Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-01-06
EXPRESS TRAIN WRECKED.
The Passengers on a Missouri Pa
q cific Have Miraculous Escape
Near Jefferson City. -
THE ENGINEER AND FIREMAN KILLED.
The Engine Struck stone which Had
Rolled Dowa from the BiuR and the
Engine TEsn Rolled on the Track and
Crushed 20 Death the Two TraInmsn-
Passengsrs' story of the Accident

Jefferson City. Mo. Jan. 4-The
Missouri Pacific express train which
left Kansas City at ;0:40 o'clock last
night for ST. Louis. was wrecked one
mile west Of here at four o'clock this
morning. The wrecl, occurred on a
piece OF track 80 feet above the Missouri
river. On one side was high cliff. on
the other the Missouri river. The
wreck was caused by q stone which
had rolled down from the bluff on the
track. As the engine struck the stone,
the engineer Charles Clawson, of Wash.
ington, Mo-, and the fireman, William
Zoll, OF Sedalia, jumped on the river
aide of the track. The engine rolled
of the track into the river. crushing to
death the two pen on the embank.
ment
All OF the cars, with the excep tion
OF the rear sleeper, left the track. run.
ming nto the face of the cliff. Had they
left the track on the river side they
would have gone into the water and
many of the 90 passengers would haze
been drowned. None of the passen.
gers was seriously injured, though
they were bruised by the sudden stop
ping of the train. The train was run.
ming at the rate of 90 miles an hour
when 1t was wrecked. Traffic was de.
layed several hours.
2. j. Latshaw, of Kansas City, Mo-,
was coming to Jefferson City and was
awake. He said:
had Just dressed myself and looked out
saw that we were just above Jefferson City
was standing Up in the smoking compartment
OF the sleeper with my overcoat on my arm,
expecting every minute to hear the engine
whistle for Jefferson City. when I felt sud.
o. shock like have felt in storm at sea
when big wave would strike the vessel We
bounded along On the ties and when stopped
the big stone retaining wall could be seen
through the torn roof Of the sleeper. The up.
per part Of thu the sou side was torn
TO kindling wood and broken wood and glass
were scattered through the car
When got out could discern the outline of
the train with the roofs Of the ears in front all
torn on Down the river there was a column
of white steam rising right out Of the water.
My first thou sht was that IL was q steamb boat.
but 1t was the engine cooling on in the water.
Almost under my feet the dead fireman was
found with the whole side OF his head torn on
Il Was a miracle that the passengers escaped
and yet there Was some reason or It. The en-.
CINE went on on the side toward he river The
cars left the track, but they Jumped the other
way and went tearing along he ties leaning to-
ward the high retaining wall against the bluh
The wall was far enough from the track that
the whole cars could not be torn to ptec -, be-
cause the rails the right kept the left wheels
from going over. Il was very dark at The time
OF the accident
Charles Cochran. Of St. Joseph, son
Of Congressman Cochran, of tho Fourth
Missouri district, was riding in the
chair car in the smoking room. He
says there was big stone in the mass
of dirt lying on the right of the track. |
The right side of the pilot struck the
rock, which threw the engine to the |
left and caused 1t to leave the track. |
Evidently, he says, the stone was |
thrown to the bank and the Earring OF
the derailed engine threw the train |
OF on the right side. This was all |
that saved the whole train from going |
with the engine into the river Had |
1t followed the engine the cars would |
have gone oroof downward into the |
stream, which 10 SO deep at that point |
light this morning the engine was al. |
most entirely buried out of sight un- |
der water. Had the cars rolled into |
the river none would have escaped. |
Those who could have withstood the |
effect of the fall must have been |
drowned.
One explanation for the engine and |
cars going in opposite directions Is
that the locomotive turned so sud. |
denly that the solid heavy footboard |
Of the cab acted as a lever and threw |
the tender and cars that follow ed IN |
the opposite direction from itself. /,
The baggage and mail cars were torn |
to pieces, but none Of the men were |
injured, according to the statements
Of the passengers and railroad people.