Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-08-01
ALL THE HORRORS or DEATH.
bot the burning Wreck Dldn't Turn Oas
to lie So Had After ALL

to lie So Had After ALL
Ii was on a rather raw and un-
pleasant winters night that quite =
party bad assembled in the waiting
room of country station. expecting
10 board the east-bound train. says the
Boston E.rdld.
Word had been received that the
train would be an hour late. aud. to
while away the time. some OF the peo-
pie present told stories and related
adventures that they bad experienced.
There were many stories told of
varying interest but one that struck
the writer most fOrcibly was the fol-
lowing. related by drummer:
1T was in the winter OF 81 that !
was making trip to San Francisco
over the Uuion Pacific. One evening
was sitting in my seat. waiting until
il should be late enough to retire. My
eyes paining me somewhat / did not
care To read. so j sat by the window
gazing out into the darkness. The
absence OF moon and stars made il inn
possible 10 distinguish anything. Occa-
sionaliy the flckcr of lamp in set
y
was some human being in that unin-
babitatcd waste. Sometimes as a
curve was turned the rails for n dis
tance could be seen lighted by the
headlight OF the locomotive.
Gradually, rs | sat there, sleep be-
gan to oyerpower me. My eyes were
continually closing. my head nodding.
| sat enjoying that dreamy feeling,
trying TO decide whether to doze there
longer or go and summon the porter
10 make up my berth. | never de.
cided. Seemingly without slowing up,
| the train dashed into an obstacle.
was thrown to the floor amid the gen.
eral wreck, and utter darkness fol-
| lowed.
Il tried to rise, but could not. Some
| heavy objcct-a car-scat or piece ot
framework wcdged in above
and keeping me down. felt no pain
except that caused by few bruises
and my cramped position. The
shrieks OF the wounded were heart
rending 10 hear and the sound OF
escaping steam in the darkness made
the situation all the more horrible.
u.
The few passengers of the car were
either dead. or by some chapce had
been thrown far from me. 1t was no
use to call. The survivors were prob
ably doing all in their power TO rescue
the wounded. My turn would come
in time, aud was much better able to
wait than the others. So | lay there
quietly, trying occasionally to move
and ease my cramped aad somewhat
painful position.
Gradually the sound of escaping
steam subsidized and the cries of the
wounded grew more faint. Then
fancied | heard a dim cracking sound.
listened attentively. Yes, it was the
sound of burning wood. The wreck
wus on fire. Could they put it out;
Would | be rescued before the flames
reached me? called for help. There
was no response. The cracking
sounded nearer and louder. | smeli
smoke. Although the night was cold
| and raw and had become somewhat
numb, | now grew warmer.
The cracking had grown to the
roar of raging furnace. The smoke
was suffocating the heat intense.
| Could it be that | was 10 be burned
alive? How could | meet with death
so horrible? | called and shrieked foi
help but could distinguish no sound
| of rescuers. | was almost stiiled by
the smoke, almost scorched by the
heat. Through Il space in the debri:
| | could see light. 1t was the tire
that was creeping on 10 devour me.
Il do not remember any particular
thoughts of that occasion. All my
energy was devoted to calling for help.
l thought neither of home, nor friends.
nor of previous deeds. did not even
stop TO realize the awful deata thai
awaited me. The thought of bein;
saved was the only one that entered
my mind. Breathing was now almost
impossible. Ny head was aching from
the intense heat The roar of the tire
was deafening. At last full in my facs
came the bright flames and | gave ur
all hope of being saved.
| Then voice close 10 nv ear said
81 guess, young man, YOU woulC
find it more comfortable in bed thai
huddled up on the floor between til,
seats. am afraid you will burn you
forehead on that steampipe, too
Il opened my eyes. There was tn,
conductors lantern full in my face.
had gone TO sleep and fallen tp tn,
floor. lay cramped up between tn,
seats. with my head resting on tn,
iron frame that incloses the steam
pipes. Soon afterward retired in tn,
proper manner and went to sleey
under much more pleasant conditions
Ii was the only railroad accident
| ever experienced