The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-09-16
A FYIGHTFUL COLLISION.
Two Trains Meet at High Speed on
a Colorado Mountain Curve.
FIRE FOLLOWED THE CRASH.

Burned to Death-Many Bodies Dis
figured Beyond Recognition - The
Freight Supposed to Have Been "Steal-
ing Station" From Passenger Train.
DENVER, Col. peciaD.-Passenger train
/ Of the Denver and Rio Grande Railway,
which had left Denver for Salt Lake City,
and an eastbound stock train OF the Colo
Sado Midland, collided on the Rio Grande
Junction track mile and half west OF
New Castle at 1915 a. m. Both trains were
wrecked, eighteen persons were killed,
and many others were hurt.
The identified dead are: o. S. Ostrancer,
engineer, freight train; r. s. Hallan, fire.
man, freight train; Robert Holland, fire.
man, passenger train; James F. Keenan,,
postal clerk; Charles Leeper, Clarion,
Penn; Mrs. Alexander Hartman ,Heuscher,
III; two Hartman children; six unidenti-
fed persons burned in the wreck.
{. The seriously injured are: William Cor
don, passenger engineer; the Rev. Alexan-
der Hartman, Heuschler, ILL.,; j. II. Stander,
Riverside, Idaho; Miss Pearl Cornell, Atsel,
Oregon; Thomas Nash, Moab, Utah.
scratches, and scalds, but none severe
enough to interfere with their continuing
their Journeys.
The passenger train left New Castle west
bound just an hour late and the freight was
supposed to be on siding six miles west
Of New Castle. It Is believed that the crew
Of the freight train endeavored to 'steal q
station" but the freight train had run ten
minutes over the allotted time when the
collision occurred. Conductor F. E. Bur-
bank Of the freight train was arrested. He
refuses to talk.
Both trains were running at full speed
when the collision occurred, the locomo-
Aiyes telescoping with tremendous crash
and the passenger locomotive exploding
ammediately after striking.
1 A Pintsch gas cylinder under one OF the
eoaches Is supposed to have exploded, ig-
hitting ths wreck, and before the injured
passengers could be rescued tho cars were
= mass Of flames. The flames spread SO
Expjdly that little work In rescuing the
pas8engers who were pinned down could be
reached, but therescuersw were driven back BY
Names beforehe could be extricated, and he
died before the eyes Of the rescuing party.
y. p. Nsnnix Of Victor broke open win
dow In the smoking car, but only to admit
khe flames. He made his escape through
Window on the opposite side. Miss Cor
Hall was found partly out Of window with
hSr hip dislocated, and she was rescued
Mn IN tineto escape cremation. The Rev.
n, Hartman was dragged, out OF . rear
h6or, but his wife and family perished In
Tho flames. The two express messengers
chopped their way through the side OF the
ear and escaped practically uniniured.
Few tn the front coaches escaped. Tho
pides Of the car pinned down the passea-
Ssxs, and they persisted In the flames be-
lore they could be reached. No mail and
Int little baggage was saved.
y ks IN all similar accidents the locomotive
nan are drst to lose their lives. Engineer
Ootrander went down with his hands on
tAs lever. Robert Holland, fireman on the
bamenger, was SO badly hurt that he died
Is fse O'clock. Engineer Gordon OF the
Daseengse train was fatally hurt. he was
Ehxoxu over barb wire fence by the force
Ec1 the collision.
Neighbcring ranch houses received the
injured. The rapchmen did what they
could 60 help. At least two cars OF stock
Iwcre wrecked, and the road was strewn
with bodies OF dead animals.
X PhyxiciAns were taken to the wreck from
New Castle and from Glenwood Springs,
and early In the day the injured were taken
10 the hospital at Salida.
Charles Leeper, one OF the victims, was
tono Of fhemost conspicuous men OF Clarion
\ County, Pennsylvania. Fifty years ago he
walked Into q Clarion poor boy, He died
worth 600 900.