Mohave County miner., 1901-11-23
An Awful Railroad Wreck.

Last Wednesday morning at about
the hour of 5:l2 Nos. 3 and 1, west and
eastbound Sante Fe flyers met in head
on collision two miles west of Fran.
COMA, small flag station 3S miles
southwest of Kingman. The trains
we're late and were supposed to be run
ming at high rate of speed. The col
lision occurred on a sharp curve and
the engineers could not have seen each
other until within a few hundred feet
distant. The impact of the collision
must have been terrible, as the boiler
of the west bound locomotive lies bot
tom up on the west side OF the wreck,
and headed east. Every fireman on
the two trains was killed. The east
bound train was pulled by two oil
burning locomotives and the second
engine exploded, throwing the burning
oil into the wreck and setting the cars
on fire. J. r. Williams, engineer of the
west bound train and l.. Holmes engi-
neer of the second east bound engine
jumped aud were severely injured.
Holmes was buried in the oil from the
overturned tank and was so weak that
it was only by the greatest effort of
will that he managed to keep his head
above the oil. To add to the horror of
his situation the oil was burning all
around him and had he not been
J dragged out in time he would have
J been burned to death. p. M. McElli-
engine was instantly killed 10 jumping.
j. l.. Morse, conductor was on the en-
gine with him aud was badly injured
| by jumping. All the cars in both
trains kept the track aud the passen.
gers we're but slightly shaken up. r
NJ Bryant, who is working a bridge
gang near the scene Of the disaster, was
awakened by the terrible explosion of
the boiler aud with his men ran quick
ly to the wreck and by their heroic
effort saved lives and property. -Four
cars of the east bound train were
moved back and saved from the flames
and two cars of the west bound trait
we're also saved. A relief train from
Kingman with DR.. Ealy aboard wa,
sent at once TO the wreck The wound
ed and dead that could be found wer'
placed in one of the Pullmans aud run
back to Mellen, where the other relie
train from Needles with doctors anC
nurses was met. Walter beverage,
colored waiter, was so badly burned
that he died while being taken ABOARD
of the relief train. Four bodies wer'
taken TO Needles and we're identified a
those of P. NJ. McElligott. engineer; II
+. Gold dschn nidt, fireman; II. +. Braun
hardt, baggage master; Walter Daver
age, waiter. The bodies OF w. l.. Case
and w. II. Armitage, firemen and San
, Brown, waiter, could not he found
Robert Higgins, conductor of the wes
bound train was in the baggage car a
the time of collision aud was caught il
the wreck. He was surrounded b,
flames aud gave him self up as lost, bu
the thoughts of the good wife an,
babes at home gave him wonderful
strength and be tore himself loose an,
was soon placed on the train under tn
care of the doctors. He was badl
crushed and died in Los Angelo
r Thursday afternoon. Five cars of th
/ train we're completely destroyed b
fire, although being lit lie damaged b.
the im pact of the collision. Every bi
of running gear and frames of the loco
motives is piled up together in a tar
gled mass where they came together
. The aspect of the whole thing causes
shudder of horror to go through tn
observer. Practically all the baggag
aud mails of both trains was destroye
! by the flames. The body of youn
woman being taken from San Franci:
co to Pittsburg, was entirely consumed
Fourteen employees and trainmen wer
more more or less injured, but onl
three passengers showed signs c
injury. Passengers iu the rear sleepe
of No. A. report that the shock coul
' scarcely be felt. In searching throug
{ the wreck late Wednesday BODY
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