Lemont, IL Train Wreck, May 1892

An Express Train Wrecked.

The Engineer Killed and Ten Passengers Seriously Injured.

Chicago, My 30.-The wreck of the Red Express, from St. Louis to Chicago on the Santa Fe Road, which occurred a mile and a half south of Lemont, a small quarry town abut twenty miles from Chicago, last night, resulted in the instant killing of the engineer W.A. ISABELLE, the serious injury of ten passengers, and the light injury of five more. A correct list of the dead and injured is as follows:

Killed.
W.A. ISABELLE, engineer.
Injured.

I.I. ALLEN of Chicago, injured in leg.
MRS. MARIA A BISSEL, Chicago, back injured.
J. EGGMAN of Chicago, slightly injured.
CHARLES FANNING, Chicago, scalp wound.
MRS. BELLE FRIELEY, Chicago, injuries to spine and head.
MRS. HULDA FRIEKE, Chicago, spinal injuries.
MAGGIE KILPATRICK, Chicago, hurt about hips and legs.
MRS. R. QUIGLEY, St. Louis, spinal injuries.
CHARLES M. WELCH, Chicago, knee injured.
CHRIS SLOSSON, Streator, Ill., fireman, leg and arm crushed.

“The accident was altogether unavoidable,” said Superintendent Ives to-day, “and not an iota of blame can possibly attach to anybody. A cow and calf got caught in a cattle guard just at a curve. It was impossible to stop the train and it was derailed. The engineer staid at his post and died bravely. We deplore the accident and have done everything in our power for all the injured. The money loss is hard to estimate, but it does not amount to much.”

The injured were conveyed to this city by a special train, arriving at 3 o’clock this morning. MRS. BISSEL and MRS. KILPATRICK were taken to the Mercy Hospital. The others were removed to their homes by a number of ambulances.

It is stated by the passengers that at the time of the accident the train was running at a high rate of speed to make up lost time. At the point before mentioned the engine struck a cow and calf, which were on the track. The engine and tank jumped the track, and, after running a short distance on the ties, rolled down the embankment into the Desplains River. The baggage car was landed on its side, the smoker followed, breaking the coupling, with the sleeper. The latter tumbled with fearful rapidity down into the tender with the engine and tender.

The panic and confusion which ensued made more difficult the task of attending to the wounded and of rescuing the occupants of the sleeper from their perilous position. Fortunately the depth of the water was not sufficient completely to submerge the train, and with such assistance as the trainmen could secure the passengers were taken out through the windows.

The Santa Fe officials say that the train was not running at an excessively high rate of speed, and that the indirect cause of the mishap was the sharp curve, which rendered it impossible to see the obstruction until it was too late to bring the train to a standstill.

The New York Times, New York, NY 31 May 1892
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Transcribed by June. Thanks June!