The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1897-07-03
CRUSHED AND MANGLED
PLUNGE or THE ST. LOUIS EXPRESS
TO AWFUL DISASTER.
Dead and Iniurea In The wreck ne
meath sax Feet Of Raging
Water.

NAHAN1o oAA tAAC w NAlAAoAA AlsANAa NnhCu ACAt
here at 6;20 Saturday evening, plunged
through a trestle at Missouri City, Mo,
at I:OS o'clock, carrying down the entire
train with the exception of the rear ear,
Pullman. The gorge, winch lew hours
previously was practically empty, had be-
come raging torrent by the tremendous
dOwnPour of rain, and the structure
weakened. Several persons are known to
be dead, and the list may reach 25, There
were 25 persons in the chair ear, and only
few of these are accounted for. In the
intense confusion it became impossible
to estimate the dead or wounded.
The Dead.
The number OF dead is estimated at
from nine to 2S. The known dead num-
Der nine. Their names are;
Frank w. Brink, st, Louis; postal
clerk
Charles C. Copeland, st, Louis; eondue-
tor of the train.
Edward Greidrod, st. Louis; express
and baggageman.
o. Smith, st. Louis; postal clerk.
w. 5. Mills, st. Louis; postal clerk.
Gus Smith, St. Louis; postal clerk.
c. p. Greasley, st. Louis; brakeman.
Train boy, name unknown.
The injured.
AIRS. 5. 5. lrather, Columbia, Mo-;
head, shoulders and neck badly injured.
Artelia Prather, Columbia, Mo-; head
and face cut; three years old
w. l. Wilkinson, Kansas City; shout
ders injured and head and face covered
with cuts.
Miss Alice Darcy, Kansas City: heal
badly cut, both arms sprained and side
injured.
Miss Nellie Merriek, Carrollton; back
badly hurt.
Mrs. Sallie Smith, Kansas City; side
hurt.
Edward W. Dillon, Holiday, Kan. !;
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 are badly injured were left
at Missouri City in charge of surgeons
from Kansas City. Those who can De
removed will be taken to Moberly. 9th
ers of the injured and those who escaped
were returned to Kansas City in spe-
eial train sent down from Randolph,
which arrived here at II o'clock
Many Are Missing.
There were % people in the smoker at
the time of the crash. 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 the water. The chair car was
crowded. Several who were occupants OF
this car have not been accounted for.
work of Rescue.
The work OF Teseuing the passengers
who were injured began with great
promptness, but was accomplished with
the greatest difficulty. Not a trainman
was to be found. The crew were all IN
the wreck, and only the conductor Of the
Pullman and his porter were able to help
passengers. They took charge and rem.
dered valuable assistance The occupants
of the smoker, who were in the rear end,
managed to scramble out Of the ear anil
escape, although it is pretty certain a
number were unable to get out.
The worst damage was done in the
chair ear. Conductor Copeland had Just
entered the front door Of that coach when
it went down. The Jolt Of the sleeper be-
hind and under it sent the occupants of
the car down at the front. Chairs went
tumbling down along with the people,
and beneath the mass Conductor Copeland
met his death. A heavy chair struck him
and crushed his head, while score of
other people were piled above him. The
trainmen and news agent were in the
smoker when it went down.
Told by n survivor.
1t was the most awful sight ever
saw, says j. J. Kelley, OF Kelley Bros.
COoperage Company of Kansas CITY. 81
was in the front ear, going to Excelsior
Springs We were directly behind the
sleeper and We stopped with a suddenness
that bumped us about bit. We heard
cries and shouts and hurried out into the
ram to see what had happened. In
ilsh OF lightning we could see the wreck
piled up IN most awful shape, while the
raging waters went fOaming over and
through the cars. / never saw a more
frIghtful picture. Cries came from all
parts Of the wreck, and people we're
climbing and hurTying out of it. Men
with the blood streaming over them came
struggling out, and women with cloth.
ing disheveled and covered with blood pit
eonSIy appealed for help. Everybody
helped a. soon as we could. Men were
plnioned down beneath great masses of
seats, limbs were broken and it was M.
ony unsPeakable to get them out, but
those who could render assistance did Ill
that was possible. There il no telling
how many people are down in the water.
IL was from six to 10 feet deep and tho
current was very swift"