The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-09-09
SIX PEOPLE KILLED.
NIA PEUPLE AlIIED
Victims of the Collision on
the Santa Fe Railroad
Near E1npoTia.
MISCARRIAGE OF ORDERS
Train Dispatcher Held Responsible
Acts Of Bravery and
Remarkable Escapes.
MISCARRIAGE OF ORDERS

EMPORIA, KAS., Sept. 9, 1S97.-Last
nights head-end collision on the Atcnl-
son, Topeka and Santa Fe proves the
worst disaster that has occurred on that
system in many years. Six people were
killed outright, or soon died of their IN
juries, and fifteen others were more or
less seriously injured. One or two more
of the wounded may succumb. That the
wreck did not result more seriously seems
miraculous.
William J. Bryan, who was passen-
ger on one of the trains, escaped unln-
jured.
The killed are:-
Joseph Branham, engineer.
Nate Hollister, engineer.
Benjamin Walters, fireman.
James Hurley, fireman.
Edward Yonselvi, fireman.
Unknown Boy, stealing ride.
One man is missing
Joe Sauers, baggageman.
These are the injured
William Frisbie, engineer.
w. F. Jones, postal clerk.
w. c. McGleed, postal clerk.
c. ]. Holiday, postal clerk.
S. o. MCGEE, postal clerk.
R. A. Doran, postal clerk.
- Patrick, brakeman.
C. A. Van Cleever, brakeman.
T. J. Button, passenger, Cottonwood
Falls.
The wrecked trains were the fastest In
the service-the fast mail, east bound, ano
the California and Mexico express, west
| bound. Each was running at the rate OF
forty miles an hour or over.
The wreck was caused by miscarriage
of orders by the train dispatcher. The
conductor of the east bound train was
| ordered at Emporia to meet and pass the
| California flyer at Lang, seven miles east
| An order sent to Lang to the conductor
| of the west bound to wait there, was no
| delivered and he supposed he was to pas:
at Emporia. Each train was hurrying-
| one to Emporia, the other to Lang-ant
| met at full speed on the main line.
| The California train was almost an houl
| late and was crowded with excursionist'
returning home.
The west bound train carried eight pas
| senger coaches, and all were crowded.
The conductor and brakeman were get
ting their lanterns ready for Emporia
| only three miles away. There was nj
4
| was going around a slight curve and me
| the fast mail,- probably within two hun
| dred feet There was a shock as if tn
| trains had bumped UP against ston
| wall. Then there was an explosion, {
/ of the coaches and all the lights wen
| out. Those who were in the first coacl
| in the west-bound train were left in tota
| darkness and they very soon realized tn
| peril Of their position, for the coache
| were filled with steam and smoke. Tn
| west-bound train was drawn by Two 10
| mall all three of the, engines exploded
| and tore a hole in the track so deep tina
the smoking car of the west-eonnd tran
went on top Of the wreck OF the lnre
| there without turning over. Ihose Ct, Il
this car, who escaped through the win
| dows, came very near turning the ca
over, in which event the mortality woul'
| have been much greater, as TINS ca
| soon caught fire from the exploded en-
| gines underneath it and burned L
Many acts of bravery and nerve wer'
displayed. -,
| his legs broken and shattered IN naiI
| dozen places When his reScuers laid hin
1 on the grass beside the track he turned
| to one of the group and asked II ne Woul'
| pull through. ,.
When assured that he would live If HI
| was brave, he said.
"Am I not brave? Look at my leg
dangling and then ask me to be brave
| I suppose they will have to be amputated
but [ will. bear the operation and Iv
through it. do not propose to die TO
4 lack of nerve and courage. My God, VIVA
has become of my comradeS!
William Frisbie, engineer of the fas
mail whose residence is in Topeka, wa
conscious until he died. He said.
ssI did not see the other train until
came upon it. / turned on the air AM
jumped. | presume cannot recover, bu
will die as bravely as 1 can. I want yo1
men to leave me and help the victims tina
are more unfortunate than | am
a B Adams who is among the injured
| is on his way to Mexico from New Jersey
| with registered bonds amounting to $50,
600 and a great deal other yaluables
They were all burned in the fre after
ward.
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