Kane County, IL Newspaper Stories
"Accidents"



Narrowly Escaped Serious Injury While Driving
What came near being a fatal accident occurred Tuesday evening, just west of the C.B. & Q. crossing on Wilson St. as Wilbur Hawks, with his wife and children, were driving into town at about eight o'clock, and when at the crossing they saw two men who were under the influence of liquor coming recklessly toward them and he reined his horse to one side to avoid the crash, but the others came dashing into them, demolishing the buggy and harness, and throwing Mrs. Hawks under the horse's heels, which began kicking virgorously, but fortunately did not hit her, yet she was picked up in an unconscious condition badly bruised. The little babe was found hanging by its clothes on the dash-board and had received several bad bumps. It was very fortunate that they were not killed. [Batavia Herald, 14 Sep 1893]


The east bound passenger train, No. 6, on the C.&I. branch collided with a freight at Big Rock, Saturday morning. The front ends of hte engines being reduced to scrap iron, and instantly killing ANDREW FARR, Engineer of the passenger train, and although badly shaken up none of the passengers were seriously injured. It is thought the accident was due to an open switch, but it has not yet been determined who was responsible for it. [Batavia Herald, 14 Sep 1893]

Engineer Damon Injured in a Q. Wreck
The Aurora Beacon says Thursday, at 2:39 the passenger train No. 6 from the west is due and at just this moment the switching crew ran their train about a hundred feet south of the New York street crossing. The big Rogers mogual No. 512 was pulling the through Denver train, which was in charge of conductor Taylor, and struck the smaller engine squarely on the engineer's side near the cylinder with all its sixty tons weight and a terrible momentum. The 476 was thrown violently to one side and crashed through some loaded freight cars standing on the side track next to Armour's store house. The crash was terrific. The front of the big engine was badly shattered, but its great weight saved it from the total ruin which resulted to the swicher. In the demolished cab of the lighter engine Engineer Chas Damon was found tightly wedged among the crushed timbers. Tender hands at once hastened to his rescue, and when at last the loads of debris had been removed and the injured man had been removed to a place of safety, it was found that his left leg was broken and his right foot terribly crushed. He was taken to the hospital where he is resting easily, and his recovery is expected unless some internal complications arise as yet undiscovered. [Batavia Herald, 5 May 1893]

Return to Main Index Page for Kane County

©Genealogy Trails