The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-09-06
The Recent Terrible Accident on the
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific
Railroad.
DEsMo1NEs, Iowa, Aug

DEsMoINEs, Iowa, Aug. 20.
The bridge on the Rock Island Road
where the disaster occurred was over
what is known as Little Four Mile Creek,
nine miles east of DesMoines. 1t is a
little stream, generally quiet, and never
before known to be as high as it was
made by the unprecedented rainfall of yes
terday morning and the night before.
The bridge rested on stone arch twelve
feet in the clear, by walls five feet thick.
The bridge is approached from the east
around curve and down a grade. 1t
is thought the rails were left standing
alone as the train approached, and the
he came in sight of the bridge, supposing
mel of the stream was forty or fifty feet
high The locomotive, in its wild dash,
half buried itself In the earth. Barnum' s
car was next the engine. 1t dropped into
the channel. The baggage and mail l-car
followed, passed directly over it, smash
ing it to pieces, but going to the bottom,
men in that car escaped alive. Even the
lamps we're not put out.
The first passenger-car pitched head
down into the channel, where the water
was at least fifteen feet deep. The next car
was plunged under this, telescoping with
it, and the next telescoped half through
the two preceding it. The sleeping car
did not go into the wreck, simply because
were Jared, but none of them seriously
hY1r I,n 1<Sof rxf fha b Sl1od
car in front of the sleeper.
The scene at the time of the accident is
described as having been terrific. Rain
was falling in torrents, accompanied by
wind, lightning and violent thunder
The crash put out the lights, and the
scene OF terror ensuing may well be imag
ined. The men who were not injured and
could get out, went to work at once to
rescue the living and the wounded. They
had to go mile to q farmhouse to get
axes to chop them out. but they worked
heroically, and by daylight had the most
Of the wounded rescued.
There were many pitiful scenes and ten
der incidents. One mother was killed
sitting between two children who escaped
unhurt. Ore little girl who had lain in
the water for four hours with heavy
luo4 ~ luk uC6u Ueut6Lu utI UOQY, WAS
discovered to be breathing, and was res
cued and restored, and now shows no sign
Of injury.
The dead we're brought here on train,
reaching here at eleven O'Clock. Some
twenty-five of the wounded came with
them. The officers of the road were at
the wreck all day, caring for the dead and
wounded, and have been and are doing
now all that can possibly be done for them.
The number of killed is estimated all
the way from ten tc fifty. All the train but
q sleeping-c car went down into the stream.
The engine is completely out of sight. A
special to the State Regtster from the
wreck says there were sixteen killed so
far as known. Twelve bodies are out on
the banks, and four dead bodies are still
seen in the wreck, but cannot be got out
at present.
OnAHA, Neb., Aug. 30.
r. n. Cherrie, Of the firm of A. B.
Meeker & Co., Chicago, and neice, ar
rived here to-day from the scene of the
disaster on the Chicago g. Rock Island
Railroad, east Of DesMoines. Mr.. Cher
rie says:
The accident occurred about half f-past
two O'Clock In the morning. 1t was rain
ing fearfully at the ime-pouriag down.
| was in the sleeper, partially awake, and
felt two or three slight jars. raised
the window and looked out, and heard
the rush Of waters below. knew some
thing had hsppened, though could see
nothing. It was very dark. I got up:
and put on my pants, and the first thing ]
saw was people rushing ont Of the rear
end of the car next to us, and it was not
l0ug before ] knew the character Of the
terrible accident. OF course, everything
was confusion, and it was some little time
'b6fore those who were unhuzt could get
- work and relieve the others. It seems.
= stone culvert had recently been built,
and al each side Of It was trestle-work
that was being filed up with earth. The
4remnn, who escaped, says everything
looked right when they ran on the bridge,
but The next thing he knew was that he
Ses lying Alongside the engine in the
mud below. Engineer RAkesfrard called
10 him, but that Wasfhe last the fireman
heard q him, and he probably died al
most Instantly afterWaxd. There wore
thirteen peruo6s In Barnumb advertising
car. Theces was completely annihilateds
Seven ~ th& occup0ns were killed,
threeg b6dlE wounded, end they will
pGotGb6 dzo,f and three Wore sIiRht1y
wounded. 1tWas : mfr6cIe that anybody
af III rot out Of this car One Of the
W0undod men Wls caniod down 6tream
and lrnded On small island, from which:
howH 1lteyWnrd talon oG The baggage
cnf 6Ho< aelo6s md ovof The engine. and
lG61o1 ca tke hank beyond, with rail
tl6xo6< 3 it IenGth ~, ard one through it.