The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-08-09
Was One of the Greatest Railroad Disasters in His
 tory of the County
BODIES ARE DUG FROM
 SAND AND MUD IF RIVER
Station Agent, Who Was First to AE rive, Tells of the Awful Scenes Following the Catas-
 trophe.

l AlOPHSs
 Pueblo Colo. August s.-The wreck Of the worlds fair flyer on the Denves and Rio Grande railroad near Eden. seven miles north of Pueblo last evening, proves to have been one of the greatest railroad disasters in the history of the country.
 Two crowded passenger cars and bag gage car were engufed in the torrent that tore out a trestle spanning Steel and Hollow, otherwise known as Dry Creek. and as far as known tonight, only three l of the occupants of these cars escaped death. Fortunately two sleeping cars and diner, completing the tran remain- cd on the track at the edge of the abyss and the occupants were unin1ured
 How many perished will probably nev- CT be definitely ascertained for the treach- erous sands are drifting over the bodies. Searching for the dead was begun at about midnight on an extensive scale and still Is in progress tonight All corpses found were brought to Pueblo and placed in four morgues here. At ? o'clock this afternoon seventy-two bodies had been recovered, and of these fifty-seven have been Identified During the day bodies were recovered all the way along Foun- tain river from the scene of the wreck ta this city.
 Eight Miles From Scene.
 At 1 o'clock this afternoon two bodies were taken from the stream at First street, Pueblo. more than eight miles from the point where the disaster oc- | cured. and it Is probable that some may even be recovered furtRer down stream Some of the bodies are badly mutilatesi and the bodies are in such condition as to be unreeognlzable. Many ldentih- cation have been made by articles found on the body. no persons whe viewed them recognizing the features.
 Masses of earth had caved in from the sides of the river at many places, and large number of bodies were dug out of the sand Some bodies were found lodged in the shrubbery along the banks and others in the wreekage In midstream.
 Without doubt the greater majority were drowned when the cars were plung- ed into the swirling water 30 feet deep and 100 feet wide.
 The walls of the so-called Dry Creek are irregular but still so narrow that 1t is almost impossible to understand how the great coaches and baggage ear and tender could have been swept so far without becoming lodged against the sides. Most of the bed of the creek is now visible with the little streams way ing about the strips of sand forming islands of mud and sand which are being searched for bodies that may lie buried in them.
 F. M. Jones. the station agent at Eden who was the first to the aid of ths stricken people on the train, gives the following version of the accident:
 Station Agent First to Arrive.
 "I was sitting in my office, d distance of mile from the scene of the wreck, when suddenly a loud sound followed by a series of smaller reports startled me. l had heard of Number Il passing Pinon from the operator there, and at this time she was overdue more than six minutes, an unusual thing, for the train Is a flyer.
 Becoming thoroughly alarmed. I seized my lanterns and ran up the track to the place where the bridge should have been. ''The faint rays of my lantern threw just enough light for me to distinguish three cars, but between myself and them there was q ehasm fully fifty feet wide. through which dashed a river almost level with the ground upon which I stood. Op-
 
 of three cars. but the other four that usually make up No. h. were no where in sight 1 started across the Mesa in the direction of the river which was high and making much noise. After walking about half mile 1 saw near the bank a dark object. It was almost stationary in mid-stream with one end swinging to- ward the left bank l slipped off my clothes and plunged in. swimming in the direction from which I had come. as I knew the strong current would carry me down stream By proceeding in this course, l managed to get to the object which proved to be a chair car. half on its side and held in position by arm of land extending into the stream, prob- ably 15 feet. The roof of the car was gone and Inside there was not a soul to be found Guided by the light on shore, struck out for the bank again The car. or what was left of 1t, broken loose and was completely demolished
 Two Survivors of Wreck.
 .'There were two survivors of the wreck that l knew of, the fireman and a pas senger in a chair car. His story he toi me in q dazed manner It seems he sitting in the third chair from the rear of the car when the train turned upward and the audiences precipitated him through the window. and after turning a circle. landed him safe on the bank"
 The Dead.
 The list of identified dead:
 J. F. Bishop. architect, Pueblo.
 Mss Bishop, his sister, Pueblo.
 George Beck Pueblo.
 Miss Bennett. Pueblo.
 -. -. Bethel Cripple Creek.
 H. Curtis Pueblo.
 Don. Campbell Pueblo
 Miss Carrie Downing. Pueblo
 J. E. Meich. Pueblo.
 George England, Colorado Springs. Jesse T. Gray. Pueblo.
 H. R. Graves. Pueblo.
 Mrs. Garland Pueblo.
 J. G. Graham, Florence, Colo.
 A. E. Hoos. Pueblo