The Springfield herald., 1897-09-17
MANNED AND ROASTED.
Terrible Fate of n Large Number of Per-
sons in the New Castle Wreck.


Denver, Sept 1.-The Rocky Noun
tain News this morning prints the fol-
lowing special from New Castle;
1t will be weeks before the public
will know exactly how many lives
were lost in this mornings wreck at
this place. 1t was absolutely the most
horrible affair that ever occurred in
Colorado. out OF nearly 100 persons
who were on the Denver & Rio Grande
train only about half have been ac-
counted for. The number of persons
on the train can only be approNimated
by the tickets still in possession of
Conductor w. L. Hawthorn of the pas
senger train.
He has over ninety and believes that
several were lost during the excite
ment.
1t was strange fatality that brought
the trains together just at the only
spot within several miles at which
such an accident could happen. The
direct cause of the calamity will only
be known after Coroner Clark has
made an Investigation.
Both roads claim that their trains
had the right away.
Those dead are:
William Gordon, engineer passenger
train.
William Hines, fireman on cattle
train.
]. f. Keenan,. mail agent. Denver.
Robert S. Holland. fireman Denver &
Rio Grande railroad. of Sallda.
Mrs. Alexander Hartman and two
sons, of Hercher, Illinois.
James Errick, of Chicago.
Charles Leper, of Clarion, Pa.
Six unidentified remains in the
wreck
Rev, Alexander Hartman, of Her
cher Illinois.
Several others were seriously injured
and may die.
The frightful scene at the wreck
for two hours after the crash will
never be described. A pandemonlum
of horrors and agony relgned. The
shrieks of the mangled mingled with
the believing and roars of the mutt
lated cattle of the stock train. From
all sides the cracking of fierce flames
and the rushing of steam added to the
din. 1t is no wonder that the unin-
tured passengers lost their heads and
had no system of rescue. Women with
children dead or MANNED at their sides
We're pinned beneath heavy timbers
and twisted steel bars. They begged
ana eIOUIeu anu tuIsti anu PAh!NN
for lust a few moments help that ther
offspring might be saved.
In one shrek would go up prayer
for delivery; while the next would
be a supplIcation for death by bullets.
Anything to end the frightfui physi-
cal pain and mental suffering. One
woman died singing. Her voice grew
weaker and weaker until the flames
which licked W around her finally 81
lenced her tones forever. Who she
WAS is not known. Time and inquiry
from friends can alone offer n clue TO
her identity. as well as the knowledge
of the names of the others
A Niagara of water would not have
saved many of the victims. 1t was
wreck made horrible by flame rather
than by explosion. The latter force
was weak compared with the former.
A gas tank under one of the cars eX-
ploded and injured or killed probably
less than six. The explosions of the
locomotives were hardly more serious
than the blowing off of cylinders and
fittings. But hardly had the rumble
of the great crash subsidized before the
great mass of wreckage was aflame
at every point. In hess time than IT
takes to tell 1t the metal fittings of the
coacDeS were Deuulllr uhtl tNlShhe-
They were at white heat. and when
disintegrated fair idea of the terrific
heat can be gained from the appear
once of the great heavy pieces OF metal
this morning.
Then the work of exploration began.
Two half consumed bodies were taken
out and carried to the morgue. On
them were fragments of jewelry and
watches which may furnish the only
means of Identification. Small frag-
ments of calcined bones We're found
by the searchers, but they Were en-
tirely too small TO furnish any clue to
identity. or even as to the portion of
the skeleton from which they came.
All day long the wrecking crew
worked and tore at the tangled mass
and by o'clock in the evening mar
row space was cleared for the relaying
of tracks that traffic might proceed and
the rails were hastily relaid.