The state herald., 1892-12-30
SANTA FEE WRECK.
MANY PERSONS INJURED.


There WAS frlghtful wreck on the Santa
Fc railroad on Thursday morning at Q O'Clock.
The train going south, composed Of six heavily
loaded cars, jumped the track when Mo miles
from Hustled.
The train was late and was making up
time. 1t was running At the rate OF forty
miles an hour. In some unaccountablc man
ner the rails spread. While running on the
ties every coupling on the train broke. The
engine and express car remained on the
track. One day coach was thrown square
across the track and the Pullman aud two
day coaches rolled down on opposite sides Of
the embankment distance Of. fifteen feet.
The half-awakened passengers were con-
fused and terrified. To some Of them who
were half-swake Il seemed a. II the train
would never stop Ito grinding, swayIng mo-
tion. To add TO the horrer Of the scene, the
two day coaches caught fro from tho stoves
In them, and filled the air with stlning smoke.
The tranmen were unusually cool. They
got axes mud proceeded to cut holes In the ears
and let out the imprisoned passengers Those
In the Pullman were the first TO DO taken out.
One Of the passengers climbed to tic top Of
his berth and CROPPED for window, which he
found and opened. In this way tho men and
women were taken out.
Mr.. W. F, Barnes, teller In the exchange
bank in Colorado Springsy was rlditg In one
Of the day coaches. lie fca ..!@ ,.ta-
ing along 1t tic USUAL Fate Of speed when Ilie
day coach was In made lurch TO one side
and then the other, and then rolled down the
cmbankment and landed upside down. The
car Immediately caught fire from the stove
The roll down dazed me somewhat, but
made for the doors and with +. D. Mcdonald
who was also u passenger broke the door
from It's hinges, and set about 10 rescue the
women and children, who were screaming
and crying In heart-breaking way. We
succeeded In getting them all oil, including
Mr.. Van Loon and family, and also young
man who was unconscious. We lid not have
much time to spare rs the car vas burning
rapidly, and was soon consumed. The pas
sengers were unable TO save anything they
had In the car with them, and all was dc.
stroycdr
Mr. Van Loon was on his way to Oakland,
California, with his family consisting Of his
wife, his aged mother and three children.
They were In the passenger coach near the
stove when the crash came Mrs. Van Loon
was pinned fast to the floor by the seats, and
In front Of her lay her two sons, who had
been knocked unconscious. The third child,
n little girl, was nowhere to be seen. Mr. Van
Loon was pinned fas, and was unable to OK.
tricatc himself The Imprisoned family had
given up all hope Of rescue when the door
was burst open and they were saved from
frightful death. The two boys, VIII aged IA
and BERTHE aged l2, were carried out for dead
Mrs. Van Loon was dragged out from under
the debris and her dress was fairly torn OF.
In 1t was gold watch and large amount OF
money, which went up In smoke. Tho old
lady tainted when she got out. The two boy.
were the most seriously injured OF all III,
passengers. At midnight WIN Van Loon wa,
resting under the influence of ether. Iii,
brain ia injured and the physicians give nc
hope Of his recovery. The others are doing
well.
Nina Banzigcr, Swedish girl, narrowly
escaped with her life. She was on her way
TO California. Whcn the accident occurred
she was thrown from her seat TO the floor
The stove was upset and she fell on the Goals
4
crawl over the Goals on her hands and knee
to save herself. She Is badly burned on her
hands and limbs and her face Ia somewhat
disngured. Her clothing caught FIRE, but va.
put out by other passengers with tbr I,s Of
snow and blankets.
Congrcssman-elcct Pence was In one Of III,
fuilmans with his wife. Mr.. Pence says:
at seemed an eternity while we we're roll
Ing over. We were pinned up In there sni /,
took us some time to make our way ou,
when We did so finally VIC found that III,
coach was on fire. We were al In our bare
feet aud didn't seem TO mind the snow We
set out to help the Others. Before this wa,
done, though, another danger stared US In The
face. The forward end OF the Pullman wat
on fire. licroism and scif-sacrincr wer,
shown ms scarcely ever before nil Young, .
millionaire mine owner who WA. In thr party.
gathered up = lot Of blanket, that wcrr In III,
sleeper and Ia his bare feet jumped Into the
bank Of snow. lie spread = blanket on the
snow, illcd 1t, and then passed II up To Us
We then put the wet blanket over the blax,
and succeeded In squelching II. Thi. wa, NJ
peaied several times In n half hour. YounI
certainly saved several people from lnjuy
and DEATH
Tweniy'four people were injured. hut thoss
mentioned above were the most serlou.l,
hurt The other injuries consisted Of brulse,
and cuts T. L. story, the Pullman condue.
tor, had bis arm broken, but walked six mile,
to telegraph station,
The injured passengers were taken te
Colorado knfiufsx - h.e fl,.,x O..