Milford chronicle., 1904-08-12
TRAIN PLUNGES
INTO RIVER
Express Goes Through a Bridge
Weakened By Rains.
sEvENTY-SIx BODIES FOUND

Pueblo, Col, Aug. 9.-The wreck Vi
the Worlds Fair flyer on the Denver
and Rio Grande Railroad near Eden'
seven miles north of Pueblo, proves 10
have been one of the greatest railroad
accidents in the history Of the coun-
try. Two crowded passenger cars ana
a baggage car were engulfed in the
torrent that tore out a trestle spanning
Steele's Hollow, otherwise known as
Dry Creek. and so far as known only
three of the occupants of these cars
escaped death. Fortunately two sleep
ing cars and a dining car completing
the train remained on the track at the
edge of the abyss. and none OF their
occupants was killed or injured.
How many perished probably Will
never be definitely ascertained, for the
treacherous sands are drifting over
the bodies. Searching for the dead
was begun on an extensive scale and
still is in progress. All corpses found
were brought to Pueblo and placed in
four morgues here. Up to this morn
ing 76 bodies had been recovered. and
of these so had been identified. Bodies
were recovered all the way along
Fountain river from the scene OF the
wreck to this city. Two bodies we're
taken from the stream at First street,
Pueblo. more than eight miles from
the point where the disaster occurred,
and it is probable that some may be
recovered even further down stream
None Of the bodies is badly multi
ated. and all are in such a condition
as to be recognizable. Many identifi-
cations have been made by articles
found on the bodies. no persons who
viewed them recognizing the features.
On the lookout for danger, warned
by the squally clouds and heavy rains
to the north. Engineer Charles Hind
man was running cautiously. about 10
miles an hour. as he approached the
Arroyo. which was spanned by bridge
96 feet in length. The condition Of the
bridge was not known until the loco
motive. one of the monster passenger
type. had nearly crossed. The bridge
gave way as though it had been a
stack of kindling wood, and the loco
motive dropped with the kissing OF
steam 80 feet to the bottom of the
Arroyo. crosswise to the track. The
baggage car, smoking car and chair
car followed the locomotive into the
stream and were swept away
The first of the cOrpses recovered
were those of Miss Irene Wright and
little Dorothy Johnson. sister-in-law
and daughter. respectively. of Harry
Johnson, of Pueblo. Engineer Hind
man was found with his watch still
running. a few feet further down
the stream. All day long stretchers
with sand-covered, dripping burdens
were carried every few minutes 70 the
railroad tracks, where the death train
awaited.
A second party further down the
river found several persons entangled
in a mass of debris thought to We
been part of the baggage car that was
literally torn to pieces. In short time
q large number Of bodies were dug out
OF the sdnu mere. OHe WolhdA was SOlh
pletely buried. some of her foot stuck
above the water. Some bodies were
found lodged in the shrubbery along
the banks, others IN the wreckage in
midstream. and many half buried with
only an arm or q bit Of clothing TO re-
veal their whereabouts Many of the
bodies were almost naked. With
out doubt the great majority were
drowned like rats in a trap when the
cars were plunged without a mo-
ments warning into the whirling water
50 feet deep, 100 feet wide and with a
current strong enough to carry thou
sands of pounds Of weight nearly a
mile before subsiding.