Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1906-09-24
THROUGH
A BRIDGE
Probably a Score Of
Lives Lost in
Oklahoma
High Structure Falls
With F asst Passen-
ger Train
Cars WhirIed AWayIn
Swollen Cimarron
River

Guthrie, Okla, Sept. 19.-Eght peo-
pie are dead, 20 more or less injured
and as many more are missing as the
result of the wrecking 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. II, northbound,
left the high bridge that spans the
Cimarron river and plunged into a
current fanked by treacherous quick
sands. The locomotive disappeared
from sight Immediately. The mail
and baggage clerks escaped and swan
shore.
The accident was due to the de-
fective condition Of the bridge, which
was severed out of line by the pres
sure of driftwood 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 and escaped
unhurt. The fireman was severely in
jured.
When the engine struck the bridge
eEY
lasped precipiating the engine, smok
er and day coach into the river. Two
Pullmans remained on the track.
The scene was one of indescribable
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
sand bank, The ossupants were helped
out through the doors and windows
The smoking ear filOated down stream,
submerged all but the top. 1t struck
on a sand bar in the middle of the
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 % and 80. With few ex-
ceptions they are not yet accounted
for. The only hopeful news is con-
tanned in messages from rural dis
tricts. Men on bits of driftwood have
been seen going down the stream at
various points, but attempts at rescue
have in most inst noes 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
Aihow up safe at some point down the
SHANNON.
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
a few bodies will be found inside the
smoker.
Bodies Seen Floating.
Sheriff Love of Kingfisher, who was
in the smoker, said that 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
bound st. Louis and San Francisco
freight went through a 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, IL In
the rapidly rising stream.
Union Pacific Suffers.