AWFUL RAILWAY DISASTER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2356, 16 August 1887, Page 2

AWFUL RAILWAY DISASTER.

100 PERSONS KILLED AND -100 IN JUKED.

[UEOTKIt's TELEGRAMS-! New Youk, August 12. Further particulars of the railway disaster in Illinois state that the train con-istod of two engines and a large number of cars, which contained over a thousand passengers, chiefiy from the town of Peoria. The driver of the foremost engine, on approaching the bridge, saw that it was in flames, but was unable to stop the train in time to avert the catastrophe. The engines and carriages were completely wrecked. Over a hundred persons were killed outright and four hundred injured. [PRESS ASSOCIATION'. | London, August 13. The accident to the train at Illinois neenrred at midnight. The first engine cleared the bridge, but the second, to which were attached ten carriages crammed with passengers, was wrecked, six of the carriages being telescoped. The wrecked carriages ignited, and those who were not injured and least wounded, desperately combated the flames for four hours, smothering the fire with handfuls of earth, until a torrent of vain extinguished it. Meanwhile the wounded remained without attendance, and suffered great agony from want of water. Two of the male passengers, who dreaded the approach of lire, committed suicide. Prowlers robbed many of the dead and wounded, but desisted on a lynching party being organised. The driver of the second engine was beheaded. One hundred and fifty were killed and three hundred wounded, many fatally. Tile six hindmost carriages, composed of sleeping cars, escaped from the accident.