Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-07-01

express on the Wabash railway which
left here at $50 Saturday evening
plunged through the trestle at Missouri
City, Mo, five minutes after seven car
rying the entire train with The excep-
ton of the rear car, a Pullman. A
gorge which a few hours previously
had been practically empty became a
raging torrent by a tremendous down
polr of rain, and the structure was
weakened. Seven persons are known
TO be deaL and the list may reach %.
There were 20 passengers in the chair
car and only few of these are account
ed for In ,he intense confusion that
ensued it became impossible to estimate
the dead or wounded.
The train known as No. G, left this
city at 6 20 p. m and was composed Of
a man car, baggage, express, smoker,
chair, sleeper and two coaches for EX-
Celsior Springs. 1t had made uue run
without incident until the bridge abort
two miles this side of Missouri City
was reached. There was a wooden
trestle on a curve, which was built sew
eral years ago to avoid using a tunnel
formerly used. AS NE train struck the
trestle the structure swung out of line
being weakened by the tremendous vol
ume of water that was flowing beneath
IT, The engine passed over safely, but
the structure went down beneath the
mail car and the tender broke loose
from the engine and fell off the track
on it's side. The mail car went down
into the water. The express car fol-
lowed each falling on their sides, the
chair car tipped down into the chasm
and as the rear end raised up the front
end of the sleeper went up and stood
on it's end, the lower end grinding and
crushing the mail and baggage cars be-
meath it, me front end of the sleeper
was out over the chasm but was held in
place by the coupling of the two cars
behind it.
The accident happened during or 4
the heaviest rain storms ever See in
this country 1t was accompanied by a
tremendous roll of thunder and most
vivid lightning. The elements and the
horrible nature of the accident COM
bined to make it one of the most terrify-
ing sights imaginable, Before anyone
could realize what had happened the
cries of the injured filled me air.
Shrieks and shouts for help came from
timated al from to 25. The known
dead number nine. The names are;
Charles C. Copeland, St. Louis, con-
ductor of the train.
Edward Creidrou St. Louis, express
and baggage master.
o. NJ. Smith, st. Louis, postal clerk.
Frank ". Brink, st. Louis, postal
clerk.
Saul " nters, st, Louis, postal clerk.
w. S. Mills, st. Louis, postal clerk.
Gus Smith, st. Louis, postal clerk.
c. p Greasley. st. Louis, brakeman.
Train boy, name unknown.
The following is as complete list
Of the injured as can be obtained:
Mrs. c. S. PraUher, Columbia, Mo,
head, shoulders and neck very badly in
jured; Artelia Prather, columbia, Mo-,
eight years old, head and face cut; ".
II. Wilkinson, Kansas City, shoulder
injured head and face covered with
cuts: Mrs. w. H. Wilkinson, Kansas
City. right arm broken, head and face
cut. Miss Alice Darcy. Kansas CITY,
head badly cut, both arms sprained.
side injured; Miss Nellie Merrick, Car
r0lton, back badly hurt Mrs. Sallie
Matthews, Kansas City, side hurt; Ed
ward Dillon, Holiday, Kan, head
bruised ana cut, knee sprained; DR.. Sol
Gray, Prairie Hill, Mo, right knee and
both elbows injured |. w. Hinnon
Mexico, both legs badly bruised.
John Ennis, a travelling salesman
was in the rear car of the train when
was the only one who escaped injury
IL was also the only car in which none
Of the passengers were injured. Ennis
had an interview with a farmer VINO
had come from Missouri City in the
evening and waited at the scene OF the
wreck 10 flag the train. He claimed 10
have waved a flag on the TRACK, but oW-
ing 20 the terrific rain the engineer was
unable to see the signal Ennis sald
THAT the engine passed over the trestie
which broke Immediately afterwards
and he tender, together with the front
ear We're thrown backward into tie
gorge. The farmer said that at the
time ~ the wreck the gorge was rag
Ing torrent of ten feet or more In depth.
THE bridge was clearly unsafe whlch
impe1ed him to stand in the storm IN
bis attempt to flag the train.
ON account of the death or injury OF
most OF the trainmen the passengers
"ere left TO take Independent action IN
ra@Cuing the victims One OF the
most important thirgs and one which
secured the safety of the remaining
passengers on the train was the flag
sing Of q freight train which followed
'he passenger train about ten minutes
|r's train was tagged by passengers
.10 feet from the wreck.
Il Is estimated that there were at
least 40 passengers in the smoking car
aH. that not more than 10 were res
al on this side Of the gorge Most
the smoker passengers # they were
Haa were found on the other side
- newsboy and conductor were both
The front smoking car at the time Of
wreck Edwin Zea and C w
.ao'd Of Kansas City were the men
aa7 tagged y approaching freight
agreed measurably with
their accounts Of the wreck
.h- estimates Of the number killed
said that thav aid not see a train