The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1897-09-17
TEN VICTIMS
Hsad-End Collision on the Santa Fa
Near Emporia. Kan.
Besides the dead . score ct People WsEs
Injured, some Perhaps Fataliy-Aeoi-
dent Due "a Miscarriage OF Orders
-Company's Heavy Loss.

EMPoRLA. Kan, Sept. e.-Ten are
dead and Ia are injured. some Of them
fatally, as the result Of a head-end col.
hsion Of two Of the fastest trains in
the Santa Fe service at 1880 last night.
The fast mail train, eastbound, and
the California and Mexico express,
Westbound, crashed together on a
curve three miles east Of Emporia.
The engines exploded, tearing an i'm
meBse hole in the earth into which
the baggage and mail cars plunged
and were consumed by fire, The list
Of the dead are;
James Brennan, engineer, Topeka, Kani
Nate HOLSTER, fireman, Topeka, Kan; julius
T. z. Sauer, messenger Weils-Fargo express
Kansas City, No; William Frisbey, engineer
OF fast mail train R. O. HcGee, postal clerk,
Kansas City R A. Doran, postal clerk, En-
poria; ~ Bragman, 23Locust street, Topeka;
Kan; - Gonzales, fireman OF West5ound
train; Daniel AcKennon, Il years old, go Han
cOckstreet Topeka, Kan; two unknown tramps.
How the Wreck Occurred.
The wreck was caused by the mis-
carriage of orders from the trainmas-
ter. The conductor of the eastbound
train was ordered at Emporia to meet
and pass the California flyer at Lang,
seven miles east. An order sent to
Lang to the conductor of the westbound
train for him to wait there was not
delivered and he supposed he was to
pass at Emporia. Each train was hur-
rying-one to Emporia, the other to
LaEg-and met at full speed on the
main line. The westbound train was
making not less than 40 miles an hour
when the wreck occurred The express
train was drawn by two locomotives
and when they struck the fast mail all
three Of the engines exploded and tore q
hole in the track so deep that the smOk-
ing car Of the westbound train went
on top of the wreck of the three en-
gines and two mail cars, and balanced
there without turning over Those in
this car who escaped through the win
doWs came very near turning the car
over. in which event the fatality would
have been much greater, as this car
soon caught fire from the exploded en-
gines underneath it and burned tC
ashes in no time. In jumping out Of
the windows one or two are known tC
have fallen into the burning debri,
underneath and their fate is unknown,
There were not more than a dozen
passengers in the fast mail, all in one
coach, and while none of them were
seriously injured, the shaking up was
terrible. Every seat was torn from it,
floor fastenings with such force tina
many Of them pulled planks from The
floor with them.
Bryan One Of the Passengers.
On the west bound train was W. j
Bryan and T. II. Potter Both mel
did splendid work in the work of res
cue. Mr.. Bryan assisted in carrying
out of the wreeksge two postal clerks
He was by the side Of Engineer Fris
bee and helped attend him until the
doctors and relief train arrived from
EmpOria.
Fire Adds to the Horror.
The dead and mangled bodies Of foul
victims were dragged to the grass be
side the tracks. The women passen
gers huddled in terror and watched
the flames grow higher and higher
As the fire roared and cracked like
furnace, men with bianehed face
fought with the bravery of he
roes TO subdue it, but they wer,
working under the most ad
verse circumstances, and it seemed
that they would be unable {,
stay the course of the fire fend
The flames at one time rose TO such
height that they could be seen in En-
poria, three miles away. After her
culean work, they were subdued.
Trains over the Santa Fe will be raj
by way of Ottawa for few days. TIL,
cost Of the wreck to the railway is est
mated at slOO. OO6.