The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-07-13
OMAHA IN MOURNING
Tvsnty-Eight The Chastity Total of
Saturdays Railroad Wreck.
AN ENGINEERS AWFUL CRIME
A City Full OF Desolated Homes,
the Result of an Engineers
Forge ,fulness of -osi-
tive Instructions.

the greatest catastrophe that ever
wreaked death and desolation in the
hearts and firesides OF It's people. No
part OF the city was spared. There are
broken homes and bleeding hearts ev-
erywhere and sorrow reigns supreme.
Never before has fate, with one awful
stroke. made so many mourners. New
er did day Of pleasure end with more
awful disaster. Twenty-eight people
were killed and 100 injured. many of
whom will die. Twenty-four dead are
identified and the remains of others are
so badly mutilated that Identification is
hardly possible.
1t was not until after the morning
papers were out that the first authentic
information was generally known.
Then 1t spread with wonderful rapid
ity. The early riser in the residence
district glanced at his morning paper
and for the first time realized the cal
amity. Those who had no friends on
the Ill fated train were almost equally
concerned and long before the motor
trains started hundreds of men and
women walked down to learn some
thing more of the terrible catastrophe.
These were added to the thousands to
whom the story brought the fear or
certainty Of a personal bereavement.
The depot was the center toward which
they all turned, and when the morning
trains brought their sad burden of
dead and dying, the depot approaches
were thickly massed with people, who
talked in whispers and shuddered as
they thought of the bereaved ones to
whom they'could only offer silent SYM
pathy. Very little was said by those
who gathered to witness the next act
In the tragedy. The horror of the cal
amity was too new to find expression in
words. But one sentiment was every
where voiced. II was burning indigna-
tion at the action OF the railroad COM
pany In refusing satisfaction to the
thousands of men and women who had
waited all through the long night to
hear some news of their loved ones.
Only those who had seen the pathetic
scenes that marked the night could
fully realize the brutality that had die
tated such a policy. The spectacle of
fainting women and strong men in
tears, while the railroad officials only
hardened their hearts and grimly
stated that they were not giving out
information, inspired a degree Of in
dignation that will not die out for
many years to come.
The list of the injured is a lengthy
one. 1t contains at least 2S or more
names Of persons who were seriously
hurt, dangerously so to greater or
less degree. In addition there were at
least 80, IL not a greater number, who
received injuries Of a minor nature.
These consisted Of bruises and cuts, or
slight dlsfigurements. which will prac-
tically amount to nothing A consider
able number were also shaken UP but
not injured. This was specially the
case among passengers who occupied
the cars Immediately behind the one
which was demolished. The incidental
fright, combined with the shock, threw
both men and women into Mysteries.
kbut owing to the work that devolved
upon the physicians in caring for the
desperately hurt. such individuals re-
mained without medical attendance
and We're allowed to get over their at
tacks as best they could.
The condition. however, left It's ef-
fects upon great numbers Of the pas
sengers and when they alighted from
the trains they were all in a tremble,
and many Of them, although their
limbs were sound and their general
physical condition was unimpaired, re-
quired the assistance of friends to lead
them away to their homes. 1t was a
pitiable sight to see strong men as
weak as any woman. 1t took much
time to prepare the injured for their
journey to this city. 1t was necessary
TO transport them to a considerable
distance after their wounds were
dressed. Owing to the number, II took
still more time for the physicians,
even though they worked as hard and
as fast as they could. to adjust the
bandages and to tenderly dress the
ghastly wounds that caused men and
women and children to scream In the
loudest tone in their supreme agony.
Thus II was that hours elapsed after
the departure Of the first section Of the
return train, which carried the unhurt,
before the second section was started
The latter carried all the wounded
whose hurts were of magnitude. 1t
had also on board such friends Of the
injured as would not be torn away or
forced to leave the sides of their suffer-
ing loved ones.
The section consisted of.two coaches,
a baggage car and a Pullman. They
were almost crowded to an uncomforta-
BILE degree in order to hold the great
number that boarded 1t. The baggage
car WIS TeseTNeu LOT those VINO feQulr-
ed cots and stretchers for the journey.
The other was for those who were able
to sit up or were less injured. The
scenes which were presented within
the two cars were such as are never to
be forgotten by those who witnessed
them. They were scenes such as made
the strongest heart grow weak and
sick. They were scenes that caused
the tears TO well up even though every
one Of the participants were strangers.
They were scenes of direst woe and la
mentation. The interior Of the bag
gage car presented the most pathetic
sight. Here were ranged end to end
cots which bore the most seriously in
jured. They filled the car TO its fullest
capacity. Room was hardly allowed
for the physicians 90 pass from one lit
tie bed 10 another in their efforts to al
levlate the pains OF the sufferers as
much as their mortal powers would
allow. Groans and screams filled the
car from one end OF the trip TO the
other.
Beside each cot and bending over the
occupant knelt or lay the attendants,
parents or brother, or sister, husband
or wife. Tears streamcd down their