The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-11-20
A SPAN OF THE c. r. I. &
P. RAILROAD BRIDGE
BREAKS.
the ENGINE AND FOUR CARS
PRECIPITATED In THE
WATER BELOW.
THE ENGINEER AND
FIREMAN BADLY
INJURED.
The Telescoped Gers and Engine a
Total Wreck.

culated that the Chicago, Rock Island d
Pacific railroad bridge across the slough
had broken and that freight train had
been hurled into the abyss below. Soon
many were hurrying to the spot and the
news spread like wildfre. All sorts of
consequent damage were ahoat, and it
was with great difficulty that the true
status of the affair could be ascertained.
Arriving at the scene of the reported
disaster, it was found to be only too true,
and that the first span on the east end OF
the bridge was a mass of broken timber,
while piled up in a hopeless wreck were an
engine and three cars, while another car
was halfway down the embankment. 1t
was almost impossible to get any
thing reliable. no two persons seeming to
agree as to how the accident happened,
but after good deal of persistent guess
tioning the following particulars were ascer-
tanned
About 1915. or perhaps later, freight
train No. 10 on the G. r. l. & 2. started
over the bridge going west. The train
consisted of ~ cars. all loaded. in charge
of Conductor Lou Clark, and Engineer
Hank Seeley, with James Means, fireman,
and L. L. Burch andM. Kibby, brakesmen.
Thu train was going slowly and had
reached the switch which is about car
length or over from the edge of the trestle,
when the engine Jumped the track and in
less time than it takes to write it, the
engine and four cars were hurled on to
the span, which snapped like a pipe stem
precpitating TIE engine and four cars into
the water 5ciow-a shapeiess wreck.
On the engine when it started were the
engineer henry E. Seeley. the fireman
James Means, and L. L Burch, q brakes
man. When the train jumped the track.
Burch slid out of the cab. how he cannot
tell-it was all dons SO quickly that he did
not realize how he did escape The other
two men SeeIey, the engineer, and Means.
the fireman. held on and went over the
bank with the wreck.
Seeley made miraculous escape, as did
also Means.
The engine was almost buried out of
sight except a small part of the cab, and
when it struck. the engineer crawled out
of place and on to the shore, followed
| By Means, the fireman. Their escape was
miraculous and it is really hard to imagine
how they managed to escape at all.
SeeIey was taken home and his injuries
dressed. His lower Jaw is broken on the
lett side; his forehead ia gashed. besides
which there is cut on the right cheek
aud cut pear the car on the left side of his
face.
Means has a Der of wounds abou
the head, fortunately none dangerous
His face is gashed nun Der of places, hi
hands bruised ADD severe cash over Oh,
eye. These wounds although painful arr
nearly all flesh wounds and none fatal
DR.. Plummer dressed the wounded men
a When the four cars went over, the fifti
car snapped the coupler and thus ives saved
from being wrecked, In this car wa
live stock aud household goods belongin.
to Z. K. Hanna. a nephew of Wesley
Hanna, of Cordova, and son of ex-con
gresham Hanna, who gas on his way Il
Peabody, Kansas, where he has been
farming for two years He had beer
home visiting old friends, and left Colons
this morning. He was in the caboose a
the time of the accident, and seemed tt
fully realize that he had made a mos
fortunate escape.
In conversation with him, he said thai
the frst intimatiou of the accident was q
sudden jerking sound as if the train had
suddenly stopped, then there was crash
and sudden halt. He in company with
the others in the caboose got cut and taking
| 10 the situation went to render what help
they could.
just before the train went over on
just as it went over, Kibby the brakeman
was looking out of the skylight of the ca
boose and saw the engine and front cars
sway, and FASTENED to put ON brakes, but
lt was too late-iudeed it could not vel
have been avoided by any of the train men
at the time, as the cause was "a misplaced
switch.
On the caboose when the train went
over were Conductor Lou Clark. KIbby
the: brakeman, p. K Hanna, and four
others, all of whom escaped uniniured.
Seeley. the wounded engineer. lives 10
this city and is one of the most competent
engineers in the service. He is brave
man, too, as was fully demonstrated.
When he knew there was no way to sage
himself he turned to his fireman. Means,
and said. We'll, Joe. we will hold to her,
while we car" and SO be did, going down
at bis post. Too much praise cannot be
given MIN and his fireman for their heroic
conduct under such trying circumstances.
The wounded are doing well and no
danger 10 feared Of their wounds proving
fatal
Means lives 10 Davenport and is mar
ried. He showed himself to be clear grit
and deserves thank for clinging to the
engine through the ordeal.
THE DAMAGE
The loss by the wreck in rolling stock
and salvage will be considerable as the
l. 4 a 4 4