Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-10-05
ALLEY electric traction system.

somewhere III Tic OlSpoSSAAH6 VI opSi
ating system of the Illinois Traction
system was directly responsible for
the wreck was strengthened when
word came from Springfield that en-
ployes Of the system. there. on hearing
of the disaster, promptly refused to
take out their cars on their regular
and extra runs to care for the crowds
attending the illinois state fair
Men Fear More Accidents.
The men gave as their reason for the
action the fact that during the last
forty eight hours many accidents have
been averted only by the narrowest
margin, apparently the confusion re-
sulting from the unusual rush of traf-
f1c with the state fair and the Yelled
Prophet celebration as magnets for
great crowds of excursionists. Later
the men were prevailed on to take their
cars out.
The spot where the collision occur
red last evening has long been re-
garded as a menace to the safe opera
ton Of trains. The single track
plunges abruptly from each direction
into a valley so deep as to give high
percentage Of down grade. AT the ex-
act center Of the valley there is sharp
curve known as Dickerson's curve. The
track has been so we'll laid that motor
men have been in the habit of taking
this curve at high speed in spite of
the danger presented by the sharp
curve.
Cars Meet in Valley of Death.
It was on this curve, at the bottom
Of this valley, that the cars crashed to-
gether at a speed estimated at forty
miles an hour. The passengers had
90 iVo-
pending disaster and those on the ex-
cursion train were gay at the thought
that they were being borne so swiftly
to the festivities in st. Louis
Farmers working in nearby fields
were the first to hear the roar Of the
collision, and when they ran to the
scene a terrible spectacle greeted their
ewes. Crushed out of all semblance to
their original shape the wrecked cars
lay twisted and tangled in death grip
in which were embraced more than two
score human beings most Of them not
only killed but terribly mangled.
Here and there in the debris were
pinned wounded men and women, and
their pitiful cries added to the horror
of the moment Aimlessly running
about, limping from the bruises they
had received in jumping to safety,
and wailing like men utterly bereft OF
their senses. the four members of the
crews were totally unfit to attempt to
cope with the emergency.
Farmers Aid the Victims.
Yeoman service in extricating the
wounded and caring for them In rude
fashion was performed by the farm.
ers. The district about the wreck Is
well covered with rural telephone lines
and these were brought into service to
summon volunteers to the scene. APP
peals were sent to Springfield and ST
Louis, and all other large towns nearby
for immediate aid.
While they waited for the doctors
and nurses and others whose business
would tell them just what to do for the
| wounded these farmers worked like
mad to get out as many wounded as
they could and make them as comfort
able as possible. The farmers wives
also came from their kitchens and
formed a volunteer nursing corps. tear
ing up sheets for bandages and arranG-
ing to receive into their homes such
Of the wounded who could be moved in
the farm wagons which the workers
sons and daughters drove.
Within short time after the wreck
the first doctors arrived and soon af-
terward other special cars from points
farther off brought more assistance.
The wounded were in the minority.
however, as most of those riding in the
two cars had either been killed out
right or had succumbed to their in
juries before being extricated from the
wreckage.
Friends Identify Victims.
Arrangements were made to take the
o,,;k 70 oh
miles from ST. Louis, while the dead
were taken to Carlinville. Relatives
and friends of persons known ITO have
been travelling on the two cars reached
the latter town and identified eighteen
of the bodies. 1t is probable that many
of the victims never will be definitely
identified.
Motorman and Conductor Arrested.
Motorman Hermann and Conductor
Leonard, in charge of train No. a.
were arrested at their homes this
morning, taken to Carlinville and held
for the coroner's inquest. Company
officials accuse them of over-running
the point of meeting the other train.
An Awful Spectacle.
Conductor Wilconson, in charge Of
the first relief train to reach the scene
Of the wreck, said today: "It was aw-
full. saw legs, arms, heads and Dod'es
protruding from every conceivable
place. People in the wreckage were
crying piteously and while we did all
we could to rescue them. there were
so many that our efforts seemed OF no
avail People were crushed between
the floors of the cars and wedged in so
tightly that we could not rescue them
until we got Jack screws and lifted the
cars.
"a majority of those killed were men
in the smoking compartments and
women riding in the front seats of the
two cars. Several persons riding in
the rear seats of the two cars were un-
injured"
The body of one Of the unidentified
women is now known to be that of
Mrs. B. F. Redshaw. of Curran, III.
Former Iowa Man Victim.
Des Moines, Oct. 5.-James w. Miller,
Of Gillespie, ILL.,, one Of the victims of
the wreck near Staunton. was. for nine
years an Iowa state mine Inspector.
Miller was we'll known in political and
labor circles in Iowa.