San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-09-10
AllAV|I| Wreck
Fast Trains COlliie. At Thu Fatal
Curve
The Victims Who We're Not Killed
Outright Were Roasted to Death
In the Burning Coaches,


Newcastle, Col, Sept 10.-The most
disastrous railroad accident that has
ever happened in Colorado occurred
this morning one-half mile west of
this town. A Denver and Rio Grande
passenger train, west-bound, collided
with Colorado Midland stock train
going east, wrecking both engines and
several cars of both trains. Shortly
after the collision fire broke out in the
ruins. The mail, baggage, express,
cars, smoker, day coach and tourist
sleeper were burned. A number of
passengers who were not killed out
right but pinned in the wreck and
could not be extrieated, persisted in
the flames. There We're about two
hundred passengers. 1t is estimated
twenty-five persons were killed and as
many more bruised, scalded and burn
ed, of whom six are likely TO die of
their injuries.
The accident occurred at the worst
possible point on a curve or bend
Il anu lutIt MAS uO
opportunity to avoid the wreck or even
to slacken speed. w. l.. Hawthorne,
conductor of the passenger train, was
in the smoking car at the time of the
collision and was thrown down and
severely bruised. He said cylinder
under one of the wrecked cars eXplOd-
ed and everything seemed to be in
flames in a short time. He does not
think more than two or three passen-
gers in the smoker We're burned to
death. Passengers in the day coach
Jared worse. Out of twenty-nine peo-
pie, only six are known to have es-
capped. Engineer Ostrander went
down with his hand on the lever
Robert Holland, fireman on the pas
senger train was so badly hurt that he
died at O'clock. Engineer Gordon,
of the passenger train may live al
though he is badly injured. Hines, a
Midland fireman, was shockingly
burned and will die. James keenan,.
postal clerk, is terribly scalded and
will die. 1t is difficult to get particu-
lars about the dead and injured, so
great is the confusion. Alex Hart
man, of Hirsher, Ills, has both legs
broken and cannot live. His wife and
two children were the first dead TO be
removed from the, wreckage. Miss
Pearl Cornell, of Oregon, had a leg
broken. Il. +. Daniels, passenger
brakeman, who was unhurt, came
back to this place and notified the
railroad officials of the accident. a
special train was sent out with ply
slcians and nurses as soon as possible
At $40 a. m. another relief train was
sent from Glenwood Springs where
the news of the wreck caused great
excitement. The neighborhood ranch
houses were used for the reception OF
the injured and all did what they could
to help. Superintendent Choate and
officers of the Rio Grande have done
everything possible. to relieve the SUI
fering. .rsS
Some excitement was occasioned by
two Italians attempting to break open
trunks taken from the baggage car.
Marshal Pearson shot one and the 9TH
err. Nick Flick, was arrested and taken
to Jail. The express car and contents
were entirely consumed by fire. Frank
p. Mannix, editor of the Victoria Re
cord, was in the smoker and managed
TO pull himself out unhurt, and with
the help of Brakeman Daniels, pulled
three people from the wreck. he
thinks fully forty persons were killed
or burned to death. ..