Arizona republican., 1903-10-31
Train Plunged Through a
Colorado Bridge
fxPRESSCAR 'STREASURE
Which Had Been Left Behind Had
Lured the andits-Passeneers
We're Robbed in the Excitement
Following the Wreck.

Pueblo. Colo, oct. 3O-By an act OF
train wreckers. the east bound Santa
Fe passenger train No. 8. known as th..
Colorado Chicago Flyer in which was
one car filed with eastern bankers
homevard bound from California. was
dcrailed at 1:30 this morning at Apis
napa creek. thirty five miles east OF this
city, and breaking down q steel bridge.
the engine and nTst four cars follow
ing plunged to the bed OF the creek.
where they were piled i'm a mass OF
wreckage. Thirty or more trsinnen
and passengers were injured. A
Engineer John f. Walker OF IaJun-
Ia, was scalded and bruised and may
die.
The wrecked train was made up at
Denver last evening and at Pueblo th..
special car DelRosa. in charge OF A. :.
Kimberley. Carrying eighteen eastern
bankers. was attached to il.
The train was bowling along at
speed of fifty miles an hour as IL ap-
preached Apishapa creek. between
Magnolia and Fowler. At the west end
of the bridge the rails spread. derail-
ing the engine, and when il struck the
bridge, one span, 100 feet long. went
down. The engine. two baggage car.s
a chair car and coach rolled over ON
their sides to the creek bed. a distance
of only about fifteen feet.
Fortunately but little water was run
ming in the creek at the time. One
Pullman sleeper had its forward end
projecting over an embanKment- The
bankers car was the only one in the
train that was not derailed. When the
engine rolled over Engineer Walker
Immediately envelOped in a dense cloud
OF steam. Some time elapsed before
ne was rescued.
Walker said that the first intination
he had that anything was wrong was
when the drivers suddenly began
humping the ties. He hastily closed tn
throttle and reversed the lever The
engine and cars ploughed over the ties
at least $50 feet and the extraordinary
strain put on the bridge caused the
structure TO collapse.
Members of the train crew were dis
patched to Fowler TO notify the Santa
re officials and relief trains were sent
TO the scene Of the accident as quickl
as possible. When the wounds OF the
injured had been dressed they were ia
ken TO La Junta in a special tram
where the more seriously hurt were
placed in the Santa Fe hospital
The extent of the disaster can BE-
judged from the fact that the wreckaEe
cannot be cleared away and the bridge
repaired before tomorrow evening
Meantime trains to and from Denver
will be run via Trinidad. The dan
age is estimated At $4,000.
Investigation showed plainly that
spikes had been pulled from three rails
The bridge was inspected last week AMI
was found to be in good condition and
the track of eighty-five pound steel Was
relaid about "a year ago. But for an
accident. hot box on the express car.
a large amount of money would have
been in the safe on the wrecked train
and this, it is believed. was the plum
der the desperadocs hoped 70 secure
Nalises were rified by robbers dur
ing the excitement following the wreck
The express car in which. according -
report, the money was being transport
ed. was left at Colorado Springs lasS
night for a later train.