The herald., 1897-06-27

"A TRESTLE
WASHOUT
Wrecks a Train at Mis-
souri, City
KNOWN DEAD NUMBER NINE
KNOWN DEAD NUMBER NINE
BUT MANY MORE PASSENGERS
ARE MISSING
A Crowded Train Goes Down and
Sinks In the Raging Waters
Of Gorge
Associated Press Special Wire.


City. MO, at 7:05 o'clock. carrying dow
the entire train, with the exception of tn
rear car. The gorge, which
few hours previously was practicall
empty, had become a roaring torrent b,
a tremendous downpour of rain, an,
the structure weakened. Seven persons
are known to be dead and the list ma!
reach twenty-five. There were twenty
five passengers in the chair car, ant
only a few of these are accounted for
In the intense confusion that ensued i
became impossible to estimate the dea(
or wounded.
THE LIST OF DEAD
The number of dead is estimated a
from nine to twenty-five. The known
dead number nine. Their names are:
Charles C. Copeland Of st. Louis, con.
ductor of the train.
Edward Greidrod Of st. Louis, express
and baggageman.
w. o. Smith of st. Louis postal clerk
Frank w. Brink Of st. Louis, posta
clerk.
Samuel Winters of st. Louis, postal
clerk.
w. S. Mills of st. Louis, postal clerk.
Gus Smith of st. Louis, postal clerk.
c. P. Greasley of st. Louis. brakeman,
Train boy, name unknown.
Following is as complete list Of the
injured as can be obtained:
Mrs. S. S. Prather, Columbia, Mo-;
head, shoulders and neck very badly in
jured.
Artelia Prather, Columbia, Mo-; three
years old; head and face cut.
w. r. Wilkinson, Kansas City; Shout
ders injured and 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. Of Carroll
ton; back badly hurt.
Mrs. Sallie Mathews, Kansas
City; side hurt.
Edward Dillon, Holiday, Kas.;
head bruised and cut, knee sprained.
DR.. Sol Gray. Prairie Hill, Mo-;
right knee and both elbows injured.
J. w. Huff. Mexico, Mo-; both legs
badly bruised.
The bodies of the dead which have
been recovered from the wreck are at
Missouri City. Those who were very
badly injured were left at Missouri City
in charge of surgeons from Moberly. All
who can be removed will be taken to
the company's hospital at Moberly.
Others of the injured and those who
escaped were returned to Kansas City
in a special train sent down from Ran
dolph and which arrived here at II
o'clock tonight.
There were twenty-five people in the
smoker at the time the crash came
Only eight could be accounted for after
the wreck. 1t is believed all the others
were crushed or drowned. Only the top
of the smoker is above water.
The chair car was crowded. Several
who were occupants Of this car have not
been accounted for.
The train left Kansas City at 6:2O and
was composed of mail car, baggage
and express, smoker, chair car, sleeper
and two coaches for Excelsior Springs
The trestle at which the disaster oc-
Cured is about two miles south of Mis-
souri, City and is built on a curve As
the train struck the trestle the. frame
work gave way beneath the weight,
evidently having been weakened by the
tremendous volume of water flowing be-
meath it, an unusually heavy rain hav-
ing swollen the small stream to a tor
rent. The engine and tender passed
over safely, but the mail and express
cars toppled over, each falling on the
side. The chair car plunged down into
the chasm end first, and the coach fol-
lowing also went in end first, grinding
and crushing the mail and express cars
beneath. The front end of the sleeper
projected over the chasm, but the two
Excelsior Springs coaches in the rear
held it upon the track.
The accident happened during one of
the heaviest transforms ever seen in that
country. 1t was accompanied by tre-
mendous roll of thunder and vivid light
ming. The elements and the horrible
nature of the accident combined to make
one of the most terrifying sights imag-
Unable. Before any one could realize
what had happened the cries of the in
jured filled the air. Shreks for help
came from all sides. Some one shouted
that the wreck was on fire, and another
shouted that freight train was follow
ing closely. One Of the young men in the
rear coach sprang off and ran back
down the track and with an umbrella
tagged freight train that was close
in the rear and the crew of that train
hurried down to render what aid was
possible.
AS soon as Engineer Billy Carlisle
realized wha had happened he hurried
to Missouri City and reported the wreck.
A wreck crew left Moberly shortly after.
Twenty minutes after the wreck was re-
ported a special train carrying the Of
ficials and score of doctors, left Mo
berly and made one of the quickest trips
ever made over the line TO the scene of
the wreck.
The work of rescuing the passengers
who were injured began with great
but was accompanied by
the greatest difficulty. Not a train
man was to be found. The crew were
all In the wreck, and only the conductor
Of the Pullman and his porters were
there to help the passengers. They took
charge promptly and rendered valuable
The occupants Of the