The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1883-01-25
RAILWAY HORROR.
Terrible Accident on the s. uthern
Pac;fi, Road.
Many People Crushed and Roasted Ia
Death.

A telegram from Tehichipa, Cal, says:
Shortly after midnight Friday night the
overland express on the Southern Pacific
railroad stopped near here to take on an ex-
ira engine to assist in pulling up grade Of
10 feet to the mile. While making the
change by some means the train. consisting
OF express. mail and baggage cars. two
fleepers. one coach and smoker. became
free and started to run full speed down the
grade. The air brakes had been taken off.
and the men who should have been tend
Ing hand brakes were away from their
posts, one attending to switch
ing the extra engine. and the other
relighting his extingniShcd lamp. The train
gathered Roadway quickly and was soon
dashing down the grade ut the rate Of q
mile minute At d sharp curve III the
road the coach and smoker, which we're
ahead, broke their coupling and separated
from the rest Of the train, making the turn
safely. The sleeper and the mail express
and baggage cars were dashed against d
high bank, then thrown back and rolled
down a fifteen-foot embankment. The lamps
and stoves at once set fire to the wreck,
which was instantly In blaze. Harry Con-
n0rs the news agent, who was sleeping in
the baggage car, was awakened by the move
ment OF the car. and aroused James Wood
hull, tie basgagelnaster, just as the car
made the Jump The roof OF the car split
open. throwing both men out severely
bruised connors. while lying oMthe ground
unable to render any assistance saw the
train entirely enveloped in flames, heard the
shricks Of the dying victims, and saw them
vainiy endeayoring to struggle from the
burning ruins Porter Ashe and his wife
occupied n lone drawing room Of one Of the
sleepers and were awakened by the crash.
They succeeded in getting out without in
jury, but OF the sixteen other occupants OF
the car not one is believed to have escaped.
In the meantime the occupants of the
coach which kept on the down grade sue
ceeded in stopping it, thus saving the lives
OF some forty occupants of that and the
smoking-ca They Immediately walked
back to the scene Of the accident. but found
only the smoldering ruins of the train and
the four who had escaped with their lives
lying bruised and bleeding In the darkness,
shiyering in the piercing cold night air and
rendering assistance to each other. Word
was sent here ut once and assistance soon
arrived As soon as possible medical attend
ance was sent from Sumner and Bakersfield
and subsequently from Los Angeles. Search
for the dead soon showed twenty -one had
persisted. Eleven were burned beyond all
recognition, only headless bodies and charred
limbs being found OF the body of Mrs
Downev only the head and bust remained,
III.
All the bodies and fragments were gathered
up and put in collins. The wounded were
remov d to the baggage car, and. on the ar
rival of a relief-train from Los Angeles,
We're sent 10 that city. OF the dead the
colored porter. Wright was crush 4: Ex-
press Messenger Charles Pierson had his head
shattered; five were burnt. but were re-
cognizable. viz ]: Miss Mamie L. Squires.
Mrs II. q. Oliver, Mrs. nowney, NJ Wethered
and Mrs james CassclL Two unknown,
but supposed to he discharged soldiers.
were found dead, but Were not burnt One
other body, that of n large man. was found
badly charred 1t is supposed to be the re-
mains Of Col Lalrabee cx-Conpressman
from Wisconsin. Gov. oowney says that
Larrabee was on the train, and he has been
missing since the accident The remaining
eleven are still unidentified
The wounded are Mrs Capt ]. II. Brown
and daughter Ida, Lee Waterhonse. Mrs A
l. Warehouse and two children, John T.
Cassell, exGev. Thomas Downev. James
Waodail I. W. Doughcrty. Mrs T. G. Hatch,
Mrs Il Hatch. the maid Of Mrs Porter Ashe,
X. G X liz. Stephen Coffin j. w Searls, and
CAPT T. H. Thatcher. The mail included
one pouch of registered letters for ST Louis.
Mo-, and leo small packages of registered
letters for other places