Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1906-09-26
THROUGH
A BRIDGE
Probably a Score'of
Lives Lost in.
Oklahoma
High Structure Falls
With F asst Passen-
ger Train
Cars Whirled AWayin
Swollen Cimarron
River

Guthrie, Okla. Sept. Height peo-
pie are dead, 20 more or less injured
and as many more are missing as the
result Of the wrecling Of a Rock Is
land passenger train three miles from
Dover, Okla, yesterday.
The engine, tender, baggage car and
mail car, smoker and day coach of
passenger train No. H. northbound,
left the high bridge that spans the
Cimarron river and plunged into n
current fanked by treacherous quick
sands. The locomotive disappeared
from sight Immediately. The mali
and baggage clerks escaped and swan
shore.
The accident was due to the de-
fective condition OF the bridge, which
aas severed out of line by the pres
sure &C iriftwood carried down by the
swollen stream.
Late and Running Fast
The train was an hour late and run
ming at high speed to make up time
The engineer did not see the condi.
ton of the bridge until he was within
a few yards, when it was too late to
stop. He shouted to his fireman, threw
on the air brakes and jumped. He
landed on the river bank anu escaped
unhurt The fireman was severely in
jured.
When the engine struck the bridge
the whole structure suddenly col
lasped precipiating the engine, smok-
er and day coach into the river. Two
Pullmans remained on the track.
The scene was one of understandable
confusion. Shrieks of those impri-
soned in the partly submerged coaches
were added to the shouts of those on
the bank.
Swept Away by Driftwood,
The current whirled the day coach
down stream and lodged it against a
sand bank, The ossupants were helped
out through the doors and windows
The smoking car flloated down stream,
submerged all tut the top. 1t struck
on a sand bar in the middle of the
river. Four men VINO clambered
through the windows to the top of the
car were swept away by large mass
of driftwood.
Three other men jumped through
the rear door of the smoker, before 1t
sank and reached shore.
The most authentic accounts place
the number of passengers in the smok-
er at between rs and go With few ex.
ceptions they are not yet accounted
for. The only hopeful news is con-
tanned in iil5sages from rural dis.
tricts. Men on bits of driftwood have
been seen going down the stream at
various points, but attempts at rescue
have IL most instances proved futile
Rescued Twenty Miles Away.
One man whose name is unknown
was fished out of the Cirammon at
Cashion, 20 miles from the scene OF
the disaster, almost dead. Others
have been reported floating down the
river.
The injured have been taken to
Kingfsher, where the people have
thrown open their homes for their
succor.
1t will be impossible to ascertain
the exact number of dead for several
days. Many reported missing may
show up safe at some point down the
Cirammon.
The derailed cars are lying near the
bank of the river. A party of search.
ers is working with torches and Ian
terms in the wrecked cars 1t is the
opinion of the people at the scene that
few bodies win be found inside the
smoker.
Bodies Seen Floating.
Sheriff Love Of Kingfsher, who was
in the smoker, said lat when ne es.
capped from the water, it was at least
six feet deep in the car and that there
were at least 80 others in the car. He
saw only two besides himself escape.
Reports have reached here that sew.
eral have been seen floating down the
river
Another Similar Wreck.
Guthrie, Okla, Sept ia north.
DOuAAu Abs A@Oulo anu san
freight went through bridge on the
South Canadian river near Carlton,
Okla, yesterday. Engineer Palmer
is dead. Brakeman Priest is missing.
The body of Fireman Hanz of Black.
well, Oklahoma, is pinned under the
engine which, with four cars, is in
the rapidly rising stream.
Union Pacific Suffers.
Lincoln, Neb., Sept. 19-Continuou
and at times heavy rain throughout
the day made food conditions verse
in and near Lincoln. The Union Pa
cific railroad is the worst sufferer,
the food being most disastrous from
Valparaiso to Stromburg and from
the former place to Wahoo that has
ever been known. Niles Of track
have been washed away and serious