The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-09-16
BRYAN IN A
TERRIBLE WRECK,
Many are Killed and Injured, but
Bryan Escapes Injury.
HE HELPS IN THE RESCUE

= al 1su and CAitferalA Exps. g CoiIide
Thr~sxh Miscarriage Of Tsaia Order
and Several Persoas KsIied-sn okssg r
Cars Ran On Top Of Locomotives That
Had Chopped lsto the Gseand-B~yas
Hsips Garry Out tbs Dead a.d wounded.
EMpokIA, Kan, Sept. s.-one OF the
worst wrecks in the history of he santa
Fe Railroad occurred three miles east
0f here about ! 80 O'Clock TO- night
Probably twelve or Hfteens persons
were killed, and rs manJ more were
badly hurt. The fast mail train going
east and the Mexico and California ex.
press going west collided head-on. The
Mexico and California express was
pulled by two locomotives, and when
they struck the engine drawing the
last mail, the boilers Of all three en-
gines exploded and tore q hole in the
ground SO deep that the smoking car
OF the west-bound train ran in on ton
OF the three engines and two mail cars
and balanced there, without turning
over.
As far As learned, the list Of dead in
cludes ten, with eleven seriously in
jured. Some Of the injured will die.
"scS NAAAo1 VI - OAD6Hs
1t is stated that the wreck Was caused
by miscarriage of orders from the
train-master. At EmpOria the east
bound fast mail train received orders
to pass the California express at Lang,
seven miles east. Another was sent to
Lang for the California express to take
the siding there, but this order was not
delivered, and the west bound train
passed on, the trainmen expecting to
pass the fast mail at Einporia.
The passengers in the smoking car
escaped. through the windows. The
trent end Of this Car was enveloped in
a volume Of sitting smoke and steam,
belching up from the wreck below, and
the rear door was jammed tight in the
wreck Of the car behind. The wreck
caught fire from the engines. The cars
in the hole and the smoker burned to
ashes in short time. In climbing out
of the smoking car several men fell
through the riffs in the wreck below,
and it is impossible to tell whet her they
escaped or burned to death.
The west. bound train carried seven
or eight coaches, and its passengers in
been to hear Hon. w. s. Bryan speak
at the county fair at Burlingame. Mr.
Bryan himself was on the train, but was
riding in the rear Pullman, some 400
feet from the cars which were wrecked.
Only few in Mr.. Bryan's car were in
jured.
BRYAN ONE OF THE REsCUERs.
Mr.. Bryan was one of the noblest
men in the crowd of rescuers. He
helped to carry out the dead and wound
ed and gave the greatest attention to
their care. One poor fellow, who was
badly manned, called to Mr.. Bryan and
said
II went to hear you to-day; am dy-
ing now, and want TO shake your hand
and say God bless you. If you posi-
bly, can, Mr.. Bryan. get me drink of
water"
Mr.. Bryan went into the fast mail
and came out with the drink of water
which he gave to the suffering pas
senger. He brought out cushions for
others of the injured, and was every
where present to minister to the wants
of the suffering.
The engineer of the west-bound
train had received orders to meet the
fast mail at Emporia, and was making
up lost time. These two are the fast
est trains on the Santa Fe system,
and the west bound train must have
been running at a speed OF forty miles
an hour. The West-b0und express was
going around q slight curve and met
the fast mail, probably within 200 feet.
OF the seven or eight cars making up
the Mexico and California express,
only the mail, baggage and express
and smoking cars were destroyed. The
coach following the smoker was badly
splintered.
There was not more than q dozen
passengers on the fast mail, all in one
coach, and while none of them were
seriously injured their shaking up was
terrible. Every seat in the coach was
torn from the floor, and many: floor
planks came up with the seats.
One man, John Sweeny, was thrown
over three seats and through window
but escaped with only scratches and
bruises. The other cars of the fast
mail train, baggage and express
we're totally wrecked.