The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-08-11
TWENTY-FOUR KILLED.
Fearful Railroad Wreck Near Lin.
coin, Neb.
PLUNGED FORTY FEET TO DEATH.

Cars Take Fire and Add to the Horror of
the scene-Undoubted Evidence That
the Terrible Catastrophe Was the Work
of Train wreekors.
LINCOLN, Neb., Aug. II. "A wreck,
Involving the loss of twentyfour lives,
occurred on the Chicago, Rock Island and
Pacific railroad where it crosses on II high
trestle fhe tracks of the Union Pacific
and Burlington and Missouri River rail-
roads Thursday night. All the indica-
tions point to train wreckers as the cause.
Train No is an accommodation nc called
'Forth Worth Accommodation. 1t was
about ten minutes late. and was making
1t up when it struck the trestle that
crosses Salt Creek, about four miles from
the city When it struck the trestle the
Fails Immediately spread, and the engine,
drawing the two cars after, went bumb-
ing along over the cross ties for about
fifty Feet and then, with crash, fell forty
feet to the bed of the creek below.
The engine burst, and glowing coal
spreading ignited the wooden supports
and coaches behind 1t, and in few mo-
ments the bridge, dry as tinder from its
long exposure to the sun, was one mass of
flames. The Goals falling upon the coaches
living in the bitches set them aiire, and
i've minutes after the first warning the
entire mass of cars with their load of
human freight below, was a mass of
flames.
The flames mounted high In the heav-
eris eoloring the entire southern sky
brilliant red, and from below shrieks of
agony and pain were heard to issue. Will
ing bands were there to help, but little
ha L.. Il f.lt
first, then the combination car of smoker
aud express coach fell, partially upon
that, and the rear coach. falling behind
1t, telescoped that car, thus pinioning
those unfortunates who were in the
smoker, so that it was impossible to save
them or for them to escape.
1t was nearly dark last evening before
the frightful mass of debris occupying
the ravine where the express was wrecked
had cooled sufficiently to enable the big
crowd gathered at the place to inspect he
charred mass in detail Occa. jnally a
charred skull or partially burned hui
man bone was raked from the he'd of the
furnace. but nothing that would lead to
Identification was found.
The list of killed and injured as furn-
tshed by the coroner swells the fatalities
60 twenty-four. The dead are: ID. G.. II.
SOuUCll d. ~ Matthews,
commercial man, Omaha; Harry Moore,
Kansas City; Ike Depew, engineer, Coun-
ell Bluffs; w. o. Hambell, lawyer, Fair
bury, Neb.; O. ID. STAMINA rd, conductor
st. Joseph; John Munger. grain dealer
Omaha; III. h. Peters, merchant, Council
Bluffs; f. II. Xernik, lawyer, Iincoln
Charles Cnruh, mother aud son, Jansen,
Neb.; A, B. Eddie, merchant, Pawuer
Neb; NJ. Beaver, merchant, Pawnec, Neb.; ;
Andrew Henson, n farmer; five unknown
men; three unknown farmers Those
marked ? unknown are those passengers
known ~ have been on the train by
Brakeman Foote. and uuaccounted for.
Injured-Colonel &. J. Bills, Second
regiment, Nebraska National guards
Hairbury, deep flesh wound in left leg;
Henry C. Foots, brakeman, Council
Bluffs, leg broken; jay Mcdowell, Fair
bury, legs cut and face bruised; c. H.
Cherry, mail clerk kenruey, badly
hruised and cut f. F. Scott, express mes
senyer, injured internally; Mrs. Fish. wife
Of Burlington and Missouri engineer
badly bruised o. s. Bell travelling man,
Lincoln, internal injuries; j. e. Puctz,
traveling man, Lincoln, internal injuries;
a passenger named SOmrrtt, hurt about
the head Mrs. Fritz and sisler-in. law,
Lincoln. bruised.
From the confused tangle of conflicting
stories tod by excited eye witnesses it
has been definitely ascertnined that only
que man met his death in he flames, the
others being crushed to death. One vic
sim, whose name will never be known iay
under the tender, tho upper edge of which
1ay across his thighs, crushing them into
Ahe gravel. As Colonel Bills approached
he begged piteUusly to be released and
za Lao A.
hesitated he elplessly for moment "a gust
of wind drove the flames and smoke upon
BIN, blistering his lace and scorching his
Clothes. Before he could recover himself
fhe flames had wrapped themselves about
fas body and head of their terrified vic
tim aud stilled his screams.
There are two theories as to the wreck
Ing of the train. One theory is that
strikers from South Omaha did the work
Believing that company Of state troops
iHho were to have boarded the train at
fairbury were aboard. The company
Anissed connection, however. This is not
ms generally credited as the other-thut
she element that has been causing so
snach troubls in Oklahoma, who are bit
.tT against the Rock Island, did the lob.
! There is no question but that the dis
sster was the work Of train wreckers. j..
ny. Glover, section man. said today he
saw three well dressed men jump freight
and go west. He said that the mon each
parried a long, brand new satchel. This
gives rise to II suspicion that it may have
been some OF the Round Pond, o. n, enc
mics OF the Rock Island.
The marks of crowbar on the cross
liea were to be seen. The wooden ties
were deeply dentcd where the crowbar
bad been inserted, and the rails lifted
slear off The ties, aud the spikes which
had been pulled out were lying around
loose on the bridge.
The police have arrested a eolored man
PANIED George Davis, who is suspected to
be connected with the wrecking. The po-
hce say they have evidence sufficient to
Bonyct. His motive is not known.
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