The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-07-26
Fatal


VI LA1lns
The COLORADO Central train which
left Cheyenne Sunday evening at eight
O'Clock for Denver met with an acct
dent which resulted In the death of
two persons. and a narrow escape for
a train load Of people, 1t might have been
one Of the most frightful disasters that
has occurred recently, and been a rival
to the lay bridge horror in Scotland
about two years ago.
The evening train from Cheyenne TO
Denver, known as the COLORADO Cen
trail express, consisting of three well
loaded passenger cars and a baggage
and mail car, was somewhat behind
time, owing to a heavy fall of rain the
day previous, which had delayed them
six hours In the morning on adiffer-
ent portion Of the road.
Everybody who has Travelled over
the Colorado Central road will recollect
that at q point a little south of Berth
oud on the Little Thompson creek is a
steep grade, from which water runs
and accumulates at the base. The en-
gineer, Frank Whitney, remarked to
conductor, II. @. Davis, as they left
Cheyenne, 81 do not think 1t safe to
run fast, and when we come to a
bridge, ! will stop and examine it,
to bar against any possibility of an ac-
cident." 1t ~isneedless to say that the
instructions were carried ont In every
particular, and no blame can be at
tached to the train men,"
Meanwhile the train with its living
freight went on. The night being
cloudy n strict watch was kept by the
engineer and fireman for danger, but
none appeared. Then like an electric
shock the engine plunged forward and
sank through o cavity, not a bridge, as
is generally supposed. 1t was a fill and
a culvert under 1t, the track and ties
being in their proper position. As the
train ran upon this it plunged forward
and went down, precipitating the bag
gage car upon the engine, knocking
the engineer, Frank Whitney, forward,
breaking his neck in two places, then
rolling somewhat, it precipitated him
forward and be fell to the ground, and
in falling his intestines were torn out.
Harry Megast, q tramp, stealing a
ride, was killed outright. The fire
man, known as Billy Tillery, was
picked out from under the engine, and
his head was hurt badly, but he will
recover. The baggage man McCrea
was knocked insensible, and sustained
fearful injuries, but it is thought that
he will recover. Hank c. Davis, the
efficient conductor, had his side
wrenched, but even this did not pre-
vent him from doing good service for
those who were injured.
L. M. Lawrence, the Pullman car
conductor, was not injured and he was
the first to find the remains Of Frank
Whitney, embedded in the mud In the
horrible condition above described. He
succeeded In helping to place the fire.
man and baegageman in a comfortable
position.
No. l train came to the wreck and
made a stub train and transferred the
baggage and passengers at Longmont,
and arrived in Cheyenne yesterday two
hours behind time. Tho wreck at the
present writing has not been cleared
away.
Judge Bergman, Messrs. Daily,
Pierce and McDevitt left last night on
the evening train for Golden, to attend
the funeral of Frank Whitney, which
takes place to-day. The deceased was
a member Of Cheyenne Lodge No. 1,
A. F. & A. NJ, and was we'll known
throughout this section. His death
casts a gloom over the population, by
whom he was a respected and honored
person.
The excitement In Longmont after
the wreck was intense, and various were
the rumors that spread about. The
general impression was that the whole
train load of passengers had been killed
or severely injured, and though the &C.
cident was serious enough, it is a
matter Of congratulation that it was
not worse.