Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-08-16
RAILROAD ACCIDENT
Disastrous Head-End Collision on
the Santa Fe.
A COUPLE OF TRAINMEN KILLED.
Eight Others Injured, Two of Whom VIII
Die-The Engines and Combination
Express and Baggage Cars
Demolished.


trous head-end collision occurred on
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe be-
tween Hurdland and Gibbs, Mo-, at 2:30
yesterday morning between express
train No. 5, westbound, and express
No. 4, eastbound, resulting in two
trainmen being killed and several pas
sengers injured and the engine and
combination express and baggage cars
completely demolished According to
orders, the trains were to have met at
Gibbs, and it is alleged No. violated
orders.
The Acknowledgment Humphreys of
express No. 4, Kansas City. George
Caplinger, express messenger of No 5,
buried in the wreck.
The injured: -Dan Mi1sbough, of Chi
cago, baggageman of No. 4, badly
bruised and hurt iternally; may die.
E. E. Derrick, of Kansas City. express
man of No. 5, cut and bruised from
head to foot; will probably die En-
gineer Dan DAILY on No., 5, of Fort
Madison, shoulder badly hurt. Fire
man Mark Fogarty, of Fort Madison,
on No 5, badly bruised; will recover.
Fireman F. P. Slzylss, on No. 4. of Kan
sas City, slightly bruised. brakeman
Holmes, on No. 5, of Fort Madison,
hand smashed. Justin Mccarthy, %
years old, of Chicago, head and hand
cut. Walter n. Durbin, % years old,
of Milwaukee, ankle cut.
The trains met on slight curve and
came together with terrific force. Both
engineers applied the air brakes and
reversed their engines, which action
alone was the cause of saving many
lives.
AS soon as the passengers and those
of the train crew not hurt recovered
from the shock they proceeded to res
cue the unfortunate victims. Engeneer
Humphreys, of No. 4, was found at his
post with one of his limbs cut off at
the thigh and his head almost split in
two. He died in a few minutes. Ex-
press Messenger Caplinger was instant
ly killed.
E. E. Derrick, the express messenger
and baggageman of No. 5 had a very
narrow escape and his injuries may yet
prove fatal. The momentum forced
him through the side of the car and
landed him on the embankment so
feet away. His face was mashed to a
jelly and his body terribly cut and
bruised
There was but one physician on the
Lie Wc1S hSDG OoSy uAIl1 OEd1A NJ
5 was run back to Hurdland for assist
ance. None of the passengers on No.
were injured. Engineer DAILY and Fire
men Fogarty and Skyles saved their
lives by jumping. General Manager
Frey was on the westbound train and
gave directions and superintendent the
work of relief.
The passengers in the smoker and
chair cars of No. were badly shaken
up. Justin Mccarthy, of Chicago, was
sitting in one of the reclining chairs
when the crash came and was hurled
through a window and landed on
clay bank about feet from the track.
His injuries were not serious, and he
suffered slight cash on his head and
hand. Walter n. Durbin, of Milwau-
kee, was in the smoker next
to the baggage car and was
also thrown through a window,
cutting his ankle. He had a narrow
escape, being hurled almost 40 feet and
landed within feet of where the loco
motive lay on the track.
Conductor Clegern was in charge of
No. 5, westbound. He handed the or
der which clearly stated that the two
trains were to meet at Gibbs, to the
Press reporter. The officials on the
train say the conductor and engineer
of train No. were responsible for the
accident, having disobeyed Geographic
orders to meet train No. at Gibbs.
The engineer being killed outright no
statement, of course, could be secured
from him, but the conductor states he
entirely overlooked the orders. The
total damage. to property will not ex-
coed $14, 900.