WhoK Island Daily Argus.
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XL3 1 NO. 4
ROCK ISLAND. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21 189?
Single Copies S CM
Per Week ISM DM
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THE LONDON .
Our "Iron Clad Combination Suits" for chil
dren a genuine cellar-door slider.
IN FEARFUL AGON Y
Coat,
Two Pants,
And Cap.
All ro
Match.
Age 5 to 11
The Greatest Line in Town.
PRICES much less
Than any other house.
Come and look.
Big Store.
The
London
Blue Front.
Open evenings.
i
Li
i il it y II i
II W f f Tr Ir2 1
We take great pleasure in beingjable to announce to the ladies of
ihe three cities that we have made extensive additions to our de
partment of evening fabrics, and have also added a "Dark Room" for
ihe better display of these beautiful tint effects. You see ;he shades
:n this room just as they appear in the evening. Among the new
additions to this department may be found the "Opal" silk As the
opal is among gems so is this silk among silks. Satin Duchess in
rose pink, Nile green, sky blue, corn and pearl shades may be foi nd
at a very nominal cost. 'Chiffons in the delicate tints. Also Bro
caded Japs, and plain Pongees, satin point yae and two-tone lustres
that can only be appreciated by seeing. Laces, velvets, pearl, jet and
braid trimmings to match. All shades may also be found, and most
cordial attention will be shown to anyone wishing to see these ex
quisite fabrics; black and white silks, and colors on black are also a
strong feature in our silk department. We sell the best, by far the
best, $1 black silk in the market, and invite comparison.
The Victims of a Train Wreck
Meet Death.
If you are out shopping Saturday don't tail to visit us. We will
uo you good. Keep your eye on our bast windows. Saturday is
the last day on these "Victoria Cords" at the price. As to the "Py
ramid of Underwear," that's what we want you to keep your eye on.
We will make a price Saturday that will break all our previous
records.
HARNED, PURSEL & VONBAUR,
DAVENPORT, lA. Leaders and Promoters of Low Prices.
WENTY PEOPLE BURNED BY INCHES
Mot Frightful Disaster of the Ssr.es
That Has Made October,
1893, Noted.
VERY DEADLY NEGLECT OF ORDERS
The Cause of a Holocaust, the Details ot
Which Are Too Horrible for Narration
A Score of Fasseng-era Pinned In the
Burning Wreck and Sloalr Roasted rail
Identification Grtvtome Description ol
What Was Left of the Victims Names
of the Wounded Dreadful and Iterolc
Death of a Christian Woman Relics of
. the Horror.
Battle Crkek. Mich.. Oct. 81. The
error of one human being of a man who
at this time crouches affrighted like a
hunted animal in a prison cell led to the
greatest railroad holocaust io the history
ot Michigan, and twenty-six human lives
have paid the penalty of the moment's
negligence. Two trains, lioth laden with
passengers, met in a direct head-on col
lision on the Grand Trunk railroad at 3:45
a. m. in the suburbs of this city,
and that the number of dead and injured
was not four fold greater is due to the for
tunate fact that the collision occurred in
the suburbs of a city instead of in the open
country where roth trains would have
been running at full speed. As it is,
twenty-six charred, disfigured and un
recognizable bodies lie in the morgue, avd
twentv-seveu maimed ami bleeding vic
tims are groaning in agony in the charily
hospital.
Dcatli-Ktill Likely To !'.- l.arefr.
How many of these wounded may be in
the de .1 Ii list none can tell, for the in
juries in niauy cases itre int-ernal and
quite unfathomable to tlie only superficial
medical examination that is possible now.
All that surgical science can do is being
done, and the officials of the Chicago and
Grand Trunk railway are doing ail ihat
i9 possible to allevia'.e the condition of the
Buffering and care for the needs of the vic
tims of the dreadful disaster, ihe two
trains which met face to face were both
regular trains, although each nat con
siderably behind lime. One was a Ray
mond and Whitcomb special train icturn
ing from the World's fair and bound fo.-
New York and Boston, and the other
was the regular Pacific express westbound
train.
Clear Neglect of Orders.
The Raymond ami Whitcomb was run
ning as an extra sectiou of a regular train
and was therefore a "regular" in the
phraseology of the railroadmen. The en
gineer of tlie latier train had positive or
ders to sale track for the express at a sid
ing a mile ea.-t of this city. He ignored
these orders an 1 (j - Suet beyond this sid
ing he nut the cast hound train full on.
Both trains cere wrecked ami half the
train if ti e Pacific express was demol
ished anil lii;:in-ii. Tne liavuioiid and
V hitc.'lni) t ra:n, being composed ':i,ost
entirely of htavy sleepers. ec.iped serious
injury. The engineers and iirenien of IkpUi
trains jumped in time to save their lives.
It was on the Pacific express that the hor
rors took place.
Twenty I'liidentilied Corpses.
The day coaches in the front part of this
train were telescoped and burned, and of
the twenty-six human corpses recovered
conjectures only can be made as to the
Identity of six Twenty remain eutirely
unidentified. Those identified by letters
or articles in their clothing or by other
means are as follows: C. C Van Dusen,
of Sproutbrook, N. Y., died at the hopital;
Mrs. C. C. Van Buseu, of Sproutbrook, N.
Y., burned to death after the wreck and
before she could be extricated; W. W.
Henry, of Wooasocket, R. I., binned to
crisp; Mrs. F. R. McKenzie, of .Middlelown.
Conn., burned to crisp; T. A. MiGarvey, of
Ontario, Canada, mangled and burned to
death; J. W. Beardsley, of Watkins, X.
Y., burned and mangled. The coroner
has numbered each of the bodies now in
the morgue consecutively and noted the
articles that have been found ou each
body that might lead to identification.
Official List of the Dead.
Relatives or friends telegraphing from
a distauce as to the identity of the remains
should mcution the number of the body,
in order that the proper record may be
made by the coroner and mistakes avoid
ed in forwarding the remains. The coro
ner's official list of the remains now at the
morgue is as follows:
'o. 1. Male, hunting spectacles, two
blaukbooks, bottle of pills, railroad ticket;
pocketbook containing tJ4 in money, and
paper marked E. J. Mogou, Providence,
H. I.; silver, open-faced watch, and pocket
kniie. No. 2. "Female, burned to a crisp; no
clothing.
No. 3. Boy, red hair, pocketbook, chat
elain watch, handkerchief with red bor
der, short trousers and long stockings.
No. 4. W. W. Henry, of Woonsocket,
U. I..
No. 5. Male, silk handkerchief marked
"T.;" black suit, statement on paper from
John Monroe, banker of New York, to
Charles E. Werde; also note in German
from Charles E. Weuzle to Dr. Howard
Evance.
No. 6. Male, jackknife, horn handle;
pocket book and silver watch; brown
trousers, old fashioned front flap; money
ou persou, English gold coin; gold spec
tacles, silk scarf, handkerchief with "II.
Q. "In old English letters.
No, 7. Male, J70 pounds; charred he
yond recognition. ,
Ko- 8. Woman, weight about 165
pounds; chain bracelet, pair black kid
gloves; handkerchief with name, F. K. Mc-
Kenzie; package of rubbers in paper
marked Middletown, Conn.; red plush
cloak; gold watch in leather case; letters
on person addressed to Mrs. F. R. McKen
tie from Mrs. M. Parker, of Stanford,
Conn.; fib in money.
Ao. v. f emale, burned beyond recogni
tion. No. 10. Supposed to be T. A. McGarvey,
f Toronto; gold open faced watch.
No. 11. Mrs. Charles an Dusen, ot
Sproutbrook, N. Y.
No. 12. Baby, unknown: burnea to a
crisp.
No. 13. Male, no identification, burned
to a crisp.
No. 14. Male, weight about lfMi pounds.
silk handkerchief, no other identification:
burned to a crisp.
No. 15. Woman, no Identification;
burned to a crisp.
No. 10. Man, 145 pounds, silver bunting
watch with initials "V. A."
No. 17. Woman, 100 pounds, no identi
fication. No. 18. Woman, 140 pounds, chain
bracelet with key lock.
No. 1C. Woman, chain bracelet, black
V.k dress, blue striped underskirt; burned
beyond identification.
No. 20. Woman, no identification.
No. SI. Man, named J. W. Beardsley, of
Watkins, N. Y.
Nos. 22, 23 and 24. Burned entirely be
yond identification and nothing to lead
thereto.
No. 25. Man, weighs 150 pounds, open
face watch; no further identification.
RELICS OF THE VICTIMS.
away. As tee maze cangnt ner arms and
as she fought wildly to keep the names
from her face she told her name and ad
dress and left messages of lore to her hus
band and family. The closing minute was
a pathetic struggle against the inevitable,
but it was the flesh that fought and not
the spirit. The white face of the woman
gazed heavenward and her lips moved in
prayer. Even the fury of the flame that
wreathed her limbs and blistered and
curled the white flesh of her arm were
powerless to provoke a scream.
"Suddenly there was a swaying and surg
ing of burning timbers above and around
her. A wild groan burst simultaneously
from the lips of the spectators, and strong
men wept. Through their tears they aalr
the flarots. sweep around the face of the
martyred woman and her hair burned
wildly for a moment. The bead dropped
to one side as the victim inhaled the flames.
The praying lips were stilled and the BOTtl
of Mrs. Van Dusen had passed beyond the
fury of the elements of earth. An hour
later the husband, for whom she bad left
a loving message, joined her in the world
to come.
HOW THE HORROR OCCURRED.
Articles Found in the Wreck That May lie
Cseful The Injured.
The following articles found among the
remains of the burned and mangled are
also at the morgue, but it is impossible to
connect them with any particular victim:
A book, "League of American Wheel
men," with name inside of William Louis
Wilson, Northwestern university, Evans-
ton, Ills; with this a plate engraved with
the same Dame and a large number of
cards printed W. L. Wi'son; a shirt
market ColutnbuslXti; cards and en'
velopes marked L. B. Haves. The cards
were bought of George Muir, Evanston,
Ills. A box o.' pills marked Bradley, EV
anston. Ills. A Bible thoroughly wet and
partiallv burned gave the following on
ihe title page: "Emblem for St. Clement's
class an author. Hebrews C, IP; teacher.
J. S. Arch Easter, 1!?S3. The name be
ing so near the edge, it could not have
been ArcliihaKl, but a short name like
Archer. Some thought it Wich instead
ol Arch. A chain of gold beads was
found quite ia ge lieads, circular and ap
part-title sii;i; also three watches, cuff
but'.ou-, iiu whistle, etc.
I'ecple TaKeu to tlie Hospital.
The injured were conveyed to the
Nicholas Memorial hospital ir. this city
The following is the complete list: W. A
Ryerse, Port Dover, Out., leg and shoulder
hurt; Mrs. Henry Bushnell, Brockport
Monroe county, N. Y., badly bruised about
body; F. H. Smith, Fort Plain, N. Y., leg
hadly bruised, right leg and thigh broken,
left leg amputated below knee expected
to die; J. Harvey Smith, Fort Plain, N. Y.,
father of F. II. Smith, left side severely
bruised; Mrs. J. Harvev Smith, Fort
Plaiu, N. Y., leg broken; Nellie E. Smith,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. Harvev
Smith, bruised generally about the head
and body, bones extracted from left foot;
Belle W illiams. Brockport, N. Y., right
ankle broken; I red urtz, Rochester, N.x.
h tc side bruised and legs injured; Evelyn
urtz. Rochester, N. Y., left arm and
collar bune broken, side punctured severe
ly by corset steels; Frank Turn, Midtll
Smiibfield. Pa., back sprained, rightkuee
cap frightfully torn and left leg bruised;
.1. (. Stewart, iJalton Station, Cookcoun
ty, lil., badly bruised; Jennie Stewart,
Da.ton. 1. 1., 1 1 years old, daughter of J. C
Su wai t.lelt arm broken; William Thomp
son, ooustock, Ont., head bruised; t rank
l.ogers, V, ooaVtock, Out., left hand in
j ireii; Mrs. Robert Vance, Simcoe, Ont.
both legs broken; George Vance, Simcoe,
Ont., 14 years old, sou of Mrs. Robert
Vance, severely bruised, Albert Brad
ley, Toronto, Out., left leg "crushed
and subsequent ly amputated below knee;
and middle toe ou right foot also ampu
tatedf George Shockleton, Albany, N. Y.,
fingers of right hand cut; James S. Arch-
beld, Evanston, Ills., right ankle mashed;
Ezekiah Davidson, Fairport, N. Y., back
sprained and head bruised; Charles
Beardsley, Springfield, Mass., left ankle
sprained; S. H. Baldwin, Milford, Conn.,
right leg cut and head bruised; C. T.
Adams, Buffalo, N. Y., left hand injured
Clinton H.Ward, Moontown, Vt., t right
band cut; ii. . illiams, Toronto,
Canada, injured badly through hips and
leet lacerated; J. 11. Smith, Ingersol, Ont.
stomach, bapfc and head hurt.
ONE SCENE OF AGONY DESCRIBED
Harrowing Scenes After the Trains Cot
lided Statements of Scott and Wooley.
The orders to the engineer and conductor
of the Raymond and Whitcomb train
were explicit, could not have been misun
derstood and were not. Both Engineer
Henry Wooley and Conductor Scott admit
this. Wooley says the conductor told him
at the time his engine was coupled to the
train that No. '. had gone by that be was
sure: of it. ooliy says he ?an prove that
by his Ii reman. Scott says he said nothing
of the kind; that he knew the orders and
knew that No. 9 bad not gone by and could
not have said what Wooley says he did.
The orders were for the Raymond train to
wait for the Pacific to pass at the siding
at Nichols. Wooley ignored the order and
went right along on the muiu track. Both
men were arrested and Wooley is in jail
in default of bond.
Wheu the trains met the Raymond train
was at a stands! ill or the loss of life would
have been greater. Wooley was on his
engine and had his side hurt. The first
four coaches of the I'acific telescoped.
The passengers were caught in their seats
ami the general mast, of ruins, and to add
to tneir agouy the burning lamps explod
ed and in a moment the four cars were A
sheet of llame. The Battle Creek fire de
partment got a chemical engine to the
scene by hauling it there hv hand, the
ground being impracticable lor horses,
and it is due to its efforts that anything is
left of the dead except ashes.
To show the terrible havoc of tiie flames
it may be stated that the best preserved
body was that of a boy and the upper
part of his head hfjd been burned off, and
the fact that he had no other wounds leads
to the inference that he died by inches
slowly roasted. There were other cases
nearly as heartrending. Some of the
bodies were headless, some armless, and
all were shrivelled and disfigured beyond
resemblance to human lieings. According
to thej present outlook F. II. Smith, 17
years old, is te only one of the wounded
who will die. - The others will all recover.
They were reported out of danger at mid
night, and all are receiving in the most
careful and experienced attention.
The wreck whs a carnival of death, a
holocaust of the most ghastly description.
Nothing so horrible has been known any
where in the country for years. As the
charred remains were dragged from the
wreck they were piled in unrecognizable
Leaps i:i box cars. Evi ry lew moments
the ghastly store wa-increased. In some
instances .t was only aa armful! of bones;
in others charred flesh in shapeless masses.
Spectators were forced to turn aside, sick
and faint from the awful spectacle. Words
are wholly inadequate to depict the horror
of the situation. The cars were all burned
like tinder, most of the passengers being
pinioned in the wreck and utterly unable
to escape the I'ames.
EIGHT INJURED ALTOGETHER.
The Death of a Christian Uomiu Kcral
the Heroism of the Martyrs.
On the train wero Mr. and Mrs. C. C,
an Dusen, of Sprout Brook, N. Y. Mr.
Vau H use ii died in the hospital soou afte
he was taken ont of the wreck, conscious
to the last. He left his affairs in the hands
of Rev. George Culp, of this city. He
never knew the frightful fate of his wife.
She was pinned in the telescoped cars
and at first had no doubt of her escape.
As she looked out of the window and
awaited her rescuers the alarm of fire was
suddenly given. "Hurry up; please hurry
up," she said, as the fear crossed her mind
that perhaps she was possibly in danger
of burning. A minute later, while strong
men were straining to extricate her, this
possibility became a probability, and the
flames crept rapidly toward the impris
oned woman. "You shan't burn; we'll get
you out," cried the men heroically, as
they wrestled frantically with the splin
tered timbers. There was a lull of speech
for live minutes. The rescuers had be
come giants in strength and desperation
and they struggled wildly with the tan
gled mas'! of wood aud iron.
The woman was silent and gazed im
ploringly and inquiringly into the faces of
the firemen. "My God, Oh My God," sud
denly burst from the lips of one of the he
roic workers, and in that despairing heart
cry the helpless woman read her death
warrant. She gave one agonizing wail,
and then her woman's weakness gave way
to her martyr's strength. "I can die. Oh,
yes, I can die, if I must," she said sooth
ingly to the strong men who were weeping
in their impotent strength. Again they
struggled breathlessly to rescue but the
flames were encircling the party and the
blaze claimed the victim that the crash
had tpared. "I am a Christian," she said,
resignedly, and a moment later her voice
was raised in prayer.
The flames now completely encircled the
helpless victim and the men were drjveu
I arts Kr;arding the Disaster on the Illi
nois Central. i
CnrcAGO, Oct. 21. There was no one
killed in the wreck at Otto Junction on
the Illinois Central. Eight were wounded,
aud all the passenger cars were thrown offj
the track and on their sides. The ca'
were crowded with passengers and it is a
miracle the casualty roll is not both long !
and terrible. The injured were brought '.
to this city aud five taken to St. Luke's'
hospital. Only two were severely hurt J
and they, the physician's say, Lave about
an even chance. 1
Following is the list of hurt, the first
two being the serious cases: J. D. Davis,
Flippeu, Ga , head cut, legs bruised and '
back injured; Tt B. Saffer, Fisher, Ills., ;
back hurt an ' ' '' Mrs. E. i
B. Stayton,
bruised and
T. F. Brov
bruised and
cago, scalp i
leg crushed; J. W. xjiv... ,
hip bruised and left ankle badly spraiuct.
J. M. Marley, Piano, Ills., right hip and
leg bruised, foot cut; J. E. Loiseau, Nash
ville, Tenn., cut on head.
The two trains were both bound north
at a different angle and the coal train
struck the passenger at an acute angle.
Assistant General Superintendent Harti
Ku, of the Illinois Central, said that the
blame of the accident had not been located
yet, but it is believed the only reason
which can be assigned for the collision i
that the dense fog prevented both en
gineers from seeing the approaching
trains.
rrep'aring for Trouble With Strikers.
Macos, Mo.. Oct. 21. The Huntsville
coal mine strikers, by force and persua
sion combined, induced the miners at Ard
more to quit work. The riot act is being
posted and Sheriff White is preparing for
trouble. j
The' British steamship Horn Head
which left Baltimore Aug. 19 for Dublin! '
has at last been given ud. no hone nn tJL I
ing entertained of anything ever being
heard from her. She had thirty souls on
uuai u.
Lamplighter, Yo Tambien and Clifford
2i -?n JIawthorne track, Chicago, j
pet. 2S if the weather and track arel
favorable. , ;
Keep the blood pure by taking j
Hood's Sarsaparilla- If you decide
to buy Hood's Sarsaparilla, do not be
Persuaded to take any other. (
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