The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1904-08-12

Denver, Aug S.-The Rio Grande
officials have not yet made an official
statement and explain that they can
not furnish list Of the dead. Thirty
dead bodies have been taken from the
wreck uD to this hour.
Pueblo, Col, Aug. Strain No. II,
the Missouri Pacific flyer, crashed
through bridge over an arroyo, or
dry creek, near Eden, on the Denver
and Rio Grande railroad, about eight
miles from Pueblo, at 8 O'Clock at
night. 1t is estimated that of the 1Z5
passengers Oh board the Inflated train,
fully 100 lost their lives, either under
the waters of the raging torrent,or
beneath the Wreckage. Upon the news
reaching Pueblo Il special train bear
ing all the available surgeons and the
Rio Grande and Missouri Pacific Of
ficials left for the scene.
Survivors Brought in.
About II O'Clock a second train, car
Of officials was sent out from the union
station. About 40 o'clock in the
morning the relief train returned to
the city bringing those who had es-
capped with their lives, numbering
tWenty-siX, all so far as now known
who have not fallen victims Of the dis.
aster.
With the breaking of day the full
horror of the scene, which was con-
cealed to a great degree by the mantle
of night, became apparent Wreckage
is visible in all directions, dead bodies
being visible here and there in the
piles of debris from the cars, drift
wood and mud. Many of the bodies
were carried down Fountain creek by
the wall of water which had force
enough to carry several coaches near
ly four miles away from the point
where they went through the bridge.
Cars Washed Down Stream.
a clOudburst had filled the creek and
water was flowing over the trestle
when the train started across. The
bridge went down under the weight of
the train and baggage car. smoker and
chair car We're precipitated into the
torrent. The engine got almost across
but fell back into the water
The body of Engineer Hinman was
found 200 feet down the river. All the
cars were washed down the stream.
The express car was found not far
away with the safe open and it's con-
tents gone. The chair car was half q
mile from the scene of the accident,
half filled with sand, in which were
buried the bodies of many passengers.
The smoker was washed still further
down stream and was not located until
hours after the time Of the accident
Escape of Fireman.
Fireman Mayfield said that as the
engine struck the trestle it seemed to
rear up and fall upon it's side, falling
to the right. or engineers side. The
fireman jumped and escaped.
The operator at Eden, mile away,
heard the cries for help and rushed to
the creek. When he got there not Il
person could be found who had some
NAVN II III I1N w ACNN' lit Nl1Cc AIlNl
been followed by complete silence,
and apparently the passengers in all
three coaches had gone down to death.
1t is probable that a complete list Of
the dead will never be made known.
The conductors reports were on his
person and have not been recovered.
Recovering the Bodies.
Another train has arrived here from
the scene of the wreck. 1t had aboard
the bodies Of some Of the victims.
Twenty-Five victims had been taken
from the wreck when the train left
Eden. They were so covered with
mud that only few could be identi-
fed. The following have been posi-
lively Identified: Major w. II. Whit
man. from some point IN Kansas, iden-
titled by one of the rescued passen-
gers, who was chatting with him just
before the disaster; J. +. Rees, express
messenger; Charles Hindman, en9in-
Ger; j. II. Smith, conductor; Nina Sib-
ley, stenographer for Congressman H.
Nj. HOgg of the Second district.