Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-09-09
THE PIYILEsS FLAMES ADDED HORROR TO The CALAMITY
Trains Were Running at 40 Miles An Hour and Came Together
With Fearful CrashThree Locomotives Exploded
W ]. Bryan Was on One Of the Trains. But Was
Not Injured--Enormous Money Loss.

Emporia, Kas., Sept. 9.-Last nights
headend collision on the A., 7. q s. F
proves the worst disaster that has oc-
Cured on that system in many years.
Ten employees were killed outright, or
soon died of their in njuries, Is others we're
more or less seriously injured. One or
two of the wounded may yet succumb
Hon. VIM. j. Bryan, who was passenger
on one of the trains, escaped injured
and aided materially in rescuing the un-
fortunates. The wrecked trains we're the
fast mail, eastbound, and the California
Mexico express, westbound, each running
at speed of 40 miles an hour or over.
The wreck occurred at 7:3O, three miles
east of Emporia on small culvert that
crosses dry stream.
CAUSE OF THE WRECK.
The conductor of the eastbound train
was ordered, at Emporia, to meet and
pass the California flyer at Lang, seven
miles east. The order sent to Lang, to
the conductor of the westbound train, for
him to wait there, was not delivered and
he supposed he was to pass the other
train at Emporis. Both trains we're hur-
rying-one to Emporia, the other to
Lang-and met at full speed on the main
line. The California train was almost an
hour late, and owing to BrYan's lecture
engagement at Burlingame, was crowded
to the guards with excursionists return
ing home. The westbound carried eight
passenger coaches, all crowded. There
was no warning signal and as the west
bound was going around slight curve
the other train could not be seen. When
the trains met there was shock, as If
the trains had bumped up against stone
wall. Then there was an explosion, a
crashing sound, and in the uncertain
movement of the coaches all lights went
out. Those in the first coach of the west
bound train soon realized their peril for
their portion of the coach was filled with
steam and smoke.
THREE ENGINES EXPLODED.
The westbound train was drawn by two
locomotives, and when they struck the
fast mail, all three of the engines ex-
ploded, and tore hole in the track 80
deep that the smoking car of the west
bound train went on top of the wreck of
the other three engines and two mail cars,
and balanced there without turning over.
This car soon caught fire from the ex-
ploded engines underneath 1t, and burned
to ashes.
DID NOT LEAVE THE TRACK.
The cars of the fast mail did not leave
the track. There were not more than a
dozen passengers on this train, and all
these on one coach. While none we're
fatally injured, all in this coach received
a terrible shaking up, and some we're
painfully bruised. Every seat was torn
from its fastening. John Sweeney was
thrown over three seats, clear out of a
window, and by some miracle escaped
uninj jured. Far down in the heaps OF
debris sounded the wailing voices OF
men, pleading for aid. While the res.
cuers were working with might and main
to get out the unfortunates, fire broke out
in the wreokage of the forward coaches
and the cry for water went up. Water tanks
were torn from their fastenings in the
coaches that could be entered, and blood
besmeared men carried them over the
broken timbers in the vain attempt to
quell the fast spreading flames. The
dead and mangled bodies of four victims
were dragged to the grass beside the
tracks. The women passengers we're
huddled together in terror and watched
the flames grow higher and higher. After
herculean efforts, the flames we're sub
dued and the work of rescue was made
more easy.
THE DEAD.
Engineer Brennan was found under his
engine, dead; Engineer Nate Hollister
was thrown 80 feet from his engine and
picked up dead; Engineer Frisbie was
picked up some distance from the track,
fatally injured; Benjamin Walters, his
fireman was terribly maDgled; Shurley
and Gonzalla, frsmen on No. l, were
fatally injured and died after being re-
moved from the wreck. The four postal
clerks on No. l, were all found. They
we're: R. 0. MoGee, W. F. j. ones, M. j.
McGlade, and Claude Holiday, all OF
Kansss City. Holidays legs are broken
and he is injured internally; M. ]. Nc.
Glade was crushed and bruised about the
head and body, and died shortly before
midnight; Jones' legs are mashed and his
uedu Oouly Cuvy MC6oo o AOAO ui0 ctuouou
The postal clerk OF tee fast mail, R. A.
Dorsn, died shortly after he was found;
J. F. Sauer, express messenger, was killed
and O. W. Van Cleve, brakeman, fatally
injured. A relief train soon arrived from
Topeka and the injured were taken to
that city.
BRYAN's NOBLE WORK.
Hon. William ]. Brvan said toflav. 0T
did not feel tho shock severely, but from
the way things looked I cannot see why
70 we're not ell killed. The scene was the
most terrible have ever seen. Il made
an impression on me that cannot leave
me In life time" From the passengers
II was lerrned that Bryan assisted In oar
rying the first body recovered and was
foremost In tho rescue work.