The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-17
Colorado Fast Passenger Trains
Collide in SnOWstofn and
the Cars Take Fire
SURVIVOR TELLS STORY
OF THE AWFUL DISASTER
More Than Twenty-Five Are Dead and
Two Score More Suffer Seri-
ous If Not Fatal
Injury.

Pueblo Colo, March ia wreck ae-
companied with horrors exceeded only by
the Eden disaster which occurred August
7, 1904, on the line of the same railroad
resulted from a head-on collision of two
passenger trains on the Denver and RIO
Grande railroad four miles east of Flor
ence Colo, at an early hour this morn
ing. The trains were the Utah-Californla
express, No g. west bound from Denver,
and the Colorado-New Mexico express,
No. 1s, east bound from Leadville to
Grand Junction.
Trains Meet on Sharp Curve.
They met on a sharp curve and were
less than two hundred yards apart when
the engineers discovered that a collision
was imminent. 1t is known that the en-
pineer of the west bound train put forth
every possible effort to bring his train TO
stop, but his efforts were fruitless, and
although he succeeded in checking the
speed of his train, the crash that followed
was beyond his power to prevent and he
went to mis- death with his hand on the
throttle. faithful to his charge.
This much is vouched for by his fire.
man who seeing the uselessness of, re-
manning in the face of sure death, jump
ed and saved himself OF the conduct of
the engine crew of the east bound train
ii can only be said that they died at their
post. for no one lives 70 tell tire story of
their heroism.
Fire Envelopes Victims.
The disaster was made more horrible
nv the manner of the death of many of
the passengers, .variously estimated from
twenty TO thirty-fve Fire swept over the
wreck engulfing the victims in caldron
of flame and leaving only eharred and
blackened bones to tell the tale of slaugh-
Ter. list of the injured given out by
officials of the railroad company COM
prises twenty-five names. None OF the
injured is dangerously hurt, and 1t is be-
ueved all will recover. A list OF dead
made up from close investigation by re-
sponsible persons dhe railroad officials
refusing to make a list for publcation)
follows:
The Dead.
William Hols. engineer No. 16.
Walter Cosslett, engineer No. 3, Pueblo.
H. D. Sudduth, fireman No. l6, Pueblo.
Edward E. Baird, deputy sheriff, Den
yer.
Archibald Whitney, prisoner on way to
nenitentiary at Canon City, in charge of
Baird, Denver.
Mrs William Burnside, daughter, AMI
daughters child, all of Kansas, town not
learned.
A. N. Barklo, Salida, Col.
Miss Grace Barlzlo, Salida, Col.
Enas Mcfarland, express messenger,
Denver.
Taylor Hewitt. Lebo, Kas.
Mrs. Lillian Hewitt. Lebo, Kas.
Pearl Hewitt, 15 years of age, Lebo,
kas.
Mrs. Catherine Hewitt and baby boy,
Lebo, Kas.
Ed Cowley Lebo, Kas.
Fred Jones, Lebo Kas.
Fred Lemecooley, Denver.
Mrs. Edward Cowley, Lebo, Kas.
Mrs. Winona Hewitt, Lebo, Kas.
The Injured.
Patrick Murphy, Florence, Col, seri-
ously; p. Peters, baggageman, Denver;
James Proconone, Italy; Ira Elrod, Gyp-
sum, Col; Miss Mabel Fields, address
not given, travelling to Wolcott, Col,
serious; E. A. Hewitt, Lebo, Kans.; Miss
Mary Gooeh Oakland. Cal; Thomas
Webb, Yampa, Col; r. w. Phillips, Gays
vile, Utah; C. c. House, Champa, N. NJ;
L. C. Ramsbottom. San Francisco; w.
r. Page Yampa, Col. /. Kissell New
York; A. Gerber, New York; G. N.
Wright New York; James Page, White
water, Col; F. II. Sweeny, Clinton Mo-;
]. L. Lotion, Bell Flower, Mo-; G. C.
Clark Portland, Col; j. S. Veale, Den
yer; j. S. Reef. Leadville, Col; B.
Jones, Denver: A. L. Knous. Ouray, Colo.
Met In Binding Snow Storm.
In a binding storm which made 1t al
most impossible for the trainmen to see
El~I "a
a point midway between Portland and
Adobe 25 miles west of Pueblo. at {
O'Clock this morning. Immediately follow
ing the collision several of the wrecked
cars burst into flames, and were soon
consumed. a number of passengers be-
ing burned to death. More than 30 others
were injured, but of these 1t is not
thought any were fatally hurt. The cause
OF the wreck is attributed to failure OF
an employe of the road to deliver an
order which changed the meeting place
of the two trains
The Utah and California express No
west-bound left Pueblo over an hour
and a half late and was given orders to
meet the Colorado and New Mexico ex-
press No. 16 east-bound at Florence. This
order was changed and the west-bound
train was directed to pass the east-bound
train at Beaver. about IL miles east
OF Florence. The order should have been
delivered to the train crew at Swallows
but for some reason still unexplained
the operator there neglected to do so
In the meantime the east-bound had re-
ceived its order and expected to meet
the west-bound train at Beaver.
Running at Usual Speed.
Both trains were running at the usual
speed. the deep snow and high wind max
ing it necessary to exercise exceptional
care Suddenly both headlights flashed
eat from the darkness and 1t was real