The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-05-06
FROM SLEEP TO DEATH
Five Loaded Passenger Cars Plunge
Through a Bridge.
A DISASTER ON THE ATCHISON.
Seven Lives Lost In Darkness and Storm
Rain Had Weakened the Bridge and
whom the Train Touched 1t, IL Went
Down.

Fo1r MADISON, Iowa, May 6.-With-
out waning, in the midst of q frightful
Storm, the east transcontinental
express on ths lAtchison railroad, filed
with human beings wrapped in slumber,
plunged through trestle weakened by
rain, ct about 1.45 o'clock yesterday
morning, between Revere and Medillin,
Mo-. about 2d6 miles from Chicago. It
was very dark. The rain fell in torrents
could be seen in the gloom.
The express had come through from
San Francisco, Los Angeles and Mexico
TO Kansas City on time. On arriving at
Kansas City at 4.40 Wednesday afternoon,
there were received orders to hold it until
$40 and then run 1t to Chicago on the
time OF the Denver limited, which was
postal car, baggage car, smoker, chair
car, tourist sleeper ana two Pullman
coaches, commenced its run to Chicago.
All went we'll until
A Pile and Trestls Bridge
ever the Fox river near Revere was
reached.
The bridge was about 175 feet long and
30 feet high. Two hours before the ex-
press struck the bridge . heavy freight
train passed safely over 1t, but the heavy
rains had swollen the torrent which ragged
beneath the rails and the water had car
ried the bridge out OF line, yet left IL
standing, and, 30 far as the engineer on
che locomotive could see, all right.
a With wheels turning slowly for safety's
sake, the train crawled on the bridge.
The engine crossed in safety, but not the
balance Of the train, for the bridge went
A<x <<vxIv hA wtvxA anA IL
remaining on either end OF the abut-
nents.
The other part of the train was precipi-
tated into the swiftly flowing water in
the ravine below. Five cars with their
load oS human freight and the remains Of
the bridge sank together in one mass of
crushed timbers, torn and twisted IRON
work and mangled humanity.
Then Arose wild Shrek
from the wounded and dying, rising
shove the roar OF the storm. The engi-
neer and fireman from one SIDE OF the
stream and tho uninjured occupants OF
the rear sleeper on the opposite bank
hurried to give what aid was possible to
the unfortunates battling for life In the
xavine below.
Mon sprang from the windows Of the
wrecked cars and fighting their way
through the whirling waters filled with
debris, reached the banks and fell to the
ground exhausted. Seven sank in the
wreck to die. Twenty-six are known to
have been injured.
/. The Following - list OF the Killed:
William Hynes, Oklahoma City; O. r.
LAnmerkel, OF Markec, Kansas City: Luz
ther Cornelius, Kirksviile, Mo-; 3. f.
verkler, Westport, Mo-; John c. Grones,
Macon, Mo-; lady and child, names un.
known.
II Is also rumored that the engineer and
fireman have bsen killed, but this ID de-
MED on Che ground that the engine
Passed Over in Safety.
There h an unconhrmed report that an
italian woman and child were injured.
The dead and injured have been brought
hero. Some In the list are seriously
hurt. About nfty sustained slight cuts
and scratches.
Supt. Ives started for the wreck but
was confronted by three feet of water on
the track at Lockport. The road was
also under water east of Fort Madison
and the wreck and the wires were down
for miles. The east bound Denver ex-
press which followed the transcontinen-
tai express, attempted to run around the
wreck on the Keokuk and Western
bfansh Of the Burlington, but was
etopped by landslide few miles out of
Ksokuk.