The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-01-28
TWO WRECKS CAUSE
Big LOSS OF LIFE
STREET CAR COLLISION IN ST.
LOUIS RESULTS FROM DISPUTE
OVER FIVE cENTs-DlsAsTER IN
ARKANSAS.

Newport, Ark, January T.-Southbound
passenger train No. 1 on the st. Louis
and Iron Mountain railroad rain into the
White River branch train at Diaz, the
junction of the branch with the main
line, two miles north of here. injuring
eight persons, several of them fatally.
The branch trains had just pulled into
the main line and stopped for coal when
the fast train struck it from the rear and
ploughed entirely through the two
coaches, overturning the engine and
crushing the coaches Of the branch train.
That there was no great loss of life was
due to the fact that Joseph Penning-
ton, the news agent saw, the approach OK
the st Louis train and ran through the
coaches warning the passengers to jump
for their lives Many did so and escaped
with few slight bruises. The engineer
of the st. Louis train stuck to his engine
until she turned over.
The injured:
j. q. Greegle, Cord, Ark, chest crushed
and injured internally. will die. =
D. L. Fluke, fireman, ST. Louis train,
jumped and struck mile post, skull frac-
tured and otherwise injured: will die
Mrs. M. g. Rice, Batesville, Ark, crush
ed and injured internallyi may die.
Miss Bell Rye Batesville, Ark. head in
jured
Jenim Weaver. McHugh. Ark, badly
bruised about hips
Daniel O,Brien, New York, face skinned
and otherwise bruised.
G. N. Williams, Benton Harbor. Much,
thigh crushed
Mrs. ]. D. .Aylor. Melbourne, Ark, ribs
fractured.
The passengers on the st. Louis were
badly shaken up but none were injured so
as to need medical assistance.
The wrecked cars took fire and the
flames communicated to the coal chute.
which burned with them.
st. Louis, January 27.--More than TWEEN
ty persons were injured some OF them ia
collided today. Most Of the seriously in
jured were taken to the Alexian Bros.
hospital. while the others were sent home.
The seriously injured:
John Darlington, probably fatal.
Walter Sieventritt, internal injuries.
j. B. Hobelman, internal injuries.
William Miller badly bruised about
body.
Thomas McGovern, both ankles broken.
Frank Alter, upper lip cut off
Christopher Juergin, motorman of front
car injured internally, perhaps fatally.
Both cars were northbound and travel
ing in a smoke fog so dense that it was
impossible to make out an object block
away. The accident occurred while the
front car was stationary owing to a quar-
rel between the conductor and passen-
ger over a fare.
The second car was coming at a high
rate Of speed through the fog, the motor
man ringing his gong. When less than
100 feet away the front car doomed
through the fog. Juergin stuck to his
post but it was useless to try to avoid
crash. The slippery tracks made a
quick stop even more difficult than usual
and the car smashed into the front one.
The second car crashed. its way through
the rear of the front car until 1t reached
almost the middle of it. The dozen or
more passengers on the rear platform of
rear car. The other car was crushed
and the passengers inside were thrown
about ON the floor and under the seats,
while showers of broken glass fell upon
them. Juergin, the motorman, caught the
full force of the collision. He was cut
and crushed and his back was broken He
will die.
panic ensued on both cars and in the
fight for escape children and women were
trampled on and the weaker ones were
beaten against the wreckage by the
stronger.