Gilpin observer., 1904-07-07
DEADLY WRECK
ON CRIPPLE CREEK SHORT LINE
Three Killed and More Than Forty In
jured by Runaway Car Near
--r. Cameron .4

jured by Runaway Car Near
Cameron. IN 10,
Denver, July 6.-Three persons were
killed and more than forty injured,
some of them dangerously, by the
running away of passenger car ON
the Short Line railroad at $3.50 o'clock
last night while the train was being
remade up at Cameron for splitting
into two trains, one for Cripple Creek.
the other for Victor
A Republican special says: AT Cam
eron, before the train is broken, the
Cripple Creek passengers are told to
take the rear car known as the obser--
walton car. The Victor passengers
take the coach in the middle of the
train which is switched off.
The train was on time arriving at
cameron and the cars were crowded
The switching had commenced. With
out warning. after the car had been cut
out, it suddenly started down the
grade. The brakeman. A. B. Ross,
rushed to the air brake, found it
worthless and advised the passengers
to- jump. About fifty took this advice
before the car gained the terrible mo-
mentum in its nearly three-quarters
OF mile run before it was ditched
Losing control it shot down the
heavy grade with ever increasing
speed, whipping around curves and
threatening destruction of all occu-
pants at any moment.
T. P. Airheart, a prominent Mason.
one of the largest owners of real estate
in this city. with Kearns, made an
heroic attempt to save the lives Of
their fellow passengers. Realizing the.
speed the car was making. Mr.. Air
heart ran into the car and said Boys.
let's go to the brake Fred Miller,
one OF them, and j. Kearns. a stranger
In camp, responded and they were
heroically attempting to stop the car
when it jumped the track.
This it did at bridge No. 1S. on a
sharp curve. 1t rolled down an en-
bankment ten feet high and was
smashed out of all shape, pinning the.
passengers into all manner of tangles.
OF DEBRIS. Few escaped injury
Airheart, Kearns and Miller were
caught where they had stood together
struggling with the brakes. The two
hrst named were killed instantly. Mil
Ter was caught on top of them and
while severely injured may survive.
All OF the passengers were SO pinned
IN the wreckage that none of them
could render assistance. -5--->-7
People of Cameron had witnessed
the accident and hastened to render
help, The injured were drawn ont as
fast as reached.
DR.. Torrance was in the rear end nj
the car with his wife.
- His right arm was ground of aa6
he bled to death.
Inc excitement and darkness rem
dered the assistance difficult.
Men and women, bleeding and
bruised, were literally dragged from.
the car.
/ Word reached Cripple Creek and
created intense excitement Many had
friends and relatives returning on the
train from their holiday excursions.
A special was made up on the Mid
land Terminal and hurried to Gamer
on with physicians and helpers.
Nurses were sent out on a special
from Victor The Short Line turned
every available man to the work of
rescue.
The accident has cast a gloom over
the district.
The majority of the passengers were
residents of Cripple Creek but there
are number whose names were un-
obtainable last night. residents of 9TH
er towns in the district. These were
not reported seriously injured.
| Two of the men killed were among
the most prominent in Cripple Creek
| T. p. Airheart was one of the pioneer
real estate investors. He owns large
amount Of real estate, is a man Of
money, money-lender. and stood high
in Masonic circles. He was a leader
Of the business element of the city.
I Was about fifty-five years of age and
has grown sons and a wife living in.
Cripple Creek.
! DIR. Torrance was one of the leading
! physicians, also a pioneer and had a
large number of friends. He was o
prominent member of the Elks, the
Eagles and other fraternities. Was
popular with all classes.
]. Kearns, who was killed, was a
! Colorado Springs man who had lived
/ in Denver. He was wounded in action
! in the Spanish war. He had attended
Colorado College. He was on his way
to Cripple Creek to enter the employ
OF mining company when killed.
| w. o. Dresser. one of the men badly
hurt, was the last to jump. In his
arm was the baby OF Mrs. Hanes, who.
escaped uninjured. Dresser sustained
severe injuries to his head and back,
but the baby was uninjured.
This accident is the first of any na-
ture jeopardizing the life OF a passen-
ger on the line since the road was put
in operation three and a half years.
ago. Until recently, all the switching
at Cameron was done on level side
! track. and no car was permitted to be
/ left standing On grade without an,
engine being attached.
|