The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-03-17
GRAPHIC STORY OF WRECK.
Fire Broke Out Instantly After the
FrightfuI Collision.


FrightfuI Collision.
Pueblo, Colo, March 16.-In a blind
ing storm which made it almost imDos-
sible for the trainmen to see ahead.
the two trains coIlided head-on at a
point midway between Portland and
Adobe, twenty-five miles west of
Pueblo, at 2:20 o'clock this morning
Immediately following the collision
several of the wrecked cars burst into
flames and were consumed, a number
of passengers being burned to death.
Over thirty others were injured. but of
these it is not thought any were fatally
hurt. The cause of the wreck is at
tributed to the failure of an employee
of the road to deliver an order, which
changed the meeting place of the two
trains.
No. 3 Left Pueblo Late.
The Utah and California express No
3, westbound, left Pueblo over an hour
and a half late and was given orders
to meet the Colorado and New Mexico
express, No. 16 eastbound, at Florence
This order was changed, and the west
bound train was directed to pass the
eastbOund train at Beaver, about
twelve miles east of Florence. The
order should have been delivered to
the train crew at Swallow, but for some
reason. still unexplained, the operator
there neglected to do so. In the mean
time the eastbound train had received
its orders and expected to meet the
westbOund train at Beaver.
Running at Usual Speed.
Both trains were running at the usual
speed, the deep snow and high wind
making it necessary to exercise excep-
tiOnaI care Suddenly both headlights
flashed out from the darkness, and it
was realized for the first time that
something was wrong. According to
the story of Fireman J. II. Smith of
the westbOUnd train, Engineer Walter
COSlett opened the emergency brake
and the train was checked for an in
slant, but the slippery rails and the
momentum of the heavy train carried
it on.
Crushing, Grinding Noise.
From the stories told by several Of
the trainmen who survived and were
in the forward part of the train, the
noise that followed warned them that
something had been struck. The helper
engine. No. 8, evidently acted as sort
of cushion, minimizing the force and
weight of the heavy mountain engines
that haul the trains where the grade
does not require assistance. This
helper was crushed together like so
much paper and the monster machines
ran through, locking themselves to-
gether as if in a death struggle. Fire
man Smith was the only one of the
engine crews who escaped. The bag
gage car of No. broke in two and the
three coaches squeezed together The
baggage and mail car and coach Of No
is buckIed. but none of the cars were
teIescoped as was first reported
Fire Added to the Horror.
Hardly had the trainmen and passeu-
gers reached a realization that all was
not right when. to their horror, a sheet
of fire ran through the cars on both
sides of the engines, and in a twin
king the cracking sound Of breaking
timbers started them to action. In the
forward coach of the westbOund train
every seat was occupied by passengers,
most of whom were hOmeseekers or
their way TO the northwest. number
of foreigners were among them and In
their terror they gave up life without
making any attempt to reach safety
outside the burning car lParalyzed
with fear and with prayers upon their
lips, they sank to the floor of the car
and were roasted alive. The cooler
ones in the car, seeing their danger,
rushed for the windows and doors, and
with the aid of the passengers in the
rear OF the train ana those itthtDCfS OI
the train crew who were unhurt, man
aged to reach the open air. Many Of
them were injured more or less serious
~ by the rough handling they received
or from flying glass and timbeTs.
Cars Soon in Ruins.
Although many were willing to under
take the risk. efforts to rescue those
who remained in the burning cars would
have been suicidal, as the heat was
unbearable When the occupants of the
two standard and two tourist slee9eFs
of the westbOund train saw that moth
ing could be done to check the flames,
they aided the 'trainmen in pushing
back the sleepers and these cars were
not damaged in the least. The sleepers
on the eastbOund train were also
pushed back and soon after they were
placed out OF the reach of the leaping
flames. The wrecked cars were soon
reduced to a mass of smouldering ruins.
Relief Started at Once.
Communication was opened with the
Pueblo offices of the railroad from
Portland a mile or so away, and re-
lief train with physicians was dis
patched to the wreck at once. As quick
Iy as possible the injured were placed
in the sleepers and the engine of the
relief train started back to Pueblo with
them. and also the passengers of the
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