The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1896-10-08
MET DEATH ON THE RAIL
SEVEN KILLED IN A TRAIN WRECK
on THE SANTA FE.
Locomotive Blew Up Near Usage
city, Kan, for Lack of Water
In the Boiler.

Usage City. Kan, oct. "A frightful
wreck, attended by serious loss OF life,
and made terrible by the self-murder of
one of the terrified passengers. occurred
at Z o'clock this morning on the Santa
re road two miles north of this sta
tion.
Seven dead bodies have been recovered
| from the wreck, and 1t Is feared that
other victims are buried beneath the
debris. The wrecked train was the east
| bound passenger No. 2, the same that had
such u thrilling experience with bandits
In New Mexico on Friday night last.
| The wreck was caused by the explo-
| sion of the boiler of the locomotive. The
engineer should have stopped for water
al Usage City, but being behind time he
endeavored to run to the next tank.
Though 1t is not positively known, the
| engineer and fireman having both met
| death in the wreck, 1t is surmised hat
| this neglect was the cause Of the dis
aster.
The train had proceeded but two miles
beyond this place when two terrific ex-
plcsions were heard, one following close
after the other. The locomotive was
completely shattered. The express, bag
gage and passenger coaches came crash
coaches that We're ahead were piled up
in heap of wreckage. The coaches
in the rear were all deralled, but the
passengers riding in the rear car escaped
serious injury.
| The wreck was marked by scenes OF
the widest confusion among the terri
fed passengers. The nerves of the pas
sengers were at a high pitch as q re-
suit of their experience with the road
agents of New Mexico. and when tn,
crash came, the first impression of al
was that the train had been attacked
again by robbers.
One passenger, William Becker of Lo
Angeles, Cal, en- route to Chicago. seem
ed to lost his reason entirely. When thu
, crash came he drew single -barrelet
pistol from his poc..et and In the pres
ence of car full of terrified passengers
| took his own life. sending bullet int
his brain.
e He had been drinking heavily. He wa
| about 65 years of age. Owing to the ex
| citement and confusion. little could b
} done to rescue the Injured and remov
the bodies of the dead until the morning
sun appeared. Seven bodies were nnall
recovered. The dead are;
i William Becker, Los Angeles, Cal.
n Engineer Strump. Topeka, Kan.
IS Fireman Harry Hollister. Topeka.
J. William McAdams. a tramp. riding O
ID the baggage car. and supposed to
y from Chillcothe, Ohio.
If Three tramps. names unknown, WI
l. | were riding on the baggage car.
IN Among those injured are: Mrs. Emn
y | Maxwell an editor on the Evening Tel
"a gram, Colorado Springs, Col, hands al
m | arms cut and bruised; William Burn
tramp, legs and arms cut; James Col
Of man. tramp, cut and badly bruised.
tx None of the expressmen or mall clerl
NJ we're seriously injured.
is The force of the explosion broke Il
locomotive entirely in two. and the fro
a. trucks crushed into coal chute 80 fe
nc from the tracks. The explosion BILE
I'd a hole In the ground four feet deep. m
IN mail car, which followed the tendt
es plunged into the hole and rolled over
It's side Third from the locomotive W
the express coach, which telcscoped t
III baggage car and also rolled over on
side. The smoking car. a chair car a
!" tourist sleeper. behind the express CT
were also deralled and overturned. Th
lie | occupants were much shaken up. as t
lr train was probably running 40 miles
on hour when the accident occurred.
IS AT l o'clock this afternoon a track h
ch been built around the wreck. and trait
ga was resumed.