The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-06-27

the cars / never saw more frigntfu
picture. Cries came from all parts OF
the wreck and people were climbing and
hurrying out of il. Men with olooc
streaming all over them came struggling
out ana women with clothing dishevel
ed and covered with blood piteously ap
peaied for help Everybody helped a:
soon as we could see what could be
done, but it was something awful. Mer
were pinioned down beneath great
ma sses of seats, limbs were broken and
Il was agony unspeakable to get them
put but those who could render assist
'hnce did al that was possible. There is
no telling how many people are down
In that water. It was from six to ten
feet deep, and the current was very
swift.
MRS. MATTHIAS ACCOUNT.
81 wat sitting in the middle Of the
chair car" said Mrs. Sallie Matthias.
when the train went down. We felt
TO fear until the coupling broke from the
ca- ahead OF us. Then the front end OF
the sleeper caught on the rear Of the car
sud threw ii up in the air. We went
tumbling, pell nell. in a promscuous
heap 10 the front Of the car. L never
heard such shrieks and cries in my life
before Then all was still for moment.
The thunder was rolling dreadfully, the
lightning was blazing and the rain was
alling in torrents There were dozen
men in the car, and all but three ran out
Is fast as they could and left the doz-
en- women there alone. Three men stay
ID and helped us out My friend Miss
Darcy was under a pile OF seats In the
front OF the car. The men took OF the
seats and helped her and the others out
Some Of them were dead and others
we're dreadfully injured. We craWied
put Of one of the windows Of the chair
TAR. and walked a part Of the way on
the side Of the baggage car, and the rest
of the way on the top of the mail car
and got back 70 the land where we
could be helped off. Women who were
hurt and unable to walk were Carried by
men over HAT sort of a walk back 10
the land. Some Of the men were heroes,
bal most OF them wers towards and ran
out and lef- US. The walk taken in the
rain during the storm when We knew
pecele were buried in the wreck be-
meath as, anS when il was at the risk
of our lives, was something that i shall
never forget. 1 helped get Miss Darcy
and Miss Myrrick out ana cared for
them afterwards"
JOHN ENNIS EXPERIENCE.
John Ennis, travelling salesman for
Beck.nan & Mcknight. was in the rear
car of the train, which was the only ono
which escaped injury. II was likewise
the only car In which none Of the pas
sengers We're injured Mr.. Ennis had
an Interview with farmer who had
come from Missouri City, in tie even
Ing. and had waited at the scene of the
wrSok to flag the train. He claimed TO
have waved flag on the track, but ow-
Ing to tne terrific downpourn Of rain.
the engineer was unasae TO see the sig
taL Mr.. F.cnis said the wreck occurred
ii 7:d5 o'clcck. The engine passed over
the trsstlc, which broke Immediately af-
forwards, and the tender, together with
the front, or through, smoking car. were
thrown backwards into the gorge. The
ia -mer with whom Mr.. Ennis talked said
that 1T o'clock there was practically no
wafer ID the gorge, but at the time of
tie wreck II was a raging torrent OF
ten fet. OF more in depth. The farmer
said the bridge was clearly unsafe,
which had impeifed him to stand in the
storm in an attempt to flag the train.
There was no trainmen left alive on the
side Of the gorge on which most Of the
cars were left, so far as Mr.. Ennis
knows. the engineer and fireman being
on the other side. The passengers were
left y take independent action in rescu-
ing flfe victims.
One of she most important things. and
one which secured the safety OF the re-
manning passengers on the train. was
the tagging Of A freight train which
followed the passenger train about ten
minuees This freight train was tagged
by passengers three hundred feet from
the wreck
Mr.. Ennis said that passenger In the
train estimated that there were at least
forty passengers In the smoking car.
and that not more than ten were rescu-
I'd on this side OF the gorge. Most of
Tue SlIfohcT pdSsctlSeiS, IL uney were
saved. were found on the other side
II was generally believed by the pas
sengers with whom Mr. Ennis had talk
ed. that very many Of the passengers Of
the smoker had been killed, but no one
coIid give an estimate of the number.
The ne~sboy and the conductor were
bath in the front smoking car a; the
tina OF the wreck, and both are bsiiep-
ed 10 hate been instantly killed. Mr..
Ennis thought a conservative estimate
of the number killed would be about
twenty. and that il was more likely
more than less than that number.
The mail clerk and express messenger.
he thought, were undoubtedly killed.
A WORSE WRECK AvERTED.
Edwin Zea of Kansas City, and G.. W.
Herbold. a travelling salesman Of En-
cry. Bird. Thayer & Co.. were the men