The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-12-17
BAD WRECK ON THE 0.
Burlington No. 3 Wrecked and Burn
ed Near AIbia--C. f. Blair, of
Lamont Seriously Injured.

The G. B. g.. @. Denver train No. 8,
was wrecked about four miles west of
Abba Sunday morning, on the bridge
crossing Cedar creek, and three persons
lost their lives, and about fifteen people
injured, some of them quite seriously,
among them @. E. Blair, of Lamont, the
well known travelling salesman for J. II.
Merrill & Co., Of Ottumwa. The cause
of the wreck is unknown, but was not
a broken rail, and it is thought the
trucks under the forward end of the
baggage car broke and piling up on the
track swept the trucks from the coaches
following. The accident happened just
at the east approach of a ninety foot
iron bridge, and the wrecked cars struck
against the bridge, being prevented by
the heavy iron banister from toppling
over into the creek, which would have
killed many more.
Clarence Sprague, of this city, who
was returning home from Iowa City, was
a passenger on the wrecked train and
gave very clear account of it as view
ed by an eye witness. The train left
Abba at o'clock Sunday morning, being
thirty minutes late. AS usual Oh Sum
day travel was light there being only AZ
persons on the entire train. The train
was running about so miles an hour at
the time Of the wreck, which occurred
on straight piece Of level track at the
foot of the long Abba hill. The train
consisted of baggage car, smofee, two
chair cars, dining car and two sleepers.
Mr.. Sprague was sitting in the first
chair car back of the smoker, directly
across the aisle from G. E. Blair, of La
moni. In this car was about dozen
passengers, while the second chair car
contained only two passengers. The
engine broke loose from the baggage
car when it left the track, and was
stopped about $50 feet from the scene
of the wreck. The baggage car was the
first car wrecked, the trucks being
pushed from under it and the car sat
fiat on the bridge. The smoker struck
against the end of the iron bridge and
vas smashed into kindling wood, al
sugh the occupants escaped without
fatal injuries. The first chair car seem
cd to be the one to receive the brunt
Of the wreck and it was in this car that
the three persons lost their lives. The
iron trucks ripped the floor and seats
out Of this car, and when Mr.. Sprague
came too after being knocked senseless
the car was filled with smoke and he
was lying under the conductors
coat which had been in the locker at
the front end Of the car. He kicked a
window out, escaping without serious
injuries, his ankle being sprained and
he also had some slight cuts on the arm
and hands. Mr.. Blair who sat just
across the aisle was seriously injured.
When the floor was smashed out he fell
through the car and bridge to the
ground below, distance of about 20
feet, his hip being broken, a big cash
several inches long on his head and his
back sprained. He was taken to the
depot hotel at Charlton on relief train,
and reports from him yesterday was
that he was getting along nicely and
would recover.
Just in front Of Mr.. Blair was Mrs
w, e, Mitchem, wife of business
man at Abba, who with her four
year old daughter had boarded the
train at Abba to go to Russell to visit
her parents, and both were, killed and
their bodies were partially burned
Mr.: Mitcheii put them on the train al
Aibia and kissed theip goodbye, and
before he had lss. ffashed his nome word
Mltche,n Was instantly killed, her body
falling through the car and hanging OF
d 1oist of the bridge where it remained
until her clothes were burned off whel
long boards were secured and it wa
pushed off falling to the ground. Tht
little girl was pinned under the wreck
age and was heard to call to her man,
that she was burning, but her littl
BODY was not recovered until 1T wa
burned to a crisp. The other victir
was also in this car, Thomas Beattie,
laborer who resides at Lucas and hi
body was burned to crisp, bein
recognized by gold ring he was veal
a little boy, Robert Ferguson, (
Mitchell, Neb, who was with h
parents, had. left them and tottere
hack and was in the seat in front
Mrs. Mitchem and her little girl, tall
ING to them. He fell through the t1oe
Of the car to the creek below, y. stritiI t.. j,
places, and being otherwise injure
Ex-sheriff g. T. Scott, Of osceola, ha
three ribs broken and was badly brui
ed The only members ,,efa Of the The daa ira
and waters in the dining car. !,
The wreck scattered the fire from Il
bot watcr heaters and dining 9
i through the cars and in an instant tn
uara ali ON fire adding to the horr
ME rear sleeper was pulled away fr'
the e, wreck but all the other cars we
hmrned as well as the bridge. 1t v
u