The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-09-06
Terrible Railroad Accident in Iowa.

DEs MONIES, Iowa, August 29.-Details
of a railroad accident on the Chicago, Rock
Island and Pacific Railroad, at the east
branch of the Fourmile Creek, seven miles
from this city, are beginning to arrive. The
number of killed is estimated all the way
from ten to fifty. All the train but the
sleeping car went down into the stream. The
engine is completely out of sight.
Barnum's show car went down among the
rest, and it is said all of the eleven occu-
pants but one are killed. Full particulars
are impossible, as the accident occurred
several miles from a telegraph office. A
partial list gives large number injured
more or less seriously, and eighteen dead
bodies have been recovered.
The accident was caused by the washing
out of bridge, and occurred at about four
o'clock this morning.
LIST OF KILLED.
The full list of the dead is as follows:
Mrs. Emily Babcock, Andalusia, Illinois.
John K. Bolt and daughter, Boonesboro
Iowa.
Mrs. VIM. Crow, of DesMoines.
Mrs. Donoway, of Des Moines.
VIM. Rakestraw, engineer of the train,
Stuart, Iowa.
NJ. Cohen, commercial traveller, Peoria,
Illinois.
Jabez E. Prince and D. A. Bronson, of
Cincinnati, Ohio.
VIM. Canning, newsboy, DesMoines.
The following were in Barnum's car:
Green Berry, George Rockwell, John Pur-
cell, John Bruce, Charles Thompson, A
Mack.
Two more bodies are known to be in the
wreck-one of Barnum's men, and little
girl, daughter of Mrs. Crow, one of the wo-
men killed.
| 1t is thought by many that there are still
other bodies in the bottom of the wreck, or
| horva ntnd 6oxr- &Hn ctrn N,t
posted foot up the total death roll at twenty.
| THE FATAL BRIDGE.
| The bridge was over what is known as
| Little Four-mile Creek, seven miles east of
DesMoines. 1t is little stream, generally
quiet, and never before known to be as high
as it was made by the unprecedented rain
fall of yesterday morning and the night be-
fore. The bridge rested on a stone arch
twelve feet in the clear, supported by walls
five feet thick. The bridge is approached
from the east around curve and down a
grade. tbs thought that the rails were left
standing alone, and, as thetrain approached
the engineer, who had slackened his speed
till he came in sight of the bridge, sup
posing that all was right, dashed upon it
The channel of the stream was forty OF
fifty feet wide, and the banks about twenty
feet high. The locomotive landed at the
foot of the western side, and half burieC
| 1USelI III the eaTtn.
Barnum's car was next to the engine.
dropped into the channel. The baggage anl
mail car followed and passed directly owe
it, MASKING it to pieces but going to the bot
tom, bar of iron running clear through it
The men in that car escaped alive. Ever
, the lamps were not put out. The first pas
senger car pitched head down into the chan
mel, where the water was at least fifteen fee
deep. The next car was plunged under thi
l telescoping with it, and the next tele
1 scoped half through both of the two preced
ing it.
The sleeping car did not go into til
= wreck. Its occupants were Jared, but non
e of them seriously hurt. Most of the kille
O were in the car in front of the sleeper.
n The scene at the time of the accident
described as terrific. Rain was falling j
: torrents, accompanied by wind, lightnin
y and violent thunder. The crash put out th
= lights, and the scene of terror ensuing ma
It well be imagined.
f The men who were not in nured, and coul
get out went to work at once to rescue tf
b living and wounded. They had to go mil
2, to farmhouse to get axes to chop thel
e out, but they worked heroically, and by da
r light had most of the wounded rescue,
n There were many pitiful scenes and tend,
" incidents. One mother was killed sittir
between two children, who escaped unhur
e One little girl who had been in the water f,
n four hours with heavy man lying dead b
- y, meath her body, was discovered to be breat
IL ing, and was rescued and restored, and no
e shows no signs of in jury.
v. The dead were brought here on the trai
If reaching here at eleven o'clock. Son
o twenty-five of the wounded came wi
- them. The officers of the road were
is the wreck all day caring for the dead al
ID wounded.