Chicago, IL Elevated Train Wreck, May 1899

FORTY ARE INJURED

COLLISION AT CHICAGO ON LAKE STREET ELEVATED ROAD YESTERDAY-CREATES PANIC AMONG PASSENGERS

EXPRESS TRAIN CRASHES INTO THE LOCAL TRAIN AT OAKLEY AVENUE STATION

A RAILROAD ACCIDENT

CHICAGO, May 31, --Forty people were injured in a collision on the Lake Street
Elevated railroad yesterday afternoon at 2 o'clock. The Harlem race track special
ran into a regular local train at the Oakley avenue station. Panic seized the
passengers, who rushed from the cars cut and with blood flowing from their
wounds. The last reports of the collision show that three people were internally
injured and two score more cut, bruised and severely shocked.

A partial list of the victims follows:

HALPIN, WM, 195 West Madison street; face and hands cut.
JOYCE, W. A., 142 Lake avenue, Oak Park; back injured.
KANE, GEO., 220 Wells street, arm sprained.
LYON, A., 1351 Lake street, right arm cut.
MILLER, H., 3349 Forest avenue, Oak Park; internally injured.
MOONEY, P., 991 Park avenue; back cut and sprained.
MOONERT, CHAS., 170 Park avenue; right knee sprained.
MOLIEX, N.O., 38 Francisco street; face cut and contused.
O'DELL, HENRY, 41 St. John Place, hand injured.
O'LEARY, DANIEL, slightly hurt.
ROTH, E.C., 46 Cass street, left hand cut and side and shoulder strained.
RILEY, E.J., 43 Wilmont avenue, right rib fractured.
ROBOCK, MISS GRACE, 3241 Forest avenue, Oak Park; internally injured.
SAXON, MRS., 1314 Prairie avenue, Oak Park; internally injured.
TUBERG, MISS W., 671 Erie street.
TASER, L. W., 755 Walnut street; bruised and shocked
WILKIN, G., 224 Park avenue; face cut.

C.H. Smith was the motorman on the special. He said he had been in the company's employ for two years. He was in motor car No. 125, and stated he was running his train at a moderate rate of speed. Passengers assert that the train was going at a twelve-mile-an-hour rate. The special at a standstill came out of the mix-up as the later was about to leave the station. The motorman said he thought the forward train was moving, and when he saw it was still at a halt he put on the air brakes, but there was no response, and so he reversed his motor lever. He was not quick enough, however, for the special hit the rear coach of the local a smashing, terrible blow.

The passengers within the cars were thrown and hurled in all directions. One man standing on a rear platform was pitched through the back window of the car. Others were thrown from one seat over another and finally landed in the aisle. The motorman of the special was uninjured. The people in the last car of the regular train were as badly shaken up and bruised as any of the passengers. In fact, it is said that the train that was at a standstill cme [sic] out of the mix-up much the worse of the two.

Though the collision means a big loss to the elevated road, and caused many a disability among the passengers, it was not without humorous features. The hundred people or more who had their heads out of the windows were thrown back so sharply that their hats flew off in all directions. There was a shower of all kinds of
millinery from the two trains, the hats dropping about in the muddy street below.

Fort Wayne News, Fort Wayne, In 31 May 1899
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Transcribed by Connie Anderson. Thank you, Connie!