The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1890-09-12
A FRlaHrFuL ACCIDENT.
q Number of Laborers Killed on the
Rio Grande Road.

Rio Grande Road.
A wreck, frightful In Its fatality, oc-
,urred on the Denver g. Rio Grande road
hear Florence, last Saturday morning. 1t
occurred ct I.i5 o'clock. Five men were
killed outright, three are dying, thirty
two are seriously injured and Ave others
sustained slight injuries. The victims OF
the disaster were all laboring men en-
route to various camps on the road, where
they were to engage In railroad construc-
ton work. 1t was rear end collision, on
curve, caused, 1t Is alleged, by the fail
ure Of Conductor Mobley to send q brake
man back to flug the second section OF
train No. o.
Freight train No. 40 left Pueblo going
west at o'clock. 1t was followed By tho
hrst section Of No. u, In charge on Con.
ductor Mobley. The second section Of No.
IL was tn charge OF Daniel Hovars. Train
No. 40 stopped one mile west Of Adobe, on
account OF u broken link, und the first Sec
ton Of No. OF was promptly tagged. Tho
drst section Of No. u was composed OF u
'aboose, ten freight cars and two coaches,
oiled with laborers When 1t stopped it
rested Just beyond the ill-starrcd curve at
mile-post l49. Evidently tho conductor
was negligent to duty. He failed to send
l brakeman back to flag the fast approach.
Ing second section Of No u, which was
out ten minutes behind the first section.
In few moments the large engine Of the
second section crashed into tho rear end
81 the first section, literally demoiishing
tho cars and moving down tho sleeping
aborcrs In the coaches. Out OF fifty only
eight escaped either death or injury. Mono
u the train crews were hurt.
Then followed u scene Of death lud con-
fusion horrible " witness. The means Of
Tho wounded filed the air, while avo I'M
fortunate victims found tombs beneath the
debris Of splintered wood and twisted iron
that pinned them down.
Word has been received that E. L. fash,
Edwin Brown and Daniel Ashbury are
lying and will not survive the night, ind
it is said that at least six more OF the
wounded will eventually die from their
injuries.
The official figures show that Of the fifty
laborers on the train, eleven were ticketed
for Tennessee Pass, nineteen to Poncha,
sixteen to Dallas and four 10 Red Chi, the
others TO various points. All were hired
| TO work on railroad construction. Thus,
out of fifty, thirty seven were hurt moro
or less, five were killed outright and only
| eight escaped uninjurcd. The latter, rs
we'll As tho wounded that were able 10
stand at the time Of the wreck, worked
raliantly In rescuing their comrades that
were pinned down under the demolished
mass OF wood, iron and kissing steam.
Frank Smith, one of the wounded, pulled
| 4 comrade out from the debris and then
tainted from loss Of blood.
Two Of the dead men were literally
crushed and cooked to death by the steam
and smoke from the invading engine that
plowed through the rear coach. The
rumor that one OF the victims had nis
head cut OF is false.
The conductor of No. u, John Moblcy,
| has not been seen since the wreck. The
survivors Of the wreck say that Mobley
was not hurt, but disappeared Immediately
after the occurrence. He will no doubt be
prosecuted for criminal carc.cssness, us
the feeling is very bitter.