The Delta independent., 1888-05-22
HURLED INTO ETERNITY.

miles southeast of Colorado Springs. was
the scene Monday morning of one of the
most horrible catastrophes in the history of
the state.
Five people are now dead, others are dy-
ing, and fifteen or twenty are injured.
About O'Clock Monday morning q
caboose and four freight cars became de-
tached from freight train No. 81 on the
Santa Fe at Colorado Springs while some
switching was being done at that place.
They ran wild to Fountain, where the
Santa Fe passenger train No. I had lust
stopped. There was not time 70 avert tho
danger, and the freight cars came crushing
with terrible voiocIty upon the passenger
engine. By miracle, almost, none of
those on the passenger train were seriously
injured, although they had severe jolting
mp.
One of the freight cars contained an oil
tank, some say naptha, which burst and
took fire, spreading to the other cars and
depot. A man whose name Is Frank Ship
man and supposed to have been on the
caboose was found burnt to crisp in the
wreck. The other calamities occurred
later, when the mes reached one of the
freight cars containing 1000 pounds Of
dynamite. 1t was not known until about
five minutes before he explosion that there
was any giant powder in this car, and the
warning given to Debated passengers and
citizens in those brief moments saved q
great less of life, though 1t is terrible as 1t
is
Fountain was shaken as by an earth
quake and there is not house in town that
has not received more or less damage
Buildings were hurled to the ground,
naming inmates, while those in the streets
were seeking shelter and fleeing from the
debris of steel rails, railroad ties. car
wheels and pieces Of lumber that filled the
air as though a cyclone had the little city in
Its trail.
Relief trains were sent from Pueblo and
Colorado Springs, and every attention pos
sible given the many who had been in
jured.
The damage 10 property in Fountain is
estimated al $50 900 and the Santa Fe will
probably sustain a loss from all sources OF
about 800 coo.
The following is the lis, of the killed
and wounded.
Charles T. Smith, aged IS, and formerly
of Keokuk, Iowa. Run through by piecs
of steel.
An unknow.., but now supposed to be
Frank Shipman. Burnt to crisp in the
wreck.
Mrs. F. p. widriV.a widow with one son :;
milliner. Struck In base OF skull by flying
bolt
Laurence weiburt carpenter. Leaves
wife and family. Hi. in head by piece Of
steel
II. w. Hutchings, merchant. Leaves fam
lily. Struck by piece otiron
William Walter Loomis, aged l6, frsc-
tured leg and internal injuries, leg ampu-
iated, condition critical.
Charles 5. Hatch, badly injured in hip.
Mrs. J. NJ. Hatch, injured in face and
body and shoulder bruised.
Mrs. T. ID. Lumbeck, body bruised.
Miss Mamie Hinch, body bruised.
Mr.. L. Bell, fractured arm and broken
ankle.
Ii. +. Bosworth, fractured collar bone and
ankle.
| II. Murray, cut in head and face
| Mrs. Came, bodily injuries from falling
| door.
DR.. Z. e. Walls, Colorado Springs, cut in
head and body by glass.
] J. +. james, fractured arm.
! A. }. Benedict, bruised head and limb.
Mr.. A. j. Benz dict, bruised leg.
| Mrs. Fred Eubanks, bruised head.
Z. II. Kirk, Kansas City, cut in head.
Joe Patten, cut in hip.
| There are many others who have received
slight wounds and scratches, but none of
| them serious.
There is not house in Fountain that has
not received some damages. Business
houses and dwellings are all included in
the list Stocks of goods were hurled into
the middle OF the floor. Only an estimate
can be made at present, but it is claimed
that the loss al Fountain will amount to
sSo, 600, and that the damage sustained by
the Santa Fe in the destruction OF cars,
engine, depot, freight and other property
will aggregate between s7s 900 and slOo, 900.
The engine is total loss. Four hundred
feet Of track WAS torn up the water tank
badly damaged, about dozen freight cars
burnt and a large number badly wrecked.
Among the buildings damaged in the town
are the following
Baptist church. totally demolished, u, 500
School.house, badly damaged, $1,000.
| Newton Lumber Yard Company, near
the explosion, 5000.
o. l.. Loomis, farmhouse, barn, store
etc, $500.
Mitchell House, $500.
Treloar 4 McCollin, Fountain House,
| 81 600.
Rev. Mr.. Stamp, house, $500.
Il. Pitkin, house, al0O.
w. II. Hodges, editor Dispatch, $500.
| ii. A. Crouch, house, 800.
Free Methodist church, $500.
+. ID. Rose, general merchandise, q 900
building, sl,O0O.
Tx. Cell, agricultural implements, 81 900.
A. l.. Ames, butcher. 800.
A. j. Bennett, postmaster, q, 900.
Donnelly Il Patton, merchants, $500.
Fred Eubanks, house, $500.
| ii. w. Hutchins, $1,000.
II. w. Perkins, barn, $500
| These are illustrations OF the losses,
which are general throughout the city. The
amount OF insurance is not known, but Is
| thought not TO ho large.
The work Of improving the road be-
| tween New le and NJ eek or Is in proy ress