Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-09-06
Street CAR CRASH
FATAL TO FOURTEEN.
FIFTY-T"C OTHERS INJURED III
FRIDAYS TERRIBLE WRECK
IN ILLINOIS.
MOTORMAN Is MISSING.
Man Blamed for Disaster Flees from the
Scene During Confusion Fol-
lowing Wreck.

NATION, ILL.,, August 31.--Fourteen
persons were killed and fifty-two injured
many of them so seriously it is be-
lieved they will die-when trolley car
Of the MattoOn- Charleston electric line
was crashed into by heavily laden
freight car of the same line on a sharp
curve one mile west of Charleston yes
terday. There were 90 people in the car.
The Victims were on their way to
Charleston &c attend the county fair, and
the car in which they were riding was
crowded to its capacity. many of the pas
sen2crs beng women and children.
Responsibility for the disaster was
placed by the traction company on the
shoulders OF Benjamin 3icGieary, motor
man Of the express car, who disappeared
immediately after the crash
The dead:
FUGATE, NEIL. Cary. III.
WEAkLEY, THOMAS, MattooH, Ill.
NELSON, WILLIAM, North Ottawa, III.
NELSON. CHARLES, son of William Mel
COLE, HOWARD, Cooks Mill, ILL.,, aged
COLE, HAROLD, aged s, brother of
TANDEVENTER JACK, Nation.
REYNOLDS, EDWARD, Paradise, Ill.
PRICE, W. A., North M-ttoon, Ill.
LOGAN, DOUGLAS, Humboldt
WALBAM, EDNA, Cooks Mills, III, died
last night at a hopsital.
PERKINS, RONALD, Nation.
RILEY. JACK, Nation.
MEYERS, PORTER, humboldt.
Trains Crash on Curve.
The collision occurred on a dangerous
curve half a mile west of the Glover
Leaf crossing. The cars which crashed
were the regular freight No. II, in
charge of Motorman Charles Bolts and
Conductor Frank Quicker, and the ex-
press, IN charge of MotOrman BENJAMIN
McCleary. Both trains We're running at
high speed and the impact when they
came together was 50 terrific that the
passenger trolley was telescoped by the
freight.
There were no warning whistles and
no chance for escape for any of the pas
not time even to apply the air brakes
before the crash came.
Owing to the fact that the telephone
apparatus with which each car was
equipped was ruined. there was no way
to summon assistance until some of the
survivors rap to Charleston, a mile dis
tant.
AS soon as the frenzied passengers
who escaped serious injury realized
what had occurred, they rendered every
assistance possible in taking out and car
ing for the injured.
1mprovised stretchers were made OF
car seats and the rescue work began
promptly. The traction officials here
were notified from Charleston of the dis
aster and a city car was pressed into
service, carrying almost every physician
and surgeon who could be located in the
short space of time which elapsed before
the car left.
A fast run was made to Urban Park,
where the cars bearing the dead and in
Jured TO Nation were passed. Several
OF the physicians returned TO NATION,
caring for the injured en- route the others
continuing to the scene of the wreck to
assist the Charleston physicians in caring
for the injured still lying on improvised
stretchers and the ground.
Heat Adds to Suffering.
The heat of the day added greatly to
hardships under which the rescuers
worked.
Racked by fever and pain, the unfor-
Inmates MANNED in the crash. cried out in
vain for water. Delirium followed this
plea in many cases, but there was no
water Immediately available, no way tc
get it until the relief cars arrived.
The search by survivors for missing
ones added to the confusion about the
wreck. Women sObbing, ran about as
if half demented. and swoOned when they
found the lifeless body of the one they
hunted. Men broke down and wept at
the pitiful scenes enacted about them.
The disaster has cast gloom over the
entire city. The theaterS are closed and
will 80 remain until after the funerals of
the victims.