Palestine daily herald. [volume] (Palestine, Tex.) 1902-1949, 1904-10-11
TRAINS COLLIDED
ON A CURVE
Missouri Pacific Freight and Passen-
ger Trains Clash.
TWFNTY- SEVEN DEAD
Second Section Of Worlds Fair Spe'
cial Terribly Damaged and Oc-
cupants Of Coaches Badly
Shaken Up.

Kansas City, Oct. ia special to
the Star from Warrensburg. Mo-, says
that as the result OF headon collis-
ion near that place. Monday morning,
between an eastbound Missouri Pacific
passenger train and westbound
freight, twenty seven dead were taken
from the wreck and about thirty in
jured Seventeen were instantly killed.
The wrecked passenger train was the
second section of a Worlds fair pas
senger train from Wichita. The train
picked up coaches at Pleasant Hill and
other points and was filled with pas
sengers.
According to the local office of the
Missouri Pacific the engineer of the
freight was to blame for the wreck.
having forgotten his orders. He had
been ordered to wait on a siding at
Knobnoster. just out of Warrensburg.
but neglected to do so. The trains met
at a sharp curve. Travel to the
Worlds fair has been so heavy all
roads have been sending out trains in
two or more sections. The train
wrecked was made up at Wichita Sun
day night. and, as is the custom. pick
ed up additional coaches along the
line. The last coach taken up was at
Pleasant Hill, Mo-. at about 4 o'clock
Monday morning. All the coaches
were crowded. Both trains were run
ming at a good rate of speed when the
wreck occurred. Dawn had not begun
TO break and neither crew was aware
of the approach of the other train I'M
Ill they were almost upon each other.
The impace Of the collision was terri
fic. Sleeping passengers were hurled
in every direction. Most of the killed
were in the forward coach. The spot
where the wreck occurred is in a mar
row cut, and this fact, with the dark
ness. added TO the difficulty OF the sit
uation.
The greatest confusion occurred at
ter the crash. 1t was some time before
word was sent back to Warrensburg
Relief trains carrying physicians were
sent out as quickly as possible from
sible done to aid the injured. 1t was
some time before the dead and injured
could be extricated from the debris.
The dead were carried up the track
and laid in rows on an open space I'M
til relief trains arrived, while the in
tured were cared for as well as could
be. Some time elapsed before the
names of the victims could be found
tanned.
A telephone message to the Associat-
ed Press from the scene of the wreck
stated that the dead numbered TWEEN
ty-seven. seventeen of whom had been
killed instantly. and the injured num-
bered close to thirty. many of whom
were In a dying condition. This dis
patch was sent at IL o'clock Monday
The forward coach OF the passenger
train was telescoped and the remain
der OF both trains badly damaged.
The curve where the collision occur
red is known as Dead Mans Hand"
Both engineers and hremen saw the
danger and jumped.
The freight train was an extra Its
crew had. according TO the conductor
of this train. been instructed to take
the siding and let the passenger train
pass. The first section of the passen-
ger train had gone by when the freight
pulled out. The passenger train bore
no s'gnal that the second section was
TO come, he asserts. and he had no
reason to believe another train was
due.
The scene OF the wreck is on > down
grade, on either side Of which there IL
steep rise. Both trains put on extra
steam to carry them up the opposite
hill. and when they met at the curve.
al the lowest point. they were running
at a high rate. The PASSENGER train
was made up Of thre coaches and a
Pullman. with no baggage or. the front
coach being next TO the tender. The
freight train was a heavy one When |
the trains met the heavy freight push
ed the passenger engine back into the |
first coach. The tender of the passen-
ger engine literally cut the coach I'm |
two and II never stopped until IL |
ploughed itself half way through the |
car and Its passengers. killing those |
I'm the forward end Instantly and |
mangllng all within reach. Half a doz.
en- who were not killed outright were |
30 badly injured that they died before |
they could be removed from the de- |
bris. Many Of the dead are almost I'M |
eco-nizable. Arms and legs were dis |
membered In several cases and thrown |
together I'm a confused mass OF bleed
Ing human forms. The next two |
coaches were also badly damaged. the
seats being torn and windows being
smashed. In these cars the passen-
gers Jared better. all except few es-
Gaping with slight injuries The Pull
man remained upright and none OF its
occupants were hurt beyond sustain
ing a severe shaking up.