Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-01-06

slightly injured. two passenger cars
demolished, two locomotives totally
destroyed and four carloads OF stock
torn to pieces and dead animals strewn
along the right OF way. This horrible
catastrophe was the result OF head
on collision between the I'll Paso train,
due TO leave Topeka at Il55 p, m,
and q cattle train Both trains were
running at speed OF from Is 10 %
miles an hour The freight was long
one. When the engines met they were
welded together by the impact The
engineer and fireman on the freight
escaped without injury by Jumping.
The fireman on the passenger was serl-
ously Injured. but the engineer escaped.
SCENE OF GREATEST SLAUGHTER.
II was In the third car OF the pas
senger, the first coach preceded by n
smoker and baggage car that the
greatest slaughter OF passengers took
place, The shock drove the smoker,
which was occupied by only two or
three men. completely over and through
the ear behind it, which was crowded
with passengers. some standing In the
aisle, when the shock came. The pas
tcngers In the car where the numerous
deaths occurred did not feel any seri-
Gus shock. They were first warned
by the total darkness following the
sudden setting OF the airbrakes Then
q mass OF splintered wood and iron
crowded down upon them. No one
was thrown out Of his seat by the
blow Out Of possibly 100 people In the
car about 30 escaped without injury.
They got out hurriedly by the rear
door which was still unobstructed. No
one in the front half Of the car escaped.
They were crushed down between the
seats In the smoker
ONLY THREE LIVING PEOPLE,
only three living people were taken
out by the reseuers. who chopped holes
In the side, floor and top of the wrecked
cars In frenzied attempt to rescue
man, small girl and a middle aged
woman. who were moaning and beg
ging for aid. The rest OF the passen-
gers In the forward half were all dead
one mnn was taken out by rear
door within five minutes after the
collision, and died almost instantly
from internal injuries. A woman died
two hours later while trying TO tell
physician her name. A little girl
named Bonnie Martin, about II years
OF age, was pinned down between the
two cars, heavy stove resting on one
foot. Her cries attracted the rescu-
ers, and men, many Of them bleeding
from wounds about the face and arms
worked nanfully to get her out II
took two hours Of steady work TO re-
lieve Ser. When she was taken ont
she addressed doctor who was bend
ing over Ter as Papa" The physician
did not have the heart to tell her that
she was an orphan. her father and
mother having been killed Mr.. Mar
tin was killed instantly, and Mrs. Mar
tin died 10 minutes after being taken
out Of the wreck The child was suf-
fering with broken ankle, where the
heavy stove fell on her and severe
scalp Commissions. She was put TO
sleep by hypodermlc injection to re-
lieve her pain
PHYSICIANS ON SCENE.
a dozen or more Topeka physicians
came out 10 the scene OF the wreck on
the relief train which was sent from
Topeka ms soon as brakeman could
run to Willard and notify headquarters
of the wreck, The physicians went TO
relieving the injured and made no
attempt to remove the crushed and
disilgured bodies from the debris.
After daylight this morning the
work OF removing the bodies began.
The engine which brought out the
physicians. number OF policemen
and a wrecking gang about $3.50
O'Clock, coupled on to the two cars.
sleeper and chair cars, which were
uninjured and hauled them slowly
back to Topeka, All the ambulances
in town were In waiting az the depot
when the train arrived at $3.50 and the
injured were at once taken to hos
ptals Some of the bodies found IN
the wreckage were so badly crushed
as to be unacceptable. Through q
hole chopped on the left side OF a car
the body of gray-haired. heavy set
man and a woman with long y(ilow
hair were visible when the train with
the injured was taken back TO town.
At that time the rescuerse were posi-
tive that they had removed all the Nv
Ing victims. Fires We're built along
the track at short intervals, and ny
the light OF these men chopped until
they We're exhausted, handed the axe
10 another and sat down TO rest. The
entire sides of the cars were chopped
away when the work was complete. Oc-
caslonally the choppers would desist