Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-06-12
COLLISION
impact and Defamation Combine
to Destroy Human Life and
Property on the Rail. :.
DYNAMITE CAUSES THE BLOW UP
In Which Five Persons Die Horribly
Other Hallway Fatalities Storm
Kills Three Oklahomans.

Binghampton, N. Y, June 1O.-While
q freight train on the Lackawanna
was taking water at Vestal, ten miles
west of here, ut 9:45 p. m. Saturday
1t was run into from behind by dou-
ble-header wildcat freight. In the
second car from the caboose of the
stationary train was large quantity
Of dynamite, which was exploded by
the impact. Five men were killed and
seven injured by the explosion. The
dead are: John P. Kelly, head brake
man of wildcat train; s. r. Polhamus,
conductor of freight; Elmer Polhamus,
trainman of freight; John Coulter,
fireman of the first engine of the wild
cat; Fred Witherby, fireman of the
second engine of the wildcat. Seven
others, all but two of them trainmen,
were injured; several thought to be
fatally hurt recovered from the con-
cussiOn and figure In the list of slight
ly hurt.
Blew Ono Victim 44O Yards.
The explosion completely demolished
four freight cars. Much damage was
done by the conclusion, most of the
windows in Vestal and Union, across
the river from Vestal, being shattered.
Binghamton's plate glass fronts did
not escape, many of the largest glasses
In the center of the city being broken.
The shock was felt ut distance Of
thirty miles. All through the early
morning hours the rescuers toiled
about and among the burning freight
cars at the scene of the explosion, but
1t was not until late yesterday after
noon that portions of the last dismem-
bered body to be accounted for were
discovered a quarter of mile from
where the explosion occurred.
Fatal Accident in Kansas,
Wichita, Kan, June 1O.-The east
bound Frisco passenger train No. 1OS,
which left here Saturday afternoon,
was wrecked Mt Greenwood, station
sixty miles east of here, injuring ten
persons, two Of whom will die. The
fatally injured are Mrs. II. w. Smith,
OF New Kirk, o. T., and Conductor Il.
A. Eckers. The train was going at
the rate of thirty miles an hour and
at an abrupt turn near Greenwood sta
ton the dining car and a@sleeper
jumped the track. A range in the din
ing car was upset and the live Goals
from the range set fire to the dining
car, and within thirty minutes both
OF the derailed cars were consumed.
FIERCE WIND PLAYS MUCH HAVOC,
Kills Three Persons, Wounds Seven and
Destroys Wheat on 400 Farms.
Wichita, Kan, June 1O.-A cores
4
from the scene of storm devastation
In Kay county, o. T., says that the
storm of Friday night ruined thewheat
crop OF 400 farms west and northwest
of Blackwell. These farms are all In
one body of territory. The farmers,
who had purchased Irvine and harvest
machinery are asking the local dealers
to take them back, and the dealers
have referred the matter to the fac
tories. The loss of crops will cause
no distress, as the farmers are In good
condition financially, owing to sue
cession OF good crops during the past
five seasons.
The storm did not confine Its havoc
to inanimate things, however. Three
persons We're killed and number
wounded at Eddy. The storm covered
stretch of country ten miles wide
and thirty-six miles long, destroying
towns, farm houses and crops. The
three persons killed at Eddy are: Mrs.
Maude McGathey, Louis McGathey
and Robert McGiff1n; injured, Charles
Goldsmith, skull fractured; John Nc
Brain, leg broken; Hugh Prather, nose
broken; Judd McWilliams, head
crushed; Howard flanagan, head bad.
ly crushed; Ruby Higinbothen, face
crushed and internal injuries; A. d.
Evans, leg broken.
The rain simply fell In torrents from
early In the evening until midnight,
| The fury Of the storm centered at
about 6:3O p. m. at point near the
Kansas state line, and just on the
county lines Of Kay and Grant, o. Il,
In the little town of Eddy Of twelve or
fifteen buildings in the place all were
leveled to the ground except the rail-
road station and elevator. The track
of the cyclone between this point and
TOnkawa, distance of eight miles.
was laid waste. Five farm houses,
with barns and outbuildings, were
blown away, bht the occupants es-
capped unharmed The tail end of the
storm fell upon Tonkawa. Thirty
dwellings and business houses were
scattered like SO much loose lumber.
The citizens of Inc town had been
watching the advance of the storm,
and had sought shelter in caves and
cellars. No fatalities are reported nj
this point.