MANY PERSONS KILLED

A Train on the Wabash Road Crashes Into an Open Switch.

IT COLLIDES WITH A FREIGHT TRAIN

Kingsbury, Ind., the Scene of a Horrible Railroad Accident Early This Morning -- The Two Day Coaches, One Baggage Car, One Sleeper and Both Engines a Mass of Ruins -- The Number of Killed and a List of Names Not Yet Obtained.

ST. LOUIS, Sept. --- At Kingsburry [sic], Ind., a station on the Wabash road, sixty-five miles East of Chicago, the second section of the westbound passenger train No. 53, from Detroit to Chicago, ran into the eastbound freight train No. 92, standing on a siding at 5:20 o'clock this morning, wrecking both engines, coaches and sleeper of the passenger train. Relief trains started immediately to the scene of the wreck, taking physicians. It is reported that ten persons have been taken out dead, Engineer GREEN and Conductor COULTER of the passenger train being among the killed. The engineer of the freight train is reported injured.

Everything is being done to make the injured comfortable at the neighboring farm houses. The accident was caused by the brakeman of the freight train turning the switch to let the freight train out of the siding after the first section of the passenger had passed and just before the arrival of the second section.

Besides the fearful loss of life and the number injured, both engines are wrecked and two coaches, one baggage car and one sleeper are smashed and splintered. Most of the passengers hurt were in the day cars. One sleeper alone was not derailed. Fifteen doctors were soon at the scene of the wreck which was horrible in the extreme.

Superintendent GOULD of the Wabash also arrived shortly after the wreck. Among the first names of victims learned were those of Engineer GREEN of Peru, Ind., and Conductor COULTER. They were reported in a dying condition.

Before the freight had gotten under motion the second section of the passenger came thundering along at a rate of forty-five miles an hour to make up lost time. Before the switch could be closed the passenger train ran in on the side track and crashed into the freight. The engines Jammed into each other clear up to the cylinders. The smoker and one day coach telescoped, crashing the sleeping passengers in the latter in a heart sickening manner. The second day coach was thrown across the tracks on top of the debris of the forward coaches. There were two sleepers and the head one crashed into the forward coach and for the length of three berths was torn to atoms, the passengers, six in number being badly injured, but none killed outright.

The killed are: JOSH McKENNA, Hyde Park, Mass.; HENRY FRENCH, London, Eng.; CHARLES BURLIA, San Francisco; MISS ALICE H. REED, East Boston, Mass. MISS NELLIE N. TUCKER, Newton, Mass.; J. E. COULTER, conductor of passenger train, Detroit; JOHN GREEN, engineer passenger train; J. W. GRIDER, Phoenix, Ariz., baggageman; H. C. ____, Germany; and an unknown man.

The injured are: E. P. DOW, Brooklyn, N. Y., face and head cut; MISS KELLY, Brooklyn, Mass., head cut and wrist broken; OTTO HENCK, Hamburg, Germany, back hurt; J. H. VALKINNEY, Ashley, Ind., fireman of the passenger train, injured internally; H. W. RIDER, Phoenix, Ariz., face cut; MRS. H. W. RIDER, leg broken; MISS. E. W. BURBANK, New Orleans, leg and arm broken; SIMEON CANFIELD, Ironwood, Mich., leg cut; FRANK DAMRIN, Chicago, forearm broken; HATTIE HUTCHINS, Phoenix, Ariz., injured internally; WILLIAM HOPKINS, London, Eng., both legs broken, injuries will be fatal; JAMES B. WOOLSEY, London, Eng., internal injuries and scalp wound.

Numerous others sustained slight injuries. The only damage the freight sustained in addition to the those mentioned, is a car of meal which was destroyed.

Aspen Weekly Times Colorado 1893-09-23
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!