The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-03-07
WHOLE TRAIN
WAS BURNED.
Wreck on Galveston, Harrisburg
& San Antonio in Texas.
Entire Train Was Tumbled Into
Ditch.
80 PERSONS MISSING.
The Fireman, Engineer and
Thirty Passengers.
Disaster Was Discovered by q
Telegraph Operator.
COACHES PILED UP
Disaster Was Discovered by q
Telegraph Operator.
PILED UP
With Passengers Inside and
Heap Caught Fire.
Sixteen Known Dead and Many
Others Injured.

Ell Paso, March THE westbernd
Galveston, Harrisburg & San An
tonic passenger train from San
Antonio, was wrecked rs miles west
of Sanderson, Texas, at $3.50 o'clock this
morning. The entire train was ditched
and burned. The fireman. engineer and
80 passengers are missing. The wreck
was discovered by the telegraph opera
tor at small station, who wired Ell
Paso for assistance. The wrecking train
left Immediately for the wreck. Only
a meager report has been received here
MANY BODIES BURNED.
Galveston, Harrisburg & San An
tonic west bound passenger train
Number nine was ditched three
miles west of Maxon on the Ell Paso and
Sanderson division at o'clock this
morning. Nine coaches ard a baggage
car were burned. Only one coach es-
capped which was occupied by Mr.. Ryan
and 40 New York capitalists. Engineer
Mart, a native of st. Louis. and Fire
man Harry Bertsch of Ell Paso were
killed. Conductor Stackwen escaped.
The train is but a smoking heap of ru-.
inS. Many bodies were burned. Fifteen
dead were reported to have been found
at 10 o'clock but they have not yet
been identified. superintendent Martin,
with DIR. Turner and corps of physici-
ans left at o'clock on a special for the
scene of the disaster. Express Alessen-
ger Adams was badly scalded ana scy-
eral clerks were injured. Wrecking
outfits have been sent from Alpine
Maria and Marathon, the nearest sta
tions to the wreck. 1t is reported that
some of the injured would hive lived
had they not been helpless, and later
burned.
NTrMRTrP DEAD IsSTTNTATFD AT 38
Denver, March IA special to the
Post from Ell Paso, Tex, says: News
was received here early this morning
that the aGlveston, Harrisburg & San
Antonio passenger train, due here at
o'clock, was wrecked near a small sta
tion named Maxon, about thirty miles
this side of Sanderson, Texas. Only
meagre reports have reached here, but
it is reported that 3S people are dead
and as many more injured. The wreck
occurred at $3.50 o'clock and was caused
by broken rail. Every car on the train
was ditched except one private car and
they Immediately caught fire and burn
ed. The station agent at Tabor, seven
miles away, saw the light of the burn
ing train and went to the scene as fast
as a hand car would take him. On
reaching the wreck wild scene greeted
him. Passengers who were able to get
out were running hither and thither,
frantic in their efforts to rescue those
who were in the burning cars
1t is thought that few passengers IN
both cars were piled on top of the bag
gage and express cars and were the
first to catch fire.
The Pullman and tourist sleeping car
passengers were rescued from the
flames and if reports are true, none was
killed on those cars, although several
are reported injured
But three names of the killed are re-
ported. They are:
ENGINERR A. L. MAST.
FIREMAN HENRY BERTSCH.
EXPRESS MESSENGER ADAMS.
Every other trainman except Con-
ductor StockweH was injured.
Owing to the fact that the wreck is
so far away from a telegraph station.
the only reports to reach here are over
the Galveston, Harrisburg & San An
tonic lines. and the first was the con-
ductor's report to the chief dispatcher.
AS soon as it was received a wrecking
train, with superintendent Martin and
all the available surgeons, hurried to
the scene, leaving here at 5:30 with a
seven hour run before them. Surgeons
and nurses were also picked up at all
way stations.
KNOWN DEAD.
A later report at $50 says there are
sixteen known dead and many injured.
Many of the passengers were on their
way to California. A few lived here.
The dead trainmen whose families
live here went down with their engine,
which was overturned and covered up
with the debris of the splintered
coaches. The first coach was filled with
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