The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1906-09-19
CAUSE OF THE WRECK.
Bridge Had Been Pushed Out by Float
ina TiUbers.

ing Timbers.
Guthrie, Okla, Sept. 19.-Eight peo-
pie are dead, twenty more or less in
jured and as many more are missing
as the result Of the wrecking of a
Rock Island passenger train, three
miles from Dover, Okla.
The enginey tender, baggage and
mail cars, smoker and day coach of
passenger train No. II, north bound,
left the high bridge that spans the
Cimarron river and plunged into the
current fianked by treacherous quick
sands. The locomotive disappeared
from sight almost Immediately. The
mail and baggage clerks escaped from
their coaches and swan to the shore.
The accident was due to the defec-
tive condition of the bridge, which was
swerved out of line by the pressure of
drift wood carried down by the swol-
len stream.
The train was an hour late and was
running at high speed to make up
time. The engine driver did not see
the condition of the bridge until he
was within a few yards when it was
fireman, threw on the air brakes and
jumped. He landed on the very verge
of the river bank and escaped unhurt.
The fireman was less fortunate and
sustained severe injuries.
When the engine struck the bridge
the whole structure suddenly coll
lapsed, precipitating the engine, smok-
er and day coach into the water. The
two heavy Pullmans were not pulled
in, but remained on the track.
The current whirled the day coach
down stream and lodged it against a
sand bank. The occupants were help
ed out through the doors and windows.
The smoking car floated down stream
submerged all but the very top. 1t
stuck on a sand bar in the middle of
the river and four men. were seen to
Chamber through the windows and pull
themselves on top of the car, calling
loudly for help, but those on shore
were unable to reach them on account
of the high water. While they were
begging assistance, a large mass of
drift wood swept down and carried them
from their fragile footing. Three 9TH
err men jumped through the rear door
of the smoker before it sank and
struck out for the shore. They were
carried down the current for perhaps
a half mile, when they were pulled
out. They were almost exhausted from
strangulation and exposure.
The most authentic accounts place
the number of passengers in the smolx-.
er at between twenty -five and thirty
With few exceptions they have not
been accounted for The only hope
full news is contained in messages re-
ceived from rural districts. Men on
bits of driftwood have been seen GO
ing down stream at various points, but
attempts at rescue have in most cases
proved futile.
One man, whose name is not known,
was fished out of the Cimarron at CAM
hion, twenty miles from the sceneoof
the disaster. He was almost dead.
Others have been reported floating
down the river. q
The injured were hurried to King
fisher. Six physicians left that place
Immediately after the first news of
the wreck was received. The peopleOof
Kingfisher have thrown open their
homes for the succor of the injured.
1t will be impossible to ascertain the
exact number of dead for several days.
Many of those reported missing may
be safe at some point down the CHM
arron.
Reports reached here that several