Bismarck daily tribune., 1903-01-29

rEtCnGu tnS TeScucTS ana tlelr tICtn-
ing took fire. but they worked on. al
though in constant danger of being
killed themselves. Some of the injured
we're burned to death in sight OF the
Aen who were working with despera-
N to save them, but the flames soon
aimed complete mastery Of the last
Two cars.
The firemen from Westfield were
summoned by telephone. but arrived
too late to save many lives. Doctors
were called from Elizabeth. Westfield
and Plainfield, and there was score
on hand. The parlor cars of the Royal
Blue train were converted INTO tenn
porary hospitals. The dead as they
were taken out were laid in row
alongside the track until means could
be found tc ronvey them to Plainfeld.
The firen'en, after a time, mastered
the flames. The wreckage was at
tackled again and the work of recover
ing the bodies was begun. Out Of the
first car eight bodies were taken.
The sight while the wreck was burn
ing was hoxSifying. Men could be seen
in the wreckage pinned fast amid the
tiThefs of the cars and struggling to
be free while the flames roared around
them. The rescuers were helpless to
aid them. as they already had been
driven from the wreck by the flames.
One of those who tried to take out a
man pinned in, found that he was held
down by one leg near the ankle, and
seeing it would be useless to do any
thing else, is said to have finally sew
cred the mans leg and then carried
hin, tn nf 10 marion Roth
rescued and rescuers were seriously
burned.
Flames Add to the Horror.
When the engine ploughed into the
rear car. it partly split the car open
and at the same time lifted it up and
onto itself. This car was the first to
take fire and most Of those in it are
dead. Some of them are believed to
be beneath the overturned engine.
Those in the car ahead, which was
lifted over the rear car, suffered the
most. for some time before the flames
reached them from the car below and
behind them, they were enveloped in
smoke and steam, and it was here that
the worst scenes were witnessed. The
imprisoned ones begged for death to
end their agonies and implored those
who were laboring to get them free
! to crush their heads with the axes
| they were using to chop away the
wreckage
A Westfeld doctor went into the
wreck and bandaged and treated the
! injured even before they were re-
leased Some of those he treated were
afterwards suffocated or burned to
death.
Just as the wreck occurred an east
bound train was approaching on track
g Before it could be stopped the en-
CINE crashed into the wreckage which
| had been hurled onto the track, but
| it was light stuff and the engine
brushed it aside and crushed part Of
| it under the wheels.
Before the wreckage had cooled the
| work of getting out the charred bod
g.. les began. Men attacked the hear
with poles and rods of iron taken from
| the pile Of debris and raked out
Several Arms. Legs and Heads.
Many of those who died will never be
recognized the bodies being burned tc
a crisp.
Quick work was made in furnishing
train for the handling of the dea(
and injured Railroad men tore ou
the iron frames of the seats in the
special train and laid the cushions il
two rows along the sides of the cars
These were later supplemented by
pillows and mattresses from the Pull
man coaches of the Royal Blue.
1t is impossible to give any authentic
list of the missing A list would in
clude scoes of men and women who ar'
now at home safely.
The railroad officials say the signals
were in working order and that the!
were properly set. and that the express
overran and dashed into the block IL
which the slower train already was
Railroad men here say the enginee
probably failed to notice the signals
and even when he saw the tail lights
of the train ahead did not realize for {
moment that they were on the same
track that he was. instead of being OF
track 4. where they usually were
| Travelling over sixty miles an hour
with a heavy train behind him, it was
utterly impossible to stop when he re
} alivpd the tfufh