The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-10-26

We're not damaged Tt is due to the
hghtnass of this train that the accident
was not worse than it was
ENGINEER WAS KILLED IN
STANTLY.
This and the next car. in which were
several passengers. suffered the worst
damage. most OF the killed and injured
We're taken from them. Engineer Eohl
of the accommodation, which was run
ming on time, was killed. and his fire
man. Frank HaSIer. was badly injured
Immediately after the wreck occurred
people began to come in from all direc-
tlOns ON WheelS.i in buggies and wagons
and on foot, and within an hour after
Ine accident occurred thousands could
be seen grouped around the pile of de-
bris- No wreclIng train was available,
but every body turned to, and in a short
time had rescued the injured and taken
out the dead.
Doctors from surrounding towns hur-
lled 10 the scene and rendered what as
sistance they could to the suffering
who were transported to places of safe
ty All the medical resources of the
city of ST Louis We're placed at the
disposal OF. the Frisco road as soon as
the news of the accident reached the
city dispensary- DR.. Strakloff, the city
physician, Immediately set out for the
scene Of the wreck with corps of ply
sicians
AT 2.40 o'clock yesterday afternoon
the relief train bearing the survivors
of the wreck reached the union station
and it was Immediately besieged by
crowd of friends and relatives. Some
of the wounded were removed to their
homes by friends. while others were
taken to various hospitals.
.. ID Dishman. the station agent at
Spring Park, stated to a reporter that
had the excursion train stopped at
Spring Park. as it should have done
for orders, the accident would have
been averted. He said he got a mes
sage from Valley Park when the ac-
cOmmOQafion train left that point, and
he added that had the excursion train
stopped he would have had it pull into
the switch until the accommodation
passed Dishman said he was in the
office when the excursion train passed
at a high rate of speed He said that
he knew that the two trains would
come together. but that he was power
less 10 avert the accident.
PROBABLY NO MORE DEATHS
Indications this morning are that
there viii be no more fatalities as the
result of Yesterdays collision on the St
Louis & San Francisco railroad near
this city. All the injured, so far as
known, are recovering and Will be about
in a few DAYS.
II. F. Clark. the trainmaster of the
road in charge of the movement of all
trains between St. Louis and Spring
field, Mo. has this to say Of the acci-
dent.
I'VE have nothing to conceal and
know it viii all come out in the end, 50
1 feel safe in saying that the blame for
the accident lies entirely with our con
duetor and engineer on the excursion
-rain-George Atwood and Joseph Dry
den.
They are both good men and have
seen years of service in the railway
business on our road and other sys-
TENS We trusted them as we have !
trusted no other employees. Atwood /
was beside himself with grief at the |
a wful results of his mistake The road /
has nothing to say for itself and no I
explanation to make further than that (
mistakes viii happen on the finest sys-
ems of railway We all make mistakes, \
and this was one Of them. fatal in its T
When I asked Atwood /
bout the wreck he said that he was I
1usy collecting tickets when his train /
pa ssed through Spring Park, and hence I
paid no attention until they were f
last. He must have gone to the scene
# the collision without knowing where
ne was on the track.
you see. it is this way. Neither
rain had orders. nor We're orders ne
sessary running as they were. Both
rains We're simply running sccording
3 the rules of the road and under the
direction of the time table. A viola
ion OF the rules or ignoring facts
which We're palpable to the conductor
ind engineer of the excursion train was
he cause of the collision