Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1897-09-17
Tie Wabash Wreck nf KeyfesviiJ


The people Of Keytesville were ter-
ribly shocked yesterday morning when
they learned that frighfful wreck bad
occurred on the Wabash railway q
Keytesville station. Many OF our cid
zens, including two or three of our u
cal physicians, went TO view the rc'
suits Of the disaster. and to do wh1l
they could to alleviate the suffering
of the wounded and care for the dead
and dying.
The wreck was caused by collisiou
between No IS, the St Louis and
Council Bluffs passenger train, due a
Keytesville at z:45 A. m, and No. 9S,
an east-bound freight that should have
reached this place at rI:54 p. IN, but
was nearly three hours late, at poins
just opposite the pump house west Of
the station.
Bo.h trains wee running on time
orders to Keytesville, and the freight
train had about come to 4 standstill for
the purpose Of switching to let the pas
senger train pass, but before the freight
train could enter the sidetrack the
passenger train came laundering up.
the road rom the east aud crashed
INTO the freight train.
The awful scene which followed can
better be imagined than described
Both engines were pitched into mid
air, and reared up on each other
ike two wild beasts in mighty conflict,
and were almost totally destroyed
The mail car, which followed the en-
gine of the passenger tram. was badly
wrecked, while the baggage car, folloS-
ing the mail car, was wrecked bu,
little. A freight car containing mer-
chandise was smashed into kindling
wood, and another freight car contain
ing dressed beef was more or less de-
molished. But what of the human
freight you aska
Ed Gaines, 4 postal clerk of ST.
Louis, but who formerly lived at
Brunswick, son of Henry Gaines, de-
ceased, was instantly killed. He was
the main support of his widowed
mother.
w. b. Smith, the fireman on the
passenger train, remained at his post
on the engine and met instant death
The engineer, Wm. A. Flowers Of
Moberly, when he saw the danger that
confronted HIM jumped down an en-
Mussel Fork creek, dis
tance of about 30 feet, and had his
ankle severely sprained, and was ser
lously injured internally. He also lost
his $Ioo watch in the creek.
VIM. A. Clark, n son of John Clark
of Salisbury, and Paul Street. also of
who we're riding on the front
platform OF the mail car next TO the
tender Of the engine. beating their way
TO Brunswick, were, it is believed, IA
tally injured. Both we're dangerously
hurt internally, and Clark had one of
his feet mashed entirely of, and the
other was so badly crushed that it had
to be amputaied. In addition to his in.
ternal injuries Street had his right arm
and right leg broken and had three of
his fingers cut of at first joint. These
two young men had the Klondike fever,
and had started for Butte, Mont, in |
tending to spend the winter there
with relatives Of young Clark, and con-
iinuing their journey to Alaska's gold
fields in the spring. Clark died at
8 O'Clock yesterday afternoon.
Chauncey Jones, a postal clerk, who
made his home at Montgomery City,
was bat slightly hurt.
None Of the freight crew were in
iured. Engineer Chris Nelson and
Fireman Wm- A. Mcintyre jumped
from the engine in time to save their
ives
The only passengers reported in
iured were Mrs. Wm. Burton OF Pat
Mo-, who was considerably
shocked. She was on her way home
from St. LOUIS wSere she had submit