The Iola register., 1902-07-04
KATY TRAIN IN TIE vIICH
West Bound Passenger Jumped the
Track Tuesd " Engineer
Had Miraculous Escape


ne hair breadth escepesw which train
men have would make al interesting
book If collected In volume and
there was anlsccideLt "cs. ~. ,,.. ;ast
Tuesday which would furnish thrill-
ing chapter. The Katy wos'tcund
which leaves here at 0:35 a uI pulled
out that morning with tue e-sine
backing and pulling the train Of two
box cars one baggage car ana one
coach afterl,it. After crossing the
Neosho bridge IL was running along
about Is miles,an hour About a half
mile west OF the bridge is -estle
work 10 feet long and fifteen feet high.
Just before lreaching this tres'lo the
truck on the tenderleft the track Jump
ing to the north. The north wheels
got on the guard rail running along
the edge of.thei bridge and followed
it nearly across. finally going clear off
the edge. The engine didn'tturn how
ever, and sfnally reached the west
bank. Itlno sooner got of the bridge
than it left the Iroad bed land struck
out in the right of way pulling the
two boxlcars,with it. AS soon as the
first wheel jumped the engineer applied
the air brakesiand the engine stopped
about $50 fee; west of the bridge the
baggage car and passenger coach
never leaving the track
The first jolt knocked engineer w
b. Boucher oif.his seat, across To the
other side of the cab, and he fell head
downward between the engine and
tender, He managed to hold on to
something and held there till the en-
gine stopped. In falling he struck
his head and received severe cut in
the forehead landihissknee was badly
bruised. When the engine stopped it
was nearly on its side and had plowed
into the ground till it was even with
the engine floor. Boucher's head was
dragging on the ground and the blood
stains could be seen where he had
hung. Fireman j. T. Fox was badly
shaken up and is sick from the cvc'te-
ment and strain but not otherwise in
jured. Baggageman'Fred Mrllir was
struck by a heavy truAn, ,4a4t.l against
him and injuring his back. News of
the accident came to the office soon
after it happened and a REGISTER re-
porter in company with DR.. Teas
drove out to the scene at once. The
doctor took several stitches in the en-
gineer's wound and bandaged his leg.
II is not thought that any of the men
are seriously hurt.
The bridge was badly broken up
and some 200 feet of track torn up.
The engine is: smashed up consider
ably and two :carsl entirely off the
track. Raiis:Wreltwisted and broken
as il they bad been playthings. 1t
will take some time to get the track
in shape for traffic again and as the
Katy uses thelMissouri Pacific track
it will delaythe trains of both roads.
a wrecking train was telegraphed for
Immediately y.andlcame up from Par
sons this afternoon.
1t is a miracle3 that the engine ever
stuck to thelsbridge. If it had gone
down there it would have meant in
stant death to the train crew and
twelve or fifteen passengers in the
coach. -, 1T ran along on the ragged
edge all the way across and just as
soon as it left the bridge began to get
away from the track. All of the train
men consider it one of the narrowest
escapes theylever had.
1t is not know what made the engine
leave the track. No rails are broken
at that point. 1t is impossible to tell
whether anything broke under the en-
gine which started th trouble or not.