Wichita eagle., 1890-02-18
THE SANTA FE WRECK.
An Express Train Goes Through Burned
Trestle-A Serious SInssh-Up with Loss
of One Life, and Several Persons
Injured

OF One Life and Several Persons
Injured
Early yesterday morning vague rumor.
| reached the city of a serious wreck on the
Santa Fe road, several miles below Green
Station. All sorts of extrayagant runners
were soon in circulation. The report was
circulated that the express train had gone
through broken bridge and that mum
Der of passengers were injured. Friends
and relatives of passengers on the south
bound train which left Wichita at
o'clock p. M, were soon on the streets,
their faces pale with excitement and anx-
| iety' The Santa Fe local Office was be-
sieged by An excited throng the ehtire
| forenoon, but particulars reached there
were very vague and unsatisfactory.
Little by little the facts began to come in
and 1t IVES known before twelve o'clock
that Road-Master Patrick Peters, had
been instantly killed and Engineer Eugene
Nand and Fireman Jake Benfer, slightly
injured, but that all the passengers were
safe and sound
An EAGLE reporter boarded a switch
engine and was soon upon the scene of the
wreck.
rounded the big pile of smashed up cars,
which were keaped up in the ditch In a
chaotic mass. The fast rate of speed az
which the train was running carried en-
gine number 206 over the rails which had
not been warped by the fire, and the road
men say that had the rate OF speed been a
little higher the engine would have cleared
the chssm in safety. AS it Was the engine
went through the burning trestle just be-
fore reaching the farther end Of it. The
trestle was about 100 feet long, and not
over two feet from he ground at any place.
Three combination baggage, mail and ex-
press cars went through the burned struct-
ure and were smashed and piled up into a
mass of broken timbers and iron.
The unfortunat e train was in charge
OF Conductor John Landon, with
Eugene Nand as engineer and cake"
Benfer as fireman
The great crowd that surrounded the
wreck had come in buggies. wagons. on
horseback and some had even walked. The
pale faces OF number Of ladies and
children were seen. They had driven post
haste to the wreck, fearful that husband,
father or child had been injured A score
of doctors We're on the ground early, but
there was not much need of their services.
as the dead man was beyond the need OF
nelp and the others We're only slightly
hurt.
Photographer Rogers was on hand with
his camera and secured some excellent
pictures. The piled up cars, the big gang
OF workmen clearing away the debris the
great throng of spectators-men, women
and chlIdren-In carriages and afoot, the
hastily lmprovised telegraph office under a
tree, where the operator was clicking away
messages, giving and receiving instruc-
tlons, all went to make up an interesting
picture.
Roadmaster Patrick Peters was riding
IN the cab with the engineer and fireman.
ne traln was running at a speed of from
thlrty-fve to forty miles an hour, when
Mr.. Peters, looking shead, saw smoke
rising from the track several hundred
yards IN front. Piles of burning ties had
been noticed at several points along the
road south of Wichita, so little attention
was paid to the smoke until the engine
was close upon the burning trestle A few
miles south of Green station and four and
one half miles north of Derby, Mr.. Peters
shouted, My God, the trestle is burned
lie was standing on the right side of the |
cab with the engineer. Fireman Benfer
vas In his accustomed place On the left |
noe. The fireman jumped to the left and |
vas followed be Engineer Nand, who |
Gould not escape by the right side as Mr.. |
Peters obstructed his free passage The |
engineer put on the air before jumping. |
Roadmaster Peters jumped off on the
light side and was caught I'M
Ter the forwar! car which was a
combination baggage, mail and express
ar. His body was mashed horribly, and |
ieath was Instantaneous. Fireman Benfer
liighted upon his head, and his neck was
severely wrenchsd and strained Engineer
>and's leg WAS injured. 1t was feared at
irst that the injured member was broken.
,ut medical examination soon dissipated
his belief. Aside from the injuries
famed the engineer and fireman were un-
lurt. d. h. Elam, express messenger
lad his right arm slightly injured
The wreck occurred precisely at s:04
!. m.
The passengers were considerably shaken
Ip, and some were thrown from their
eats. When the shock came the women
creamed and were nearly frantic with
right. n lady named Porter, from Inde-
endence, No, was at the water cooler
FIth baby in her arms when the shock
anne. She was thrown to the floor and
9th she and the child sustained slight
ruises. Mrs. L. w. Henderson, of Car
hage, No, nearly went into Mysteries and
rieC. "Oh, my husband, my husband He
'as in the smoking car! He is killed. He is
illed!" When her husband appeared safe
nd sound the lady swooned away.
DIR +. II. Morgan, of the Santa Fe
ridge and building department, was
assenger, seated IN the chair car He says
le iirst and most severe shock felt was
OF occasloned by the crash at the trestle
Ut 10y the air brakes, which the engineer
ut on with all force before jumping Mr. |
lOrgan, with other of the Santa Fe road
len. were soon at workShopping the for
ard Car to eXtricate the unfortunate road
laster. Mr.. Peters. The excited
zen began chopping at four or
We different places, in
ain endeavor to get at the injured man,
oping that he WAS not yet dead, but when !
hey ascertained that life was extinct aud
lat he was beyond suffering they became {
,oler, and an Aperture, two feet square,
as soon made in the floor of the car and
le mangled remains were tenderly lifted
1t, The sight WAS Sickeling. The ab-
,men was crushed in and the bowels OBJ
uded. His head was also crushed.
Passenger Agent Murdock was on the 1
,ound and together with Division Super I
tendent TURNER did efficient work in
riug for the injured and in clearing I'D
"a wreck. Mr.. Peters remains were I