The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-07-15
MANY VICTIMS
Of a Catastrophe on the Colorado
Midland Railroad.
EXCURSION TRAIN WRECKED
By a Collision With Locomotive a
Aspen Junction.
PASSENGERS scALDED


by the Escaping Steam and slowly Ronsted
to Death-seven People Killed and Six
Badly Injured.
ASPEN, Col, July IA horrible
catastrophe occurred at Aspen juno
ton, on the Colorado Midland railroad,
early Sunday morning, that has filed
many once happy homes in this beauti-
fnl valley with desolation and death. A
collision occurred between Midland
locomotive and the rear coach of the
Saturday night excursion train run
ming between Aspen and Glenwood
Springs. The people returning from
the springs were suddenly plunged into
all the horrors of frightful railroad
accident, which resnlted in killing two
people outright, intlicting fatal injuries
upon five more and severely scalding
and burning six others.
Engineer Switzer, of the excursion
train, had run his train up to the water
tank at the junction for water. When
backing down to get on the main track
line, light engine shot out from the
coal chutes which are located in such q
way as to conceal the engine tracks
from view Of the tracks leading to the
water tank. The engineer on the light
engine, thinking he could get out be-
fore the excursion train took the main
track, made the attempt, but struck the
rear coach OF the excursion train at the
switch. The force. OF the collision tore
the check valve from the engine and
poured scalding steam and water into
the wrecked coach load of people.
Then ensued scene of terror impossi-
BILE TO describe. The passengers were
at the mercy of the roaring, screeching
monster at their side. Through the
broken valve torrents of scalding steam
and water poured out upon the helpless
victims
OF the twenty-five passengers in the
car, three colored men who were In the
forward compartment were the only
ones uninjured. Conductor Miller, with
the train crew and uninjured passen-
gers, Immediately began the work Of
rescue. A two-year-old child Of Frank
Ellis, Of Aspen, was taken out dead.
Miss Annie Phelan, OF Cardiff, died ten
minutes after being rescued. Mr.. and
Mrs. Joe Leonard, Mr. and Mrs. Frank
Ellis, Thomas 0'Donnell, Miss Mary
0'Donnell, James Leach, all of Aspen;
Mr.. and Mrs. A. B. Rogers, Of Woody,
Col; Mrs. j. c. Baldwin, of Glenwood,
and Mrs. L. Willoughby, of Glenwood,
were fearfully scalded and burned The
injured and dead were placed in the
baggage car and brought TO this city,
where all the physicians in the city
were in attendance and every possible
aid was given to the injured. The VIC
TINS cries of agony were heartrending
and their scalded faces and arms and
bodies were sight to bring tears Of
pity.
In spite Of all efforts TO save their
lives, Mrs. Frank Ellis, Mrs. Baldwin
and Mrs. Willoughby died within two
hours from the time Of the wreck Mrs.
Rogers died at o'clock Sunday morn
ing and her husband at ten o'clock.
Mrs. Baldwin and Mrs. Willoughby
were the most frightfully burned The
latter begged piteously TO be kept alive
until her husband could reach her. OF
those still living, Miss Mary o'Donnell
will die.
While the injured people were at
Aspen Junction the person OF Mrs A.
B. Rogers was robbed of gold watch
and chain and also sl2o in money. There
were also other robberies reported but
not authenticated. Marshal Andy SUIT
ton went TO Aspen Junction and ar
rested J. @. Kuhn, cook at the rail-
road eating house, charging him with
the robbery. Marshal Sutton now has
his prisoner in the county jail He dis
claims all knowledge Of the money, but
says that he was requested by Mrs.
Rogers 10 take her pocketbook from
her dress and hand II 10 some one stand
ing near whom she recognized, but
could not reach. Kuhn claims he did
this He turned the watch and some
other trinkets over to the proprietor Of
the hotel and disclaims all intention of
robbery.