Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-21
TERRIFIC CRASH,
KILLS AND MAINS
Many Victims of Train Wreck
Near Antwerp.
SO BODIES ARE RECOVERED
Worst Railway Catastrophe Ever
Recorded in Belgium.
NOT A PASSENGER ESCAPED
Station at Contich Converted Into
Temporary Morgue and Hospital
Engine Jumped the Track.
SO BODIES ARE RECOVERED
NOT A PASSENGER ESCAPED

\ railroad accident OF unprece-
dented horror in the annals of Bel
nian train disasters occurred at
600 O'Clock this morning at Con-
itch, a station six miles southeast
of Antwerp. on the main line. An
express train from Antwerp to
Brussels crashed into train
loaded with pilgrims on their way
to local shrine. This train was
standing on a siding. Several Of
its cars were telescoped and shat
tered to matchwood. The total
number OF dead is placed at fifty
and the wounded at over one hun
dred. Up to 4 o'clock this after
noon thirty-eight dead and seven
tv-nine wounded had been re-
moved from the wreckage.
ANTWERP. May 21.-The worst rail-
gium took place near Contich. six miles
southeast of Antwerp. this morning. when
because of a misplaced switch the Ant
uerp express, running fifty miles an hour.
crashed into a train loaded with pilgrims
or siding.
Every car of the pilgrim train. except
ing the foremost one was telescoped.
The cars were literally ground to pieces.
and practically all the passengers were
either killed or badly injured. Thirty
eight dead people already have been re-
moved from the wreck. and succor is
being extended 20 more than 100 injured.
Surgeons, doctors and nurses arrived
early from Antwerp at the scene of the
wreck. Shrieking and helpless wounded
persons are still pinned under the debris,
and the scene is one Of horror that beg
gars description.
Station BecoRes a Morgue.
The station at Contich has been con-
verted into temporary morgue and
hospital and is rapidly filling up with
the dead and wounded. Everything
possible is being done to alleviate thu
suffering of the injured All the clergy
and physicians of Contich and the SOL
diers from the neighboring barracks
are taking part in the work. In addi-
tion to the surgeons who hurried down
from Antwerp. an ambulance corps
from Amiens also is on the scene.
1t now appears that the locomotive of
the express train jumped the track and
plunged into and completely wrecked
the last three passenger coaches of the
train on the siding. This train was
carrying an excursion of pilgrims to
local shrine.
Collision Occurred at Depot.
The collision occurred at 9:O6 m, just
as the express from Antwerp to Brussels
was entering the depot at Contich. The
train loaded with pilgrims was bound
for Turnbout.
The work of extracting the dead and
wounded from the debris appalled, even
the stoutest of the rescuers. Many of
the bodies had completely lost all human
shape and were reduced to pulp, heads
arms and legs having been ground off
by the wheels and scattered through the
wreckage. Three decap pitated bodies were
found twenty feet from the track.
Up to I O'Clock this afternoon thirty
eight dead and seventy-nne wounded had
beeh recovered. The occupants of the
ears were mostly workmen and peasants.
The wounded persons are being trans
ferred from Contich to Antwerp and
Brussels as rapidly as possible.
Three OF the wounded already have died
Women Among the Dead.
There are several women among the
dead.
4 second class coach was overturned by
the force of the impact. The bodies of
the wounded were so pinned down by
wreckage that the rescuers had to make
use Of axes to get the victims free
The signal man at Contich saw that his
switch was not working just as the
Antwerp express ca me laundering down
the line. He leaped from the window
Of his signal station and heroically ran
down the track toward the oncomins
train waving a red flag His effort how
ever. was too late to avert a disast er
The engineer and the fireman of the ex-