The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-13
into MAD WATERS
Rock Island Passenger Train
Goes Through Bridge.
Locomotive and Two Cars Go
Into Stream.
THE FIREMAN IS LOST.
Engineer Hangs in Tree All
Night.
All the Passengers Escape With
out Injury.
Accident Occurred at Hendricks
Creek Near Alma.

AT 2:5O o'clock this morning the en-
gine and baggage and mail cars of west
bound FL Paso train No. on the Rock
Island main line plunged into Hen
bricks creek. two miles west of Nc
Farland, where the bridge had been
weakened by a freshet during the night.
A cloudburst filed the stream above the
abutments of the bridge, which went
down with the train, and the engine is
still out of sight in the water. Fireman
Jake Leggett of Kansas City went down
with the engine and is supposed to have
been drowned. Engineer John McSteen
hung in a tree all night and was rescued
by a fisherman, William Graves. He
was seriously injured and was exhaust
ed by exposure but will live. No pas
sengers were hurt. the coaches all re-
naming on the track.
The Ell Paso passenger train left Kan
sas City at 1880 o'clock, passed through
Topeka on time at l a. m. and went into
Hendricks creek. a small dry creek IN
DER ordinary circumstances, at ten min
utes before three. A cloudburst had
transformed the 20 foot gully into
rushing torrent, and undermined the
abutments. When the train went on the
weakened structure the bridge gave
way. The fortunate disconnection of
! the passenger coaches from the mail car
prevented terrible loss of life.
/ Immediately after the wreck the
wrecling train at Herington was sum
moned and large crew is at work re-
/ placing the washed out bridge and en-
/ deaVOring to recover the engine and
! two cars. The cars were washed down
/ stream short distance. The division
superintendent and General Supt. J. W.
/ Gruber, who We're at Herington, ac-
cOmpanied the wrecker.
The Rock Island is today using the
Missouri Pacific tracks between Her
/ ington and Kansas City. A small
washout occurred on the Rock Island
main line at Valencia this morning, but
( will be repaired today. 1t will be 4S
| hours before trains are running over
Hendricks creek Owing to washouts
on the Union Pacific lines west of Kan
sas City, the U. P. is using the Santa
F'e lines between Salina and Kansas
CITY.
Reports received today at the head
quarters of the Rock Island in this city,
give more of the details of the disaster.
Both General Superintendent Gruber
and Division Superintendent Jones of
the Rock Island are at the scene of the
wreck having accompanied the wrecker
from Herington last night, and reports
are being received here every few hours
regarding the progress the wrecklng
] tlfW - liidkliS III tACdAAAAl6 OP NA4O
[ wreck.
/ Fireman Jacob Leggett has not yet
been found and there is little doubt that
/ he was drowned and all that can now
/ be done is to search for his body. The
water in the creek is not yet gone down
/ sufficiently to reveal the smoke stack of
| the engine and there is no way to get to
| the cab of the engine where it is
| thought that his body lies. Leggett was
well known by the employees of the road
and was well liked Leggetts home
was in Kansas City He formerly lived
in Herington but since he has been run
ming on No. 3 his home has been in
/ Kansas City. He was not married
1t is the opinion of all the Rock Is
! land officials that Engineer McSteen's
/ escape was little less than a miracle. 1t
/ is true that he was on the right side of
/ the cab and therefore had a much bet
ter chance to escape than the fireman
had, but even with this advantage his
escape was remarkable
! According to the statement of Engf-
neer McSteen the train at the time of
/ the accident was running at the rate of
! about II miles per hour. McSteen says
that although the water in the creek
was up even with the bridge there was
no indication of danger and he thought
that he could cross safely. When the
train ran onto the bridge the whole
! structure gave way and washed down
stream carrying the mail and baggage
! cars with it. These cars lodged against
some trees several hundred feet down
stream but the engine sank where she
/ fell The engineer was washed from the
cab and managed to catch hold of some
| trees where he hung until man by the
name of w. w. Graves who lived near
by came out to him with a boat after
daylight. Graves had no more than got
under him with the boat when he fell
exhausted from his injuries and unable
to hold longer to the limb of the tree
! The mail clerks and eXpressmen who
had been washed down the stream with
their cars were also saved by Graves.
AS soon as the crew had been saved
the officials of the road were notified
and the wrecker was ordered out The
wrecker arrived from Herington about
Z o'clock bringing the wrecking crew
and Mr. Gruber and Mr. Jones to the
scene of the accident. Later the work
train arrived and the work of cleaning
up the wreck was then begun In ear
nest 1t is thought that it will be sew
eral days before trains can be run over
that line. The bridge which was about
/ 90 feet in length was carried away com
pletely and pile bridge viii have to be
driven for temporary use. This work
will be started as soon as possible In
! the meantime Rock Island trains will
run between Herington and Kansas City
over the Missouri Pacific tracks. Be-
sides the washed out bridge No. SO. two
miles west of Mcfarland the Rock
| Island had another washout. This one
occurred near Valencia last night The
work of repairing it will be finished to-
day.
NEARLY ANOTHER WRECK.
Passenger train No. 13 which the
wrecked train had passed at McFar-
land. was following closely and only
| the prompt action of Conductor Cane
and F1agman McGruder prevented
| collision from the rear. The night was
\ the darkness, and the driving rain, to-
! Rether with the cries for helm of those