A Terrible Tale

BCOHEti Mr.l'.T DEATH. Chicado, Aug. 12.- The most appalHng railway disaster on record occurred at a latehour WertnesJay night, on the Toledo, PeQria & Wcstern' railroa.l, near Chatsworth, a vfflage about eighty miles from Chicago. A special train eonsisting of six day-coaehes, six sleping-cars and three baggage-cars, and oarrying 'JtíO excursionista bound for Niágara Falla, went throujjh a burning wooden culvert three mileseast of Uhatsworth. Two engines were pulling the train, the lirst of which passed over the culvert In safety. The second engine went down, the baggage and daycoaches followod, and in a flash the wreek was in flames, communicated from the burning culvert Ihe scènes that followed were harrowing in the extreme. For four hours the uninjured passengers and trainmen labored to smother the fire with earth, and meantime the work of recovering the dead and injured was rigorously prosecuted. When the flrst engine struck the bridge there was a crackling of timbers and the structure dropped. The leading engine was not thrown from the track and continued on its way, taking its tender with It. The next engine dropped into the chasm and then the train rus bed onward and was piled in a heap, with the exception of the sleepers, which escaped without a scratch. The scène of horror and confusión that followed was frightful. There were about 700 people on the train and of those fully one-half were in the coaches that now lay in a huge mass. Ten cars filled with dead and dying people were jammed into a space of two cars' length. The six coaches were telescoped in the most horrible mann er, and the occupants were simply crushed and mangled almost out of all semblance to human beings. Such ivas the awful momentum of the train that three of the coaches were not only telescoped, but piled on top of each other. The other cars had rolled off the track after telescoping. Kourteen trucks were piled on the east side of the culvert. In the midst of this awful mass of broken cars hundreds of human beings were intombed. One woman with her baby in her arms was thrown half the length of the car and killed. The baby was not injured. Four colored women sitting together were crushed to a pulp. As fast as possible the work of release was prosecuted, but about 2:20 o'clock it began to rain and the horror of the night was complete. The black darknesg, which was faintly illumined by lanterns and pierced by the awful yells and groans of the dylng, injured and imprisoned, was now joined by the elements, and the pouring rain, lightning, and the roar of thunder made a scène that would appall the bravest heart. The bridge whers the accident occurred is only some fifteen or twenty feet wide. There was no stona used in its construo tion. It is all wood- a mere trestle bridge about ten feet high. Some of the piles and cross-timbers have been weakened by fire and the rails softened from the sama cause. It is probable that when the double-header struck the bridge it yielded to such an extent and the rails spread so that the locomotives were deraüed near the east end of the bridge and ran into the embankment, and careening, went into the ditch. Peoría, 111., Aug. 13.- Peoria is stricken with trrief. The appalling disaster to the Niágara excursión train enters every circle in the city. From statements of gurvivors it appears that the culvert was burnlng before the train reached it. The scènes here are heartrending, business is stagnated, and thousands of people besiege the depot and newspaper offices. It is difflcult to get a list of the dead. G. W. Bcott, an oíd Toledo, Peoria & Western conductor, puts the number of deaths at 125 and of the wounded at 100, and this is an average of the estímate of other coolheaded survivors. Reports come in from nearly aïl those wounded that a great deal of robbing was done before their eyes, the thieves snatching breastpins and jewelry from the dead and insensible victims and making away with them. Chatsworth, 111., Aug. IS.- From the f ollowing summary the grand total of victims of the wreek vvill be seen : Total number of deaths up to this tim3, according to Official returns, 81 ; wounded seriously and treated for wounds, 124; wounded slightly and gone hom% 150; grand total of killed and wounded and injursd, 855. Mueh of the exeitement which has prevailed for the past three days has died out. Fokest, 111., Aug. 13.- The followlng is the coroner's list of dead revised up to the time the inquest was resumed yesterd%y : Mrs. Dr. Duckett, of Forest; Mrs. P. M. Creas, of Washington; Mrs. Arohie Croswell. of Peoría; man, unknown; Miss Minnie Alter; W.B. Potter, Bushnell, 111; Miss Eva Alter; a large woman, with gray hair; unknown woman; Mrs, J. M. Clay, of Eureka, Kan. ; James D. Richards, of Franklin, Neb.; S. G. Breess, of Peoria; Jesse Meek, of Eureka; Mrs. W. Gerretson. of Peoria: Mrs. Evelina Carrlthers, of Evuns, 111. ; R. E. Strachan, of Peor); Mtohael Regan, of Binghamton, N. Y. ; WMlam Cratg, of Cuba, 111. ; John Zeidler, of Pekln. 111.; Mr. E. Bill, of Berwick; WUlard Pátterson, of Wyoming; Wllllam Stephens, of Peoría; Noah Havermlll, of Cantón, 111.; MelviUe Smith, of Metamora; Mrs. Zlmmérman, of Peoría; George A. Smith. of Peoria; a lady; Agnes Murphy, of Peoria; Rose Murphy, aged three years; ■ girl two years old ; E. F. Adams, of Fairbury ; W. V. Trovlllp, of Abingdon, 111. ; W. H. Lot, of Ellwood; Ada'lr Webster, of Peoría; Mrs. Willlam Allen, of Peoria ; Mrs. Valde jo, of Peoria ; a railroad man ; Mr. Wrlght, of Peoria ; Mrs. lilEzte McClure and child. of Keithsburg; a girl; Mrs. James Dale; Mrs. Miller; lady and child; Mrj. William Bell, of Peoria; F. A. Wynett, of Peoria; a lady, a girl and a man- the latter large; E. Goodell, of Peoria; Rev. Wllliam M. Collins, of Galesburg; a young man; J. Bady; Joseph P. Kelly, of Breed' s Station: Mrs. John Murphy, of Peoría; & ohüd; a girl named Lottie; Henry Swegelson, Of Keokux, Ia. ; O. Spaits, of Green Valley, 111 ; N. A. Moore; J. D. McFadden, of Peoría; Captain Dahlke; a lady; A. Martin, of Bloomlngton; a young man; Ed McClintock, englneer; J. A. Green, of Breed' s, 111.; Miss May McEvoy, of Peoria; Miss McDonald; Isaac Borley; Pull Brown, of Breed's, 111.; Ed Brown; Mr. Haverhill, of Cantón, 111. ; a bootblack from Peoria, who frecuentad "Song Alley;" Paul Sanckthur. of Pekin; Miller Patterson, Wyomlng; F. K. Hill, Hcrv.ick: E. Hill and baby, Berwick; Ed Stoddiud, West Point, Ia.; George F. Hartug, of lïushnell; a two-year-old child of Mrs. Neal, of Peoria; H. Fry Sevegason, Keokuk, Ia. ; N A. Moore, residenc unknown; A. Martin, Uloomington ; - - McDonald, residence unknown. Total, 84 In addition to the abovo list there have been found the dead bodies of twenty persons whose names are unknown. Among them wero two women with Infants clasped in their arms. The f ollowing Is a Hst of the wounded: Miss Emnia Alter, West Point, Ia.; Homer Bond, a saloon-keeper, of Colchester, Dl. Mrs. Mary H. Gran;, of No. 1409 North Mfcdison Street, Peoría; Robert Zimmermann, druggist. Peoría, and his wfe; Miss Mary Morles. ol No. 223 Taylor street, Peoría; N. Chellew, the miller, and wife, of Glassford, 111, ; Theodore Godel, a buteher from Peoría; Mrs. K. H. Clark, Rootstown, O. ; E. F, Frenen, Peorla: Elton Waters, Peoria; Mrs. Laws and daughter, Sara May, of Eureka, 111.; H. B. Lawrence Burlington, Ia. ; C. H. Carter, Jr., of No. 816 Maple street, Burlington, Ia. ; John McMaster, of No. 100 Saratoga street, Peoría; J. W. Stearns, Green Valley, 111. ; John Stee, Wsn's Grove, 111.; Miss Ann Kellogg, TazeWell County, 111. ; Mrs. Dr. A. J. Welch, of the Spring Hill Park Sanitarium. Peoria; Mrs. W. H. Lott, Elmwood, 111.; Mrs. Isaac Rodney, Morrison, Whiteside County, 111. ; Mrs. Emmü Regon and son, Peoria; John Fry, Peoria; H. L. Ogden, Grayton, I1L; Florence Boucher, Bayard, Ia.; Pat Brady, Gilman, 111.; Sophia Pauline, Peoria; C. W. Young, West Jersey; C. W. Swank. West Jersey; G. A. Seott, Toulin. 1)1.; Thomas Trimms, Park Ridge, 111. ; Mrs. Edith Chellew. Grassford, 111.; Joe Neal, Mossvilie, 111.; Mrs. Joa Neal, Mossvill". TH.; Miss Julia Valdejo, Peoria; Abbie Edmonds. Disco. 111.; Dr. E. P. Hazen, Fort Madison. Ia. ; Mrs. H G. Thorne, Risk, 111. ; Mrs. Thomas McAvoy, Peoria; Mrs. I. W. Grant, Peovi:i, Otto Johnson, Burlington, Ia.: G. W. Cress, Washington, 111.; J. E. Dechman, Peoria; Madge T. Harris, Peoria; Arthur McCarty, Eureka, 111. : David Crawford, Hitton, 111.; Mrs. Henry Waters, Peoria; A. J. Kelly, a farmer from Fulton County, 111. ; Miss Julia Valdeío, Mrs. Dr. E. B. Hazen, Fort Madison, Ia. ; E. D. Stoddard, West Point, Ia. ; Artie Stoddard, West Point, Ia. ; J. Hicks, Chlllicothe, 111. ; Dr. C. Auringer, Detroit, Mlch. ; Mrs. Peterson, Peoria; Andrew McGraw, Peona; Mrs. Summers, Peoria; Annie Waters, Peoria; Mrs. M. Smith, Galesburg, 111. ; C. P. Van Lew, Galesburg, 111. ; J. V. Bogart, Claire, 111. ; Mr. Regan, Peoria; Mrs. Strachan, Syracuse, N. Y. ; Mrs. W. M. Smith, Abingdon, 111. ; A. W. Smith, Peoria; Mrs. Blaisdell, Bradford, 111.; Miss Pearl Weinnette, Peoria; Miss Eliza McDonald, Roberts, 111.; Mrs. Valentine, Peoria; Miss Forbes, Washington, 111.; Mrs. T. M. Barton, Tonica, 111. ; William Forbes, Elmwood, 111. ; A. F. McKee, a flreman, of La Harpe, 111. ; O. B. Nuzum, a woodturner, of Cantón, 111.; William Smith, Peoria; H. Abraham, the cigar manufacturer of South Water street, Chicago: David Crawford, Peoria; Adam Schaumbergtr, Peoria; Frank Snadicker, Abingdon, 111. ; Daniel Rock, Rosefield, 111. ; A. C. Jordán, Danville. Ia.; C. A. Green, Danville, Ia. ; Mrs. C. E. Allen, Galesburg, 111.; W. E. Ellis, Peoria; Minnie Vaughsdale, Peoria; Calvin Davis, Peoria; Conductor Stillwell; Frank Brown, Peoria; Blanch Allen, Peoria; A. B. Croswell. Kankakee, 111.: A.FMcGee, La Harpe. III. ; Mra.S.R. Borden, Tonica, 111.; William Forbes, Elmwood, 111.: Elizabeth Sellers, La Harpe. 111. ; Mrs. Liddia Walters, Peoria; H. Abrahom, Peoria: William Smith, Peoria; FranU Taylor, McComb, 111; Adam Shomberger. Peoria; L. Belsley, Deer Creek, 111. ;P.Crass, Washington, III.: B. Kelly, Breeds, 111.; Hartan Coon, Peotone: Miss Pearl Adams, Peotore; B. F. Ayers and wife. Morton, 111.; E. E. Putney. Pyotone; C. W. Webster, Peotone; William Ulrich, Peotone; G. H. Cottermale, La Harpe, 111. ; L. E. Rotterman, Peoria; W. B. McDonough, Macomb, 111. ; M. F. McDenna, Hallock, 111. ; T. Lawrence, Colchester, 111.; G. R. Stillwell, Bippers, Ind.; Robert Reed, Astoria, 111.; Edward Compton, brakeman, Peoria; W. R. Kirchoff, brakeman, Peoria; Elsie Ulrich, Peoria; Mrs. W. A. Sindell, Peoria; Mrs. James Cording, Risk, 111.; ttaree Turks from Assyrla; Peter Moran; Joieph Moran ; Antonio Lahert. qPeoeia, 111, Aug. 16.- It is said by good authority that the Toledo, Peoria & Western railroad will try to raise the money and pay off all claims for damages resulting from the late accident It Is probable that the whole matter will be settled at once, without litigation and without cost An enterprieing firm of Chicago solicitare is sending out circulare asking that claims against the company be placed in lts hands for collection. The list of fatalities, ae finally revised, and Bupposed to be complete, numbers seventyBeven names. Chatswoeth, 111., Aig. IC- Attorney Stevens, of the Toledo, Peoria & Western road, arrived here Monday, and said the bridge had undoubtedly been fired from sparks from the road-master's engine which passed over the line some hours before the ill-fated excursión train. The plundering of the dead and wounded is now conceded to have been done by pickpockets on the train.