| The Death Curve1910 Wreck of the I.T.S. Appalling Disaster That Put The Spark of Life Out of 37 Souls During the ten days between September 30th and October 8th 1910 Southern Illinois and Eastern Missouri were a buzz with fall festivals. The Illinois State Fair in Springfield, IL offered some of the most exciting events of that year. Those events included a Wright Brothers Airplane, Racing Automobiles competing for $18,000 in prizes, and a lecture by William Jennings Bryan called the Prince of Peace. This was in addition to a large stock exhibition and the improvements made to the fairgrounds. In Saint Louis, MO. The Veiled Prophet Pageant & Fair offered airplane flights, balloon races, and a large parade. In the late 1800's - early 1900's events of this type were often the only entertainment events attended by many families. Attendance at these events was high. The Illinois Traction System was a fast and affordable way to travel. The I.T.S. offerred special rates for transportation to and from the fairs. Those rates ranged from $2 - $5.95 depending the distance traveled. Demand for transportation during this season was high. The I.T.S. added several extra trains and hired new employees to meet the demand. On Tuesday afternoon, October 4, 1910, train No. 14, car No. 358, left Staunton a few minutes late. It was in charge of Motorman John Lierman and Conductor M. D. Leonard, who relieved the crew that brought the car from East St. Louis to this city, as was their custom. They had orders to meet the second section of train No. 73, car No. 359, at Wall’s siding, more commonly known as No. 14 siding. For some reason the order was disregarded and train No. 14 proceeded north and met No. 73 on the main track between Cahokia Creek Bridge and Dingerson Curve. Both motormen saved their lives by jumping from the trains, after shutting off the power and applying the air brakes to the limit of their capacity. Due to the high rate of speed the impact was horrific, one car going over half way through the other. Both cars were filled with passengers most of the dead and injured were on the South Bound car. The scene was difficult to describe the dead, dying and injured were piled in one bloody mass while the screams of the maimed and trapped added horror to the scene. It was the most frightful wreck in the history of the Illinois Traction System. The train crews did not shirk their responsibilities. They helped the injured and made a telephone call to report the accident. Every able man in the area came to the scene to help if they could. Other I.T.S. trains were sent to the scene to help transport the injured and dead. All of the injured were transported south to Granite City for treatment. The bodies of the dead were then transported north to Carlinville. The bodies were held by the local funeral director to be identified and turned over to family members for burial. Carlinville was over whelmed with phone calls, telegraph messages and family members trying to find their loved ones. The track was cleared about 11 o’clock p.m., and regular service resumed. Neither the track or overhead wiring were disturbed, a remarkable feat in so disastrous a wreck. A heavy rain the next morning washed away the crimson traces of the slaughter. Motorman John Lierman and Conductor M. D. Leonard were taken to Macoupin County Jail. The men were jailed pending the investigation of the accident and to protect them from outraged citizens and grief stricken family members. October 6th friends and family members of Leonard and Lierman had collected $2,000.00 cash to offer as bond for the release of the two men but they both refused to leave the jail out of fear of retaliation against them for their actions. The events of October 4th 1910 still remains the worst rail disaster in the history of the Illinois Tractions System. The I.T.S. continued it’s passenger service another fifty years and operated under the Illinois Terminal name as a freight service into the 1980’s. Installation of electric signal lights on the rail system occurred with in two weeks of the accident. The press at the time reported that the signal lights had been order prior to the accident and the installation of the lights was not a reaction to the accident. Article By: Daniel Mathis 06/29/2008 |
| I am trying to verify the correct number of dead from the wreck. It is 37 or 38.One of the injured may have died by the time of this photo I am trying to compare the lists of the names I have to find the correct number. |
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