The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-29
EIGHT INJURED.
Rock Island Flyer Is Wrecked
This Morning.
Scene of Accident at Keats Near
Manhattan.
AN OPEN SWITCH.
1t Was Left by Crew of Freight
Train.
Three Coaches Thrown From
the Track.
No Topeka People In the List
of Hurt.

East bound Flyer No. 10 on the Rock
Island, due here at 1880 a. m, was
wrecked at 5:45 o'clock this morning
at Keats, the first station west of Man
haitian. The accident was caused by
the Flyer running into the rear of
freight train, which had just pulled
onto the siding to allow the flyer to
pass. The front of the engine was
stove in, three passenger coaches
were thrown off the track, and two
freight cars damaged. The wrecking
train was Immediately sent out from
Fairbury, and special train with Off
cials of the road and surgeons left
Manhattan and Mcfarland for the
scene of the accident. Everything pos
sible is being done to care for the in
jured and clear away the wreck.
1t is reported in Topeka that no one
was killed and the following were in
jured:
Engineer Cuthbertson, foot and ankle
sprained.
Fireman Crawford, shoulder sprained.
E. T. Roach, Mena, Ark, bad cut on
arm.
Geo. Van CIeves. mail clerk. collar
bone broken.
Tom Gilbert. Kansas City, Kan, head
and left arm cut.
Ed. Hallsy. injured in chest; doctor
thinks not serious.
Mrs. F. E. McElwel, Peru, Ind. arm
bruised.
Miss Jennie Raneses, Perrysburg.
Ind, bruise on arm.
Train No. 10, the east bound flyer
due in Topeka at 1880 a. m, was behind
time and running at high rate of speed.
Just before reaching Keats there is a
curve which hides the siding from view
of trains coming east. The morning
was foggy and the engineer did not see
the signal which the freight train had
sent ahead until he was just rounding
the curve The brakes were Immediate
ly put on and Engineer Cuthbertson
and Fireman Crawford both jumped,
receiving slight injuries The freight
train had just pulled on to the siding
and three cars We're still on the main
track. Into these the passenger train
crashed, throwing two off the track.
The front of the passenger engine was
smashed and three cars thrown off
track The passengers did not realize
the danger until after the accident Oc-
CURED. as at that early hour they were
mostly doing in their seats or asleep.
1t is remarkable that the casualties
were not more severe, as the passenger
train was running at speed of 80
miles an hour when it struck.
The wrecKer was Immediately start
ed to the scene of the accident from
Fairbury, Neb., and relief trains car
rying officials and surgeons from sur
rounding towns were on the ground
soon after the accident. It will take at
least six hours to clear away the de-
bris and make the track paSsable.
The passengers and injured were
brought to Topeka by special train at
noon today.
The AriOn special train, CARRYING a
E Av~if.
Pacific coast, should have followed this
train, but on account of the accident,
was transferred to the Union Pacific
at Clay Center, and brought over that
road through Junction City to Topeka
The relief train which was sent to
Keats to bring the Rock Island pas
sengers and those injured to Topeka
arrived in the city at lis this after
noon. The train was made up of one
freight car, one passenger coach for
those not hurt and two cabOOses made
into hospitals for the injured.
The train stayed in Topeka only long
enough to change passengers and put
on more cars, after which it continued
to Kansas City, where the injured will
be placed in the cOmpany's hospital
DR.. G. NJ. StemmOn was on the train
when the accident occurred and rem
dered valuable assistance until the re-
lief train came carrying Drs. SherbOn,
Morton of Keats and Limon of Man
haitian.
Everything possible was done to re-
ieVe the suffering of those injured and
it is almost a miracle that there were
not more hurt or killed as the train was
running at the rate of 70 miles an hour
when it struck the freight train.
Some one evidently made a big blum
der which resulted in the wreck.
The passenger train signaIIed half
mile away from the freight train which |
was standing on the siding with the |
rear three cars on the main track.
The track was wet from the dew of |
the morning and the engineer of the |
passenger train had no orders to pass |
the freight train at Keats.
If the signal torpedo had been placed |
farther ahead of the freight train, Civ !
ing the passenger engineer time to /
stop. no accident would have occurred /
Plenty of time was had to place this /
signal ahead, as the freight was on the /
siding over As minutes before the pas
senger train came along.
The engineer of the passenger train
said to some of the passengers that |
just before the torpedo signal went
off that he was timing the train and
it was going at the rate of 20 miles an
hour. When the torpedo was struck
the brakes were Immediately put on L
but they did little good and the train
was making almost 20 miles an hour
when it struck the freight train. The
brakes were Of no use as the wheels
slid on the track.
The following stories Of the wreck
We're secured from passengers:
T B. Gilbert, member of city council
at Kansas City, Kansas, said: Il was |
just going out on the platform when
the signal went off and started 70 ero /