The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1904-01-07
wNNEMUccA NEVADA THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY T. 1904


a number of policemen and
a wreckipg crew about $3.50 o'clock,
coupled on to two cars, sleeper and
chair car, which were uninjured, and
hauled them slowly back to Topeka.
All the ambulances in town were in
waiting at the depot when the train
arrived at $40 and the injured were
at once taken to the various hospitals.
Some of the bodies found in the
wreckage were SO badly crushed as to
be unrecognizable. Through a hole
chopped on the left side of car the
body of a gray haired, heavy set man
and a woman with light yellow hair
were visible when the train with the
injured was taken back to Topeka. AT
this time the rescuers were positive
that they had removed all the liv-
ing victims
Fires were built along the track and
by the light of these men chopped
until they were exhausted. handed the
axe over to another and sat down to
rest. The entire sides of the car was
chopped away when the work was
completed. Occasionally the choppers
would deslst upon an alarm being
raised by watchers, who declared the
chopping away of the lower car was
letting the upper car down upon the
victims. The top, or forward car.
left the trucks in it's backward rush
The trucks were still upon the track
under the front car. Not a wheel in
the entire passenger train seemed to
be off the track.
The freight train Jared differently.
The four cars Immediately behind the
engine were crushed into kindlng
wood and strewn from one fence to
the other. Dead and dying cattle lay
around in the neishDorhood of the
wrecked cars and some were running
loose. carload of hogs were nearly
ali killed.
The uninjured passengers in the
Pullman cars led the rescue work.
Among them was a Mr.. Bell. of New
York City. cripple. He is not a prac-
ticing physician, but has studied medi-
cine for three years. During the past
aine months he has been under treat
ment for spinal trouble which result
ID from an injury to his hips and has
caused the shortening of one of his
legs, requiring that he wear an iron
heel and carry a crutch. Despite these
iist dvantages he was able to do the
work OF attending to injured and he
was responsible for the saving of mans
lives.
Bell cleared a portion of chair car
and set up a hospital. Then he clear
I'd berths in the sleeper and had the
victims of the catastrophe brought in
snd made as comfortable as possible.
He was without instruments or medi-
cine. and the only thing he could do
was TO bind up wounds with bandages
made by tearing up sleeper sheets and
pillow cases. giving the patients whis-
key to deaden the pain.
An artery was severed in the fire.
mans leg. The young doctor took
It up with a pen knife and tied i,
with thread. probably preventing the
fireman from bleeding to death. H.
performed innumerable acts of the like
peka physicians. A shortage of by.
podermic needles was soon discover
ID Nearly all the needles were brok-
en- in a short time and then the doc
tors were forced to resort to whiskey
as a deadener of pain. The hero ply
frcm passengers he was learned to be
Or. Bell of New York City, initials not
yet obtainable.
None of the trainmen seemed tc
know who was to blame for the wreck.
rhe El Pase train left Topeka about
thirty minutes late, and the injured
CONDUCTOR. as he lay in a sleeper berth
said that he had the right of way and
hat the cattle train had no excuse fol
being on the main line under any cir
cumstances. He said that it should
have waited for the passenger at Ma
nle Hill. six miles west Of Willard
The FL Paso train did not stop at VIII
lard and was running to make up lost
..ime.
At the point where the wreck oc-
Cured there Is a curve in the track
md the engineers on the two trains
barely had time to set the air brakes
and jump before the crash came. The
heavy freight, which looked like i
might be half a. mile long, was moi
easily stopped. The passengers on the
Eel Paso train We're given little warn
ing. The loud hiss of the air brakes
was followed almost instantly by the
blow and crushing sound of telescop-
ing cars. Not more than two seconds
elapsed.
Amid the groans and shrieks of the
injured the survivors crawled out owe
wrecked seats. The usual number o'
human swine were visible. They stoHc
around and hung on to their baggag'
with an iron grip while other men"wer'
using all the tools on the train ane
then resorting to wooden levers ant
pieces OF scrap iron to break into th'
death trap.
Just before the car went to piece
| a middle-aged German, who could no
e,,aatx a wotd of English came int