The San Francisco call., 1897-11-19
Two Cars Thrown on Their
Sides and a Third Lands
in the Water.
RESCUERS SAVE ALL THE
PASSENGERS.
First Serious Accident on the
Kansas City, Fort Scott and
Memphis Road.
Special Dispatch TO THE CALI.

KANSAS CITY, Nov 1S.-Train No.
on the Kansas City, Fort Scott and
Memphis road, which left Birming CHA r.
last evening FOR Kansas City, was derailed
just west of Williford. Ark, at o'clock
this morning. Tne com bination coach,
chair car and sleeper went over the bank,
the first falling into Spring River. The
chair car and sleeper were both burned.
One passenger, J. L. Hoover OF Peasant
Hill. Mo, was fatally injured and about
thirty others more or less seriously hurt.
The complete list OF the injured is as
follows: J. L. Hoover, Pleasant Hill, Mo. ;
Leo Pollock, Little Rock, Ark. Clarence
Murphy, Atwood, Ind; J. S. Morris,
Bakersfield, Mo-. c. A. Ravenstein, wife
and baby, Atwood, Ind; c. L. Meri-
weather. Sulphur Rock. Ark; Ed Webb,
Fernon Nook, Mo. J. J. Altscheel, Little
Rock, Ark; w. J. Grant, Salem, Ark,
bruised and cut about the head; NJ. L.
Price, Beall Ark, injured about the
head; ". B. StahI, Cor.nth. Miss, in
jured about the head and in the hand; W.
H. Boatner Lection; NJ. Z. Hogan, Arkan-
sas, injured about the head; Westerly
Twins, Atwood, Ind, injured about the
head; Mrs. a. D. Perkins, Hiram, Ark.
extent OF injuries not known; r. S. Guy,
Monterey, Ind, arms hurt; Mrs. Prince,
going to Fort Smith, extent of her III
iuries not known, but her son was hu-t
about the face and arms; NJ. Bailey, Fair
D Law, Mo-, foot injured w. J. Shesabei,
Veadette, Ark, head injured; Mrs. Ar
nit. Mammoth Springs, Ark, back
sprained.
No. is fast through train from the
south. Between WIlliford and Hardy the
Memphis tracks parallel Spring River, Il
little stream running out OF Mammoth
Springs. The train was composed of the
engine, mail and express cars, baggage
car, com bination coach, chair car and
sleeper. The combination car has a par
titlon in the middle, one end beng used
as d smoker and the other end FOR cOlored
passengers.
When near Wiiliford the engineer felt
the train leap forward, and found that 1t
had parted between the two day coaches.
The last three cars bumped over the ties,
the char car and sleeper turning over on
their SIDES and the com bination car finally
going into the river. The most inten:e
conius on prevailed. The engineer backed
M the front part of the train and the work
of rescue was Immediately begun.
The terror OF the passengers who mad
gone down into the stream with the COM
bination car was heightened by the alarm
from the chair car and sleeper, both OF
which soon took fire. The intense dark
ness added to the confusion, and 1t was
some time before an organized effort at
rescue was put into effect by the train
crew and those of the passengers who had
been able TO extricate themselves without
aid. The passengers in the burning cars
were luckily rescued before the fire had
reached lis height, and but few were IN
iured.
1t soon became apparent tnat the chair
car and sleeper could not be saved, and
al efforts were put forth TO help the un-
fortuna e passengers OF the com bination
car IN ne stream. Screams AMI cries for
help were heard on all sides, and because
OF the darkness rescue was difficult. AS
the flames from the two burning cars b =
came brighter, the rescLe7s we're eGa bic
TO WORK 10 be Ter advantage. Luckily OF
O person was drowned, and il was not long
uefore all had been accounted for, and
were being cared for as best LossiDle-
4 tple"rsm to Tndyer, Mo-, twenty-nine
miles distant, brought a relief train in an
houro 50, and the injured were taken to
that city and placed In hospital.
The cause OF Tie accIuent has not been
ascertained, but it is thought some por-
ton of the forward truck of the smoker
gave way. This Will not be known posi-
lively until the truck, which is In the
river has been recovered.
Tne train crew escaped injury. The
wreck is the first one of a ser Gus nature
in the history OF lne Memphis ;oad, and il
Mr.. Hoover dies he Will, according to the
statement OF General Pas ssenger Agent J.
+. Lockwood, be the nrst passenger ever
killed while rfdlng on train on that road.