davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06
SCENE WAS TERRIBLE.
Walter j. Adams Gives Vivid Story
of His Exnerience.


Walter J. Adams. a Rock Island emf
grant agent. with headquarters at ia
New York Life building, Kansas City,
Mo- was on the train with a party of
seven people en- route for Colby, Kan.
where the seven people were planning
to settle. Three out of the party were
injured. They were c. A. Preib, of Ev-
crest, Kan, G.. A. Jones, of Everest,
Kan, and Adams brother, E. F. Adj
ans of Everest. The four members of
the party who escaped uninjured were
B. Knudson of Everest, o. Swanson OF
Leona NJ. L. Maitland of Oakland, ard
Maitland's mother Jones was in the
smoker, Mrs. Maitland was in the chair
car. and o. Swanson was standing in
the front end of the chair car when the
collision occurred.
This is the story which Mr.. Adams
tells of the wreck: IT had just been get
ting the members of the party I was
in charge of settled in their seats. The
second coach, next to the smoker, was
full. Every seat was taken. l had
been standing on the platform of this
coach about two minutes before the
collision. We were running very fast.
I walked back to the rear end OF the
car, and sat down with Maitland on
the end seat: the one which runs
1engthways of the car.
THE first thing I knew there came a
terrible crash. 1t sounded like bat
terry of artillery. Then the front end
OF our car ripped open, anu LHS SliOhCA
commenced to telescope us. ] saw it
coming, and Maitland started to jump
up. I grabbed him and pulled him
down with me behind the seat. The
car passed over us. and we were un-
injured All the lights went out With
one or two others got hold of the door
of the car, which was jammed, and we
managed to pull it open. Then we
commenced to take people out, and
pull out seats. I was especially in
terested in finding my brother. I knew
where be was in the car, and worked
nv way in to him. / took out two men
who were jammed in behind seats. and
finally 1 found my brother, down in
behind a seat. I got him cut and then
helped out several women.
pretty nearly everybody in the front
end of the car was killed. It was a
terrible scene. People were screaming
for help, and we could hear voices
down in the wreck pleading US, for
Gods sake to save them
81 think the reason I was not hurt
must be because I carry $4,000 in accl-
dent insurance That's the only ex-
pIanation I can see for it.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06

ing of wife and five children. all nm
der ten years of age They had lot
of miscellaneous baggage. and could find
no place in the car. Not ten seconds be-
fore the wreck the porter called to the
German to go forward to the smoker.
as there was plenty of room in that
car. An English speaking German who
sat in the car spoke translating the re-
quest, and the German and his family
were going forward. A minute after the
wreck the agonized German, whose face
was covered with blood from a dozen
wounds, broke out of the car and began
calling loudly for his family. His Ian
guage was foreign, but there were few
among the hundred or more people
standing around who did not under
stand his frenzied appeals for his
kinder and frau
In a few minutes three men came
out of the wrecked car carrying four
of the children. They we're motherless
How they ever escaped instant death
is a mystery. They had been forced
upward through the floor of one car
and were taken out of the smoker
which was piled on top. The mother
and smallest child were killed instant
ly. Ladies from among the passengers
tried to comfort the desolate children
who were crying loudly for sModer. -
The father worked with the frenzy of
desperation, tearing boards from the
side of the car with his bare hands I'M
til the blood came. 1t was nearly an
hour later that the body of the woman
was found with the smaller child and
a piece of baggage in her arms. Both
she and the child were cold in death.
1t is well to draw the curtain over the
scene that ensued.
A Mrs. Hill, who with her small
daughter was going to Ell Paso, was
while giving her name to a physician
who was trying to revives her. When
the relief train. with 10 injured persons
aboard, left the scene of the wreck,
the wrecking volunteers We're trying to
find the body of the little daughter.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06
MIxUP OVER BODIES.
Undertakers Were Not Permitted to
Remove Them.

Owing to a misunderstanding, for
which the Rock Island authorities seem
to have been to blame, there was de-
Law of nearly three-quarters of an hour
in removing the dead from the relief
train after it reached Topeka about IL
o'clock It appears to have been the
intention of the Rock Island officials TO
send half tie bodies to the DeMoss &
Penwel1 undertaking establishment and
the rest to Barclays. Being ignorant
of this arrangement Coroner H B.
Hogeboom of Topeka had previously
directed DeMoss & Penwel to prepare
to take charge of all the dead from the
wreck. and their wagons were at the
station when the train pulled in Coro-
ner Do1ley refused to give DeMoss &
Penwen am Of the bodies, and the
wagons went away empty.
r. J. Barclay had understood that he
was asked to remove some injured per-
sons from the train to a hospital and
was at the sta ton with only an ambu-
lance without waiting to get another
WAGON he loaded five bodies into small
express WAGON and five into his ambu-
lance and removed them to his under
taking establishment The other seven
were taken to DeMoss & Penweli's. The
sudden demand for undertakers' assist
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06
PORTER DID coon WORK.
James Clay Is Modest about His
Efforts.

James Fl. Clay, porter on the train
did excellent work.
This was Clay's first run His home
is in Chicago. He is a young mulat-
to, perhaps 81 years of age. From the
moment of the wreck until the relief
train on which he was employed start
ed for Topeka, he worked unremitting-
" amid the most horrible scenes of the
wreck A woman was pinioned be-
tween the smashed timbers of the sec
ond day coach in such a manner that
it was necessary to support the timbers
from beneath while they were beng
cut with an axe
Otherwise the woman would have sus-
tanned a broken back. Clay substituted
himself for the block while the axe was
being laid to the beam which rested on
his back he climbing down under the
worst of the debris to do So A single
false stroke of the axe would have cost
him a severe injury and he knew II.
The woman was taken out alive and
will recover. Clay crawled through the
wreckage and assisted in the removal
of many of the other injured. When
the tourist car to which he belonged
started back he returned quietly to his
duties.
He was making up a berth when a
reporter spoke to him. He gave his
name and said he was from Chicago.
but further than that he would not
talk.
"I don't like to talk about it, said he
in a weak voice, 1t was SO horrible
The man was visibly exhausted. but
he stuck pluckily at his duties.
A through passenger, whose name
could not be learned. principally
through his own effort to conceal it.
played a part in which he can take lit
tie pride He occupied a berth in the
standard Pullman and refused to give
it uo for the use of the injured DR..
Bell was i'll charge of the hospital
corps Pull him OUT he ordered
And three men who were in the aisle
hastily jerked the spluttering occupant
from his berth. The man hastily
grabbed for his trousers and fed in the
neglige attire in which he was clothed
when awakened. His berth was at once
given to one of the injured.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06

thrown from mine and Immediately got
into my clothes to see what was wrong.
The condition of the wrecked trains can
not be described and, indeed, after dis
covering that the other train was a
stock train l paid little further atten-
ton to it. 1 saw that medical assist
ance was the first thing needed. There
were two young women in my car who
offered their services and they worked
unhesitatingIy with the injured 1 real
ly didn't do much but these other peo-
pie did wonders. All the people in the
! sleepers were bundled out to make
room for the injured from the wreck.
We didn't have much in the way OF
medical appliances but tore up sheets
for bandages, stopped wounds as we'll
as we could and made the injured as
comfortable as possible.
with one exception the people in
the sleepers devoted themselves un-
selfshly to the care of the wounded
That exception was man who would
MT give up his berth. l told some men
to jerk MIN out. They jerked him out
and I haven't seen him since.
There was one young man who did
heroic work with me. I did not learn
his name. but I should have liked to
have known him. He had big gun
strapped on him and was apparently
bound on a hunting trip. He seemed tc
be with woman and a little girl whom
he got out safely and then went back
and climbed into the wreck after more
of the injured. helping to get out loi
of people who were fastened down."
This young man of whom DR.. Bel
spoke was Harvey G. Parsons, wri-
ter for the State Journal who happened
to be on the train. He was bound foI
Oklahoma for a weeks vacation, but
turned back with the relief crew and
with the instinct of dutiful reporter
turned in" story of the wreck as
he saw it. He omitted, however, any
reference to the heroic work done
among the injured by himself.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06
People Caught by the Twisted Iron and
Splintered Wood.
Scene Described by State Journal Reporter
Who Had Miraculous Escape.

Two Rock Island trains-a freight
a hsad-on collision on a curve half
way between Maple Hill and Willard
about fifteen miles west of Topeka
at about i o'clock this morning. Both
speed and the result of the collision
was a loss of life estimated at from Is
was loss of life of 25 with 80 injured.
Immediately following the crash the
cir was hlled with the screams and
groans of the injured Then the heroes
who always arise in such an emergency
appeared.
A half dozen men armed with axes
rushed into the wreck and began the
work of rescue. They had only the
groans Of the injured to guide them
but they worked only as men can work
when they know that human life is at
stake. A crippled physician who was
on the train began work in an impro-
vised hospital with only his pocket
knife as surgical instrument.
H G. Parsons, a State Journal re-
porter. was on the train bound for
Oklahoma He was in the crowded day
coach and near him sat Mrs. Ruth At
sEinson. granddaughter of Colonel Hun
toon. and her little daughter Name, five
years old. Mr.. Parsons was thrown
over the child and while two men were
killed in the seat in front of him and a
man and women in the seat behind, he
escaped with only few scratches.
Mrs. Atkinson and her daughter also
escaped. AS soon as Mr.. Parsons could
get out he secured an ak and worked
with the other reseuers for three hours
taking out the dead and injured. He
says that there were at least thirty
killed. He arrived in Topeka at 7:3O
this morning and prepared the follow
ing account of the disaster for the
State Journal:
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06
TWoC CENTS.
THE DEAD
IDENTIFIED DEAD.


MRS. HENRY KAISER, 20 years.
Germany. bound for Durham, Kansas.
MRS. CONDA NAGLE. residence un-
known.
JOHN GRIFFIN. Clairemont. MO.
identified by name on pocketbook-)
e. E. MEYER, Buffalo, n. z, (iden-
titled by name on key ring.
RAYMOND A. MARTIN, Chillicothe.
Mo-, identified by baggage deposit
W. S. MARTIN, 55 years, DeKalb.
Mo-, identified by lodge pin No. %, A.
F. and A. Nd
WILLIAM J. WELLS. so years. 511 E.
Chambers street, Jacksonville, Ill.
E. RANKIN, 55 years, (name on
ticket. letter of introduction, from De
Kalb, MOI
GALE FULLER. years. Blockton.
Iowa.
GRACE REED. chilhcothe, Mo-.
identified by ticket found in purse.)
LEORA REED. Chillicethe, Mo.
UNIDENTIFIED DEAD.
Woman. aged 80. stout built. watch
brown skirt, set ring OF little finger, left
hand, band ring on third finger.
Little girl. 9 years, blue calico dress.
gray flannel skirt.
white striped shirt, pocket knife on
chain.
Boy, Is years; sandy hair brown and
white check suit, striped shirt, green
stick pin in necktie-
Girl, years: light hair and brown
dress.
Woman, 40 years; weight about $50
pounds, $50 sewed in cloth bag and
| concealed underneath skirt.
Woman, A years; plain band ring on
left hand, blue and white striped waist.
LIST OF INJURED.
G. w. Sherman, Mcfarland. Kan,
wrist and head injured; slight
Blanche Martin, ST. Joseph. Mo, left
foot sprained and abrasion of face.
E. U. Totman, Harlan, Mo, back and
head injured; not seriously.
Molly Fuller. Blockton. Iowa. head
and back; not seriously.
c. A. Prieb, Everest, Kan, sprain on
right ankle and right thigh.
Mrs. Fl. B. Ropske. Louisville. Kys
back injured; not seriously
Mrs, D. E. Fuller. Blockton. Iowa,
abrasion on face.
Hattie Ellinger, Lindsborg, Kan,
Dan H. Wadsworth. Armourdale
Kan; left leg lacerated and fractured.
| brakeman on freight
Clarence Fowler. Hanson. KY: lacer-
| ationS on head.
| Mrs. Alice Rosebo. address not
4 known: slight bruises.
Mrs. M a HILL address not known:
compound fracture left leg and fracture
of right fenlur. Seriously injured.
G. A. Jones. Everest, Kan; fractured
nose and lacerated face.
]. C. NagIe, conductor, Kansas City.
Mo-, left ankle broken.
T. Allen, porter, Topeka, back in
! jured; not seriously.
Frank Harville. Chillicothe, Mo, six
years old; lacerated head.
| G. a. Wright, Kansas City, Mo. frac-
ture rib and internal injuries. Serious
ly hurt.
Peter Clark. Council Grove, back hurt,
was cattle train.
v. Frazier. Kansas City, Mo-, sprain
left shoulder.
Unofficial additional list of injured
persons removed from the wreck by
| rescuers.
]. veneman. conductor of Pullman.
from Kansas City, Mo.
o. Swanson, Lane, Kan.
/ f. L. Beattey, Pennsylvania.
E. F. Adams, brakeman, Everest,
Kan.
Mrs. Rose Bulb, Atchison county;
Kan.
Mrs. Bertha shubert, st. Claire. III.
Ola Harvo, Lynne, I. T.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06
EXPECTED TRAIN TO STOP.
Agent at Willard Supposed It Would
Back Into Switch,

j. l. Hadsen, the station agent at
Willard, said today that westbound
passenger train No. was to wait at
Willard for an eastbound special
freight. He heard the passenger train
approaching from the east. AS it went
by the station he heard steam escaping
and supposed that the train was run
ming west on the main track and would
stop and back unto the switch for the
esatbound freight to pass. There was
another freight standing on the side
track at Willard.
It is thought by those at Willard and
the scene of the wreck, that the engf-
neer of the westbound passenger train
No. saw the freight on the siding at
Willard and supposing it to be the
freight which he was to meet did not
stop and take the siding but went on.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06
ARE FROM cHILL1coTHE.
Two of the Dead Women Are Par
TALLY Identified.

A pocket book was found in one of
the wrecked cars in which were found
tickets bearing the names of Grace
Reed, Leora Reed and Susan Reed, all
of ChiIlicothe Mo. The tickets read
that they were for passage from Chill
licothe, Mo. to Tyrone, Okla. On two
of the bodies of two unidentified dead
young women about 25 years old were
found baggage checks reading Tyrone,
Okla.
It is supposed that the names of two
of these unidentified young women list
ed among the dead are the same as on
the tickets found in the pocket book.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06
MAKE NO STATEMENT.
Rock Island Officials Are at Scene of
Wreck.

General Superintendent Gruber and
Division Superintendent Jones, of the
Rock Island, are both at the scene n1
the wreck near Willard and no official
statement will be given out from the
Rock Island offices until either or both
of them return and issue such a state
ment Chief Clerk Ramsey. in Cru
ber's office, said this afternoon: "No
statement concerning the accident can
be made until Mr.. Gruber or Mr.. Jones
return. AS to who is responsible I
cannot say. All we know is that an
accident occurred"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06
STATE JOURNAL EXTRA.

The State Journal issued an extra
edition at 9:45 o'clock this morning con-
tanning Harvey Parsons story of the
Rock Island wreck, including three coll
umns about the accident. The extra of
course was in great demand.
The edition was followed by another
edition at Il O'Clock and still another
at II o'clock noon. The present edition
is the fourth today. Each has given
additional facts up to the hour Of
printing.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06
AT SANTA FE HOSPITAL,
Two Injured Men There Are Not
Fatally Hurt

G. w. Sherman, of Mcfarland, kan.
who suffered a sprained wrist and
slight wounds on the head. went to the
Santa Fe hospital. He was fixed up.
and then left for his home at McFar-
land.
G. w. Tolman. of Harlan. Mo-, also
went to the Santa Fe hospital and is
still there His back and head were in
jured. but his condition is not believed
to be serious.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06

ants was rather hard to meet as most
of the other establishments in town al
ready had business on hand. As 1T was
necessary to wait until J. N. Dolley ar
rived to identify bodies before the re-
mova1 of the clothing. the two estab-
hshments had time to fill up their neces-
sary working forces.
Many people visited both establish
ments anxious to know of friends who
We're On the train but could not be heard
from. At neither establishment, how
ever, were trends found dead.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06
STARTED A REVOLUTION
While President of Hayti Was
Out of Town.

2-During the absence from Port Au
Prince of President Nord, who vent to
Of the centenary of the independence of
Haytf, General Monplacer attempted
revolution against the president, but the
movement failed. The generals son and
an accomplice were killed. Numerous ar
rests were made.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06

Copyright. January g. 1904, by State
Journal and Associated Press. Per
mission to reprint prohibited
At about 1:55 this morning one of the
most disastrous and fatal wrecks ever
witnessed in the vicinity of Topeka oc-
Cured two miles west of Willard, on
the Rock Island railroad. At least 30
persons were instantly killed. several
fatally and large number slightly in
jured, two cars filed with passengers
demolished, two locomotives totally
destroyed and four car loads of stock
torn to pieces and dead animals strewn
all over the right-of-way. This hor-
rible catastrophe was the result of a
head-on collision between the Ell Paso
train. due to leave Topeka at HIS
p. m. and a cattle train from the west
Both trains were running at a speed
of from Is to 25 miles per hour. The
freight was a long one When the en-
gfnes met they were welded together
by the impact. The engineer. and fira-
man of the freight escaped without in
jury by jumping. The fireman of the
passenger was seriously injured. b,t
the engineer escaped.
Dreadful Fatality.
It was in the third car of the mas
senger train. the first coach. preceded
by smoker and a baggage car. that
the greatest slaughter of nassenears
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06
weather indications.

Chicago, Jan. Forecast for Kansas:
Fair tonight and Thursday: warmer to-
night; brisk southwest winds.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06
By n. G. Parsons.

Copyright. January 6, 1904, by State
Journal and Associated Press. Per-
mission to reprint prohibited
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-06

Just before the car went to pieces a
middle aged German. who could not
speak word of English, came into the
doomed coach with his family. consist
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-04-27
Crop Report
Extracts From the U. S. Govern
ment Report for The Week
Ending April IS.

chickasaw.-Over the northeast
ern portion rain fell on the 2Ist;
corn is up 10 a fair stand; cotton
planting is in full progress; pota-
toes and gardens are doing well;
stock is in good condition.
Over the northeastern portion
good showers fell but the wheat
seems to have been too badly dam
aged by the drouth to receive very
much benefit; oats are in poor con
ditioni cotton planting is progress
ing slowly; much Of the late plant
ed corn has not come up, but the
early planted is up and looking
wen.
Over the southwestern portion
good rains have fallen; crops have
made but little progress; oats are in
bad condition and are getting
weedy; corn is looking we'll and the
late planted is beginning to come
up; crops in general are looking
well and the ground is in goodcon-
dition.
Over the southeastern portion
heavy rains buried some corn; most
Of the corn IS up; some replanting
being done; cotton is coming up to
fair stand; potatoes are being cul-
tivated; peaches that escaped the
frosts are doing well; stock is in
good condition.
Washita and Caddo. Good rains
on the 2Ist and z3id; wheat in poor
condition but some fields greatly
benefited by recent rains and will
make a fair crop; oats are in poor
to fair condition; corn planting is
progressing slowly; some cotton be-
ing planted and ground is general
ly being prepared; farm work re-
tarded by high winds.
Comancle. Rain fell on the 7Ist
but wheat is in poor condition and
many fields will be planted to other
crops; oats doing fairly we'll over
some localities; corn planting pro-
crossing and and il places is com
ing up TO a good stand; cotton is
being planted and the early planted
is coming up; stock generally is do
ing well; some injury to vegetation
by high winds; no fruit.
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-04-27
Larger chckasha
Communicated.

Little Daisy Adkins celebrated
her fifth birthday yesterday by
having a party Of her playmates
and acquaintance meet her at her
fathers home on 9th street. The
merry and happy little ones who
were the guests were Ida Lew,
Matte Hoover, Gertrude Whalen,
Maggie KiIIion. Myrtle Adkins,
Mary Whalen, Agnes Whalen,
Leo Whalen. Orena Ferrell, Dovie
Lee Harrington. Katie and Cleo
Riley.
II is well calculated to make glad
the hearts Of elderly people to see
the mothers $ darlings Of many fam
lilies meet together and feast and
romp and play in the full happiness
of innocent childhood, free from
the shadows that the older ones
know darken the pathway of life.
May the children all live to en-
joy many such meetings and birth
day parties in the future is the
writer's wishes.
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-04-27
To Advertisers

All copy for new adds or changes
in old ones must be handed in not
latter than $50 a. M. Otherwise
we cannot guarantee the appear
ance of the same on the day on
the day on which they are sent
n If
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-04-27

Have you tried Pow Wow Lauu-
dry Soap 7 bars for 25c. Save
wrappers. Good for green trad
ing stamps. SIoo in stamps for
10 wrappers. Ask for it. o6-Ioo
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-04-27
Warning Order.

Charles RAINY, Plf.
VS..
Clyde Hackney DIT
The defendant, Clyde Hackney,
is warned 10 appear in this court
within thirty days and answer the
complaint Of the plaintiff. Chas.
RAINY.
R. N. MURPHY,
Mayor.
Riddle & King, Attys. for Plaintiff. +.
Lawrence Mills, Atty. for non-resi-
dent Defendant. oI-f2I
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-04-27
Riena Maria

Have you tried Pow Wow Laun-
dry Soap ? bars for 2sc. Save
wrappers. Good for green trad
ing stamps. $I.oo in stamps for
70 wrappers. Ask for it. o6-Ioo
The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-04-27

Ask your dealer for Pow Wow
Laundry Soap, 7 bars for a5c.
Save wrappers. o6-foo