Altona, IL Train Wreck, Sept 1895

A PECULIAR WRECK

One Man Killed and Property Badly Damaged In Illinois.

Galesburg, Ills., Sept. 13.--The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy railway has had a peculiarly bad wreck just east of Altona. A westbound train broke in two, and as the front part slowed up at the water tank, the rear part ran into the front, causing a car of naphtha to ignite. There were 12 cars of naphtha and petroleum in the train, and all were soon ignited. The flames shot hundreds of feet high. Three cars exploded with tremendous force. The house of Thomas Craver, near by, was set on fire and destroyed, and Mr. and Mrs. Craver barely escaped with their lives. SAMUEL WELSH, 20 rods distant, a village fireman, was covered with burning oil and burned to death. Other firemen were badly but not fatally burned.

The loss to the railway company is $12,000. Houses a quarter of a mile away were scorched by the burning oil. C. O. Carlson, a locomotive fireman, was thrown from a tank and injured about the head. Oil cars are strewn along for half a mile. The track is twisted, telegraph poles down, ties burned, trees blasted and the whole scene is one of ruin.

The Salem Daily News, Salem, OH 13 Sept 1895
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Transcribed by Audrey. Thank you, Audrey!