The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-08-10
OVER A TRESTLE
Terrible Disaster Near Lin
coin, Neb.
A Passenger Train Dashed to
Pieces.
1t Fell Fifty Feet OH Railroad Tracks
Below.
The Wreck Took Fire and Was spe edily
Consumed - Thros Trainmen
and Many Passengers
Killed.
BY tbs Associated Press.

By ths Associated Press.
LINCOLN, Neb.. Aug. 9.--Train No.
on the Rock Island, consisting of an en-
gine. combination baggage and express
car and one coach, plunged over 50foot
tres.le over the tracks of the Union
Pacific and B. & M. tracke, about five
miles south OF this city, at 10 p. m. this
evening, and was smashed to atoms.
All the menu bers OF the crew but one
were killed, and 10 or ~ passengers are
supposed to be buried beneath the mass
of wreckage, which is all that is left OF
the train and the trsstle. There 10 no
possible means at this hour of ascer-
tanning the names OF those in the ruins.
The train men killed are:
d. S. Standard. conductor. st. Joseph.
Ike Depew, engineer, Council Bluffs.
William M. Craig, fireman, Fairbury.
Colonel Bills of the Second regiment
was one OF the passengers, but escaped
unhurt.
II. G. Foote Of Council Bluffs. the
brakeman. was the only one Of the crew
who escaped. His story and that of the
others who survived indicate that the
week was due to the work of train.
wreckers, and Walter Sidel, who lives
near the crossing and was the fret on
the ecene, states that fieh plate and
the bar with which it had been wrsnched
loose we're found near the treetle after
the wreck occurred.
The train was due in Lincoln at 10 10
and was pounding along at lively gait
when the trestle was reached. There
were about 15 passengers in the chair
car, all of whom we're got out with more
or less injury. In the smoker there
were 10 or 10, and it ia not thought q
single one escaped.
When the engine struck the broken
rail it jumped the track, and, bounding
otfpg, aver. the ties for 100 feet, rolled to
Ppri6G track below, followed by 'tth.s tths
three cara. The brakeman tells
p. ,ory:
thought the trouble was in the
amoker and rushed forward to see what
/ could do when the plunge came. 1t
| was sickenine sight. The car was q
shspelesA mass of broken pieces and
! wreckage, and [ could see the crushed
and maugled bodies inside. By this
time help had arrived and we got out
the baggageman."
The baggageman was euueezed bs.
tween broken timbers and begged for
some one to cave him from the fGmee.
which were rapidly eating their wsy
towards him. His rescuers worked
frantically with SAWS and axes, while
the hot breath of the approaching flames
scorched their hands and faces. When
released the flames were within a foot
OF the mans head. The engineer and
fireman were found crushed under the
engine, which was turned upside down.
In the midst of the excitement the
brakeman had presence OF mind enough
to send men out to flag the freight train
following on the Rock Island, which was
approaching on the Burlington and Mis-
souri, He also cent to the penitentary
for assistance, and from there the FIRE
department. was notified. A chemical
engine was soon on the ground, but
could do but very little and every stick
OF both train and bridge WAS soon re-
duced to heap OF smoking ruine.
The trestle where the wreck occurred
was about two miles south of the pris-
on and five miles from the city. 1t was
about 800 feet long and so feet high and
carriad the Rock Island track over both
the burlington and Missouri track and
the Union Pacific. The Burlington and
missouri track ia still open, but the
Rock Island and Union Pacific are
blookaded with tangls of iron and
broken machinery. A Burlington aud
Missouri freight which arrived soon
alter the wreck, carried the wounded to
The city. The news did not reach Lin.
coin until after p. m.. and procession
u hacks and vehicles started for the
scene.
Among those who are said to have
been In the doomed smoker are five
travelling men. but it will be some time
before list OF the dead can be secured,
for all that will be left in the morning
will be a heap OF ruins.