East Alton. Ill. and contained 500
kegs of powder.
Engineer welch and Fireman Jerrod
of Mattoon. H.. who were in charge
of the passenger train. were hurled
nearly a hundred feet through the air
and fell in muddy field
The explosion and frs destroyed tele-