The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1919-01-17
q PERSONS DIE IN
RAILWAY WRECK
N. Y. Central Flyer Crashes Into
an Express Train.
DISREGARD FLARE SIGNALS
Despite Fact Both Trains Were Com
posed of Steel Cars TWO Sleepers
Were TeIescoped-Bodies OF
Victims Terribly Crushed.

Batavia, N. Y. Jan. l3.-Twenty-one
passengers were killed and ID injured
on the Wolverine express of the rev
York Central when the southwestern
Limited of the same road crashed INTO
1t in a rear-end collision at South BY
ron, 80 miles east of Buffalo.
The last two sleeping cars OF the
Wolverine were telescOped-
Those identified are:
Franklin p. Leonard, believed co
have lived in Bear Lake, Mich. iden-
titled by tag with inscription "a. II.
F., 1917, A. =. & A. M. lodge No. 416."
S. d. Harvey, address not learned.
identified by service ring showing
service on the Mexican border, when
bears the inscription IS. ID. Harvey,
Sergeant. Company B, Thirty-second
Michigan infantry"
Ballard Jones, New York city, negro
porter on demolished sleeper.
Seriously injured at Batavia nos
eavia hospital:
Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Lickerman,
Chicago.
Mrs. Frances Dougherty, Flint,
Mich.
Bodies Crushed.
Among the unidentified dead are
four women. In nearly every case the
upper part of the body was so badly
crushed that recognition Of the facial
feature is impossible. The Genesee
county coroner said there was no
means of identification unless relatives
of the dead would examine the CLOTH
ing and tattoo marks on several or tne
bodies.
The Southwestern Limited was I'M
der the charge of an experienced en-
cine driver, who has spent several
rs on the Syracuse division. The
IMAM of the Wolverine says when
is train stopped he went back the
proper distance and set a red fuse be-
tween the rails.
The automatic signals. according to
railroad officials, were tested immedi-
ately after the accident and found to
be working properly. In the ordinary
course there would be two automatic
Signals set against the engine driver
of the approaching train beside the
torch, which was set by the flagman OF
the Wolverine.
investigation Starts.
A rigid investigation was immedi-
ately started to determine the respOn-
sibility for the collision.
South Byron is few miles beyond
Batavia, and the isjured were hurried
to the hospital at Batavia on special
relief train which had carried every
available physician to the scene of
the wreck a few minutes after word of
it was received in Batavia.
Both the Wolverine and the South
western Limited were composed Of all
steel cars of the most modern and
strongest construction. Yet SO great
was the force of the collision that the
last car was driven into the one be-
fore it, telescOping both.
All the passengers killed or wound
ed were in these cars and asleep at
the time. Both trains were west
bound from New York, the Wolverine
on it's way to Chicago and the other
to st. Louis.
The second section of the Wolver-
inc had stopped to take on an extra
engine. The f1agman, witnesses agree,
went back about 35 car lengths. as is
customary, and set his fuses burning.
overruns Burning Signal.
The Southwestern Limited came
tearing along through the night at high
speed. overrunaing the burning fuses,
according to the fiagman. and crushing
into the rear of the Wolverine.
The two cars were twisted about so
that three of the four tracks at this
noint were blocked with wreckage.
The passengers in the four sleeping
cars ahead were shaken up badly and
in some instances were thrown from
their berths, but because of the stanch
construction of the cars escaped seri-
Gus injury.
None of the passengers on board
the Southwestern Limited were killed
or injured.
AS fast as the injured passengers
were extracted from the wreckage
they we're wrapped in blankets and
hurried aboard the relief train, for Ii
was bitter cold, and this added to the
sufferings of those pinned In the
wreckage.
AS soon as possible the Wolverine
with its unchanged cars proceeded
70 Buffalo, while the Southwestern
Limited was continued on to st. Louis