The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-09-14

The south-bound Rock Island passenger
ductor Boyle, struck spring wagon hold
ing thirteen people on the Douglas avenue
crossing, killing three and wounding six
others.
II is the first serious crossing accident
that has ever happened in Wichita. 1t
was not more than thirty seconds from
the time the driver was warned Of the
approaching train by hands thrown up by
people on the platform till the engine had
ground the wagon into a misshapen bulk
and tossed it upon the pavement and death
had brought desolation 10 three homes
manned six unfortunate victims, some
maybe fatally, all seriously.
The wagon belongs TO James Wilson,
who lives on the West Side.
There was no watchman at the crossing,
and the gate-bars were not down.
The train was an hour late. This prooa-
bly, did not occur to the driver, and he
came 10 the track in full troL hurrying
to the exhibition grounds Of the Wild
West show in AIathewson's addition. He
was warned 10y two or three men who
threw up their hands and yelled that the
train was coming. Mr.. Wilson says that
the team had become almost unmanage-
able and could not be stopped. However
that may be, the front wheels Of the car
ryan had Just crossed the second rail
when the vehicle was struck broads!de.
The front end was pitched around toward
she north and the passengers thrown
about on the pavement with the terrible
result told above.
When the train stopped after going
about sixty or sevenJy-fiye feet Mr. Cher
~ was wound on the axle Of the baggage
coach. his leg cut of and blood running
all over his face and dripping to The
ground. He called piteously 10 be taken
out His clothes were so twisted about the
iron tree that they had 10 be cut of.
When taken from the coach and put upon
tho baggage truck awaiting an ambulance
he kept calling in an agouizing way:
"Please move my foot. Please, mister.
move my foot" II was the foot that was
gore that the poor fellow wanted moved.
Lying there with blood all over his face
and clothes. he was an object 10 send a
pang Of horror TO any heart. He was put
into an ambulance and taken TO the City
hospital but he only lived a few minutes.
he Is probably 80 years OF age. Nothing
could be learned of his people last night.
He lived between Mulvane and Derby.
Mrs. Avery was picked up dead Her
clothes had been caught in the wheels Of
the tender and she had been whirled
against the pavement till she was terribly
bruised. There was a deep cut across her
stomach, probably caused BY dragging her
across the end of a tie. She never spoke
nor opened her eyes. nor brea thed after her
friends reached her
Mrs Ford was found near her on the
same side Of the street. Everything was
terror and confusion The crash Of the
engine against the hack the soraech OF
the air brake as the engineer choked down
the creakng aXles the cries Of fright and
the cries and means of pain. the rush OF
the crowd, made an awful scene.
Mrs. Charles NJ. Jones when she was
knocked from the wagon fell on the cow
catcher. and it was some minutes before
Mr.. Jones got TO her. She thought Mr..
Jones had been killed and he thought she
had met the same fate. and both were
crying.
Some say the train was running at about
fourteen miles an hour. others say twelve.
some as low as eight. and others Is high
as eighteen The engine stopped within
seventy feet OF where il hit the hack. II
TSs one Of those quick. tnexplaiaable.