Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-03
MANGLED AND FATALLY BURNED.
Horrors of the Union Pacific Railway
Disaster.

Disaster.
The Union Pacific railway disaster an &C.
count Of which was telegraphed to yester-
days Star, proved to be more serious than
was first reported. One man is known GER
tainly to have persisted in the wreck. H.
Atwood, conductor of one of the trains, who
met his death while bravely trying to warn
his passengers of their danger. Two other
men, stockmen, are missing, and are be-
lieved to have persisted
The list OF dead is: Jay H. Atwood. con-
ductor Union Pacific train, Kansas City.
William r. Martin, stockman of Wake
field. Kans
Herman Smize. stockman Of Clay Center,
Kans.
To this list, before many hours. will sure
ly be added two others, for of the eleven
injured three are fatally hurt.
The fist of injured is as follows: George
w. Haskins. stockman of Randolph. Kans..
back burned below neck, will die; B. F.
Poster. stockman of Hill City, Kans., badly
injured internally, four ribs broken: T. NJ.
McCrary, stockman of Tescott, Kans., back
broken at waist. will probably die; c. w.
Fagerburg, stockman of Oldeburg, Kans.,
arm bruised and head cut; c. Ditmer, stock
man OF ldana, kans., arm bruised and head
cut; Joseph Bertrand, stockman of Con-
cordia. kans., nose broken and head badly
cut and bruised; " lillian Hardesty, stock
man of Delphos. Kans., head cut and arm
burned and bruised: Daniel Taylor, stock
man OF Bellevue, Kans arm badly bruised
ana mead and face cut; q. W. Spencer,
stocknan, clyde. Kans.. badly cut about
head w. r. Gimp, stockman. Idana. kans.,
sprained shoulder and Commissions; j. l..
West, stockman, Concordia Kans rib bro
ken; Z. w. Mason, stockman, Concordfa,
kans., rib broken.
What Caused the Wreck.
The wreck was caused by a freight train
On the Rock Island railway which uses the
Union Pacific track between Kansas City
and Topeka running into the rear end Of a
mixed freight and passenger train of the
Union Pacific. Both trains were coming to
Kansas City. and were in motion when the
accident occurred They were a few min
utes late and the Rock Island train was
running fast to make up time. The Union
Pacific train was near a water tank west of
Linwood, and was slowing up when the
other train crashed into it, Ahead of the
two trains was another Union Pacific
freight. 1t Is said that this train threw out
burning signal as warning for the train
back OF 1t to run cautiously. 1t Is claimed
that the second train failed to throw out a
similar signals and this is given as the cause
Of the disaster
The Union Pacific train was No. Il, a
stock train, due in Kansas City about Z
O'Clock There were about twenty-five pas
sengers on board, riding in the combination
passenger and baggage car just in front Of
the caboose. and between 1t and a stock
car. The passengers, or most of them, were
stockmen from stations in Kansas, who
were coming to Kansas City with cattle and
hogs. Nearly all of them were sleeping
when the accident occurred.
Conductor ]. H. Atwood saw that a COL
ltsion could not be averted, and started
from the caboose to the coach to warn the
passengers but he was caught between the
cars and crushed. His rear brakeman and
young man who was in the caboose saved
their lives by jumping.
When the Rock Island engine struck the
Union Pac1fc train 1t mashed the caboose
into splinters and crashed into the passen-
ger coach, splitting 1t in the middle
A car loaded with hogs in front was
wrecked, and the next car, loaded with
cattle, was broken open and the cattle es-
ped.
Trainmen and passengers who were not
seriously wounded began at once to save
those who were more seriously hurt. Four
men were dragged from the wreck more
dead than alive. Fire caught from the
stoves, and before the dead could be re-
moved the four cars were enveloped in
flames. The flames spread so rapidly that
the men under the debris of the caboose
and passenger coach could not be reached
Faint and piteous calls for help were heard
but the men who had been saved were
powerless to aid the poor fellows and soon
their cries ceased. To have ventured into
the burning wreck would have been certain
death. NOR
The Rock Island engineer and fireman
saved themselves by jumping. The front
trucks of the engine were broken off and
the engine was dismantled The fire burned
with great fierceness and DESTROYED every
thing but the iron work of the cars, leav-
ing of the human bodies in the wreck MOTH
ing but few bones
Conductor Atwood's bravery is spoken Of
by every survivor