The herald., 1896-07-12
PEOPLE CRUSHED
IN A COLLISION
Picnic Train Struck by An
Overland Flyer
THE engineer WAS FORGETFUL
Three.Score Lives Pay the
Penalty
BODIES PILED UP IN HEAPS
While the Wounded Cry ln Vain for
Assistance
Railroad Officials SulIeny Refuse to Give
Out Information
Hesger Details Brought In by Courier or
Sent by Telephone Give Names Of
Dead and Wounded
Awful Anxiety
BODIES PILED UP IN HEAPS
While the Wounded Cry In Vain for
Assistance
Railroad Officials SuIenly Refuse to Give
Out Information
neager Details Brought In by Courier or
Sent by Telephone Give Names Of
Dead and Wounded
Awful Anxiety
Associated Press Special Wire.


LOGAN. Ia, July 11.-Wreck on North
western. Twenty-Five killed. Picnic
train. At this time looks like an awful
affair. Believed to be an excursion train
from Omaha. Disaster occurred between
here and Missouri Valley, a distance Of
ten miles.
General Surgeon Galbraith Of the
Union Pacific, who left in charge of the
train of surgeons, says forty people
were killed on the excursion train. The
railroad company is reported to have
cut all wires reaching the spot to prevent
matter going out
MEAGER DETAILS.
OMAHA, July 1.-THE railroad peo-
pie in Omaha refuse to give details of
the wreck, though admitting that II is
very serious. The train which carried
the surgeons was also to take a CORDS
of telegraph operators and newspaper
men, but the division superintendent re-
fused to permit any but physicians to go
on the special train.
The Omaha Bee has a staff man. how
ever, on the special excursion train from
Whom details are expected any moment.
The story Of the wreck gathered from
the telegraph companies and railroad
men is something like this:
A Northwestern excursion train left
Omaha with ten coaches early this
morning loaded from one end to the
other. mostly with women and children.
Inc train was sidetracked in the woods,
fifty miles from Omaha, between Mis-
souri, Valley and Logan. AS the train
started on it's homeward trip about $40
p. M, the fast mail on the Northwestern.
east-bound, crashed into it while both
trains were running at a high rate of
speed. The fast mail is the Southern
Pacific-Union Pacific overland flyer.
which left Omaha via the Northwestern
at 5:45. 1t carries two sleepers from San
Francisco. one from Denver and one
from Portland. a buffet diner, express
and baggage cars. 1t was crowded
when it left Omaha. Train men think
that all of the fatalities must have been
confined to the excursion train. since
1t was made up Of lighter coaches which
would easily be crushed by the heavy
fast mail.
INFORMATION REFUSED.
OMAHA, July 11.-A, head-end coIlis-
ion that RESULTED in an appalling loss
Northwestern road between Logan and
MISSOURI valley, at $3.50 o'clock tonight.
Inc pest estimate indicates that twen-
ty-seven are dead and fifty-one injured.
many of whom will die. The wreck oc-
CURED as a result of Engineer Mont
gomery of the excursion train mistak-
ing orders. He was ordered to wait at
Logan until the fast mail and the east
bound express had passed. He waited
for the passenger, and then started out.
having forgotten about the mail The
trains were going at the rate of fifty
miles an hour when they met, three
miles west of Logan. Engineer Mont
gomery jumped and escaped with a
broken arm. The officials of the road
positively refuse to give any informa-
tion concerning the matter, stating it is
something that concerns them and not
the public. They even refuse to handle
Western Union business, and all the
information secured comes by the Oma-
ha Bees courier service and by tele-
phone.
This morning the Union Pacific Pho
neers' picnic was taken out over the
Northwestern to send the day at Lo-
gan, and tonight, as the excursion train,
loaded with 1900 persons, all living in
or about this city, was moving out Of
Logan, 1t was struck by fast train go
ing east. The two engines crashed, to-
gether, and in an instant freight end
passenger coaches We're piled onv uAul
the other. Word was at once sent to
this city, and in a short time special
with doctors and officers of the road on
board was sent out from Council Bluffs.
Reporters were detailed to accompany
the train, but instead of allowing them
to accompany the train, they were
elected, with the remark that I'VE don't
want any id reporters" Late infor-
nation was received at lone to the eff
feet that the dead and dying were being
piled along the tracks in the yards at
Logan like cordwood. There were few
doctors on the ground, but not enough
to give attention to one third of the suf-
ferers.
Among the dead and dying relatives
were hunting for their friends and those
who were dear to them. the railroad Of
ficials standing, maintaining'a sullen ST.
lence and refusing to furnish any infor-
nation. In this city the Office of the
road was being besieged by people in
search of information, but none was
given out.
The excitement throughout the city u