The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-16

.
Wreck as Funeral Pyre.
When the first relief train arrived
from Pueblo there was little in the
cars that were burned to indicate that
there had been precious freightage of
human lives, excepting piles Of
scorched flesh and smouldering bones.
Passenger train No. 8, the Utah &
California express, which started from
this city soon after midnight, heavily
engines 529 and 100. The forward
coach of the hapless train was well
filled; in fact, 1t was difficult to find
a seat anywhere, and a number Of pas
sengers were standing in the aisles.
just as this train was rounding q
sharp curve between Beaver and Adobe,
train No. Is, east-bound, running at q
high rate of speed, whirled around the
curve and crashed into the heavy train
Hurled TO Death.
In an instant all was confusion Pas
sengers were hurled from their seats
and coyered with splintefs Of wood and
flying glass. Many were killed in the
impact, and the others, caught beneath
the wreckage, filed the air with their
cries Tor assistance 3 =
A moment later the gas with which
the train was lighted exploded and il
an instant the wreckage was blazing
fercely.
One man in the first coach of No. :
had managed to raise a window an6
had forced his body half way to free
dom when he became lodged in the
window. He fought. fiercely for life
but each movement only wedged hin
the more tightly, The flames swep
over him and left him writhing il
and for the sake of my baby, shoe
me. ~ The onlookers, prevented from
approaching the scene because Of tn
intense heat, could do nothing to reliev
4 the mans sufferings., Finally timbe
from the roof Of the car fell upon hi
head, killing him. -.
Worst Havoc Wrought.
The first four coaches Of train No.
were piled up, the greatest damage be
ing done in the forward coach. It wa
here that the worst havoc was wrought
Hardly q person in this coach escape,
with his life. A majority Of the bodie
caught by the fire were reduced to
crisp. ~
1 j. L. Lawrence, Bellfower,> Mo-, an
S. z. Sweeny, Trenton, Mo-, were tn
only passengers >in this coach, who ar
known to have escaped, both SUSTAINING
but slight injuries.
When the colliion came, engine 72(
which was pulling train No. 16, wa
crushed, and being forced back by TIL
impact, it telescoped the express ca
and shattered the first coach. Tn
passengers in this coach were all take
out before the wreckage caught fiji
and the casualties in this car were bu
slight in comparison to those on th
west-bound train raAtss>,7n ~ H,.:.sl..
MCFARLAND Victim.
E. M. Mcfarland, messenger Of til
Globe Express company, who was
the express car on No 16, was caugf
in the wreckage and burned to dealt
So far as can be learned he was th
! only one on the east-bound train I
suffer this fate
The three engines were practical
demolished.
Killed at Post.
Engine No. 500, with Engineer Wa
ter Coslette in charge, was helping trai
: No. 3 up the grade, and this engi1
.. received the full force of the bio,
being caught between the other two el
gines AID reduced to scrap iron. E,
{ gineer Coslette had no opportunity
Z escape, altho his fireman, A. E. Smit
saw the headlight on the engine Of N
5 with his life. William Hollis and h
fireman, Hugh Sudduth, of the engil
]: pulling the eastbound train, were unab
) to save themselves
For more than a year Engineer Wa
s ter Cosslette has had a presentimel
| that he would be killed on the road.
) Owing to the fact that the light
: cars were in front of the train they +
j ceived the full force of the blow, al
3 were crushed like eggshells. III
5 sleepers were practically uninjured. Il
3 passengers being only badly shaken u
s When the flames burst out amor
!: the wreckage the surviving passenger
!: assisted by the few railroaders wi
:. were uninjured, cut the connection b
. tween the wrecked cars and tho
; which had escaped comparatively u
3 injured and forced the latter ca
. down the track to distance that pr
!. vented the flames from communicate
!. to them.
!. In Snow and Cold.
81 It was an intensely cold morning al
/. the snow was falling heavily. T
: weather combined with the flames
/. adding to tn esuffering of the injur
: and to the discomfort of the rescue
(. Word was hastily sent to Florence a
!. scene that prevailed. Relief trains wi
surgeons was hastily arranged when t
. news reached the officers of the co
s pany in this city and it arrived at t
scene about clock in the morniI
= The wounded were at once placed uD