Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-05
Train Wreckers in Texas Throw a
Passenger Train OF a Bridge
Over the Brazos.
Twelve Persons Killed Outright
Many Missing, and Thought to
Have Been Drowned.
a Large Number More or Less Badly
Wounded-Lynchers Searching
for the Wreckers.
WORK,

HEMpsTEAD, Tex, Nov. 15.-The most
appalling railroad disaster in the history of
Texas occurred through the work of mis-
creants yesterday at Clear Creek, on the
Houston & Texas Central Railroad, two
miles southeastern this place. The scene of
the disaster is known as one of the most
dangerous points along the line of the road.
The creek, with a channel of fifteen feet
In depth, is spanncd by q bridge
built from an cmbankment thirty
feet high. Until about three
months ago there was a tank at the bridge,
but petty depredations on freight trains
(which stopped there caused it to be aban-
Idoned. The men who had been engaged as
attendants became very angry and made
dastardly threats which the circumstance of
the wreck indicate may have been carried
out yesterday. Their evident desire was to
wreck a freight train and reap rich harvest
drom the spoils of plumber. They had
removed the holdings of the right rail,
(which On the curve was the higher one, and
froll the remnants of food and a few tools
found at an abandoned camp in the woods
1T is thought they there awaited their booty.
But contrary to their expectations the pas
senger train which left Houston at 1 OILS
p. N. and should have passed Clear Creek
at 1915 o'clock was behind time. 1t
had the right of way, and came thunder
ing along, with 1870 passengers aboard,
in front of the freight train which at the
iast station had taken the side track. The
passenger train consisted of two baggage
bars, a mail and an express, two coaches,
end two sleepers. The locomotive struck
a loosened rail and glided onto the
bridge, but lustaS the pressure rested on the
extreme end of the rail it uplifted and the
baggage car went crashing over the EN-
banlment and Into the depths of the
Sreek. The remaining cars followed With
great velocity, tiling fast upon each other,
}nd burying the passengers beneath a mass
IT debris in the water. The night was
tiky black. The wild shrieks of The ap-
tfylng, as the water poured through the
windows and CHASTITY rents in the wood
work.
To add ia these horrors a stove over
turned and flames licked the tinler-like
material that had piled above the surface Of
the water, cutting off what retreat the inn
prisoned passengers had. Everybody at
once became palsied with fear except
Charles Brown, a colored porter, who
dipped water and threw it onto the
flames in time to get them under
control. He then found the train
axes, and placing them in the hands
VI " iiSA, llOiCo NSIC ~ I'LL cSltSS,
and men escaped to set about preparing for
the rescue Of the dead and wounded. That
work was soon accomplished. The mangled
bodies were placed upon improvised benches
and hunks, and a special train was ordered
from here. 1t FASTENED to the scene and
soon returned with the dead and injured.
The following are the killed: f.. +. Laris,
baggage-master; L. Cadcza, travelling passen-
Cor agent; Lcmar Leaks, newsbOy; Green
Lewis, colored porter: Hanp Thomas, wood
contractor; Julia Childrcs; child, unknown;
German lady; three German children, un-
known; German emigrant.
The wounded, so far as known, number
eighteen. The hospital here is giving every
care and attention. Some of the wounded
were taken south. Among them were
Messrs. Glass and Fordran. Cadoza's body
was taken to Galveston. Cadoza was a
native of Havana and had no relatives in
America. The body was taken charge of
by friends. The bodies of the unknown
woman and children will be held as long as
possible for identification. A posse is
now in search Of ting supposed wreckers,
and if captured lynch law will take it's
course.