Omaha daily bee., 1906-09-19
EIGHT DIE In WRECK
Rock Island Passenger Train Goes Inn
0imsrron River in Oklahoma
TWENTY PASSENGERS ARE MISSING
About the Same humber Are More or Less
Injured.
VICTIMS IN DAY COACH AND SMOKER
Number Of Persons Seen Floating Down
VICTIMS IN DAY COACH AND SMOKER
Number Of Persons Seen Floating Down
Stream on Driftwood.
ACCIDENT is DUE TO HIGH WATER
Bridge is Pushed out of Line and
CoIlapses as soon ss Locomotive
Strikes It-Crew Escapes by
jumping or SWIMMING.


GUTHRIE, Okl. Sept. ls.--Eight people
are dead, twenty more or less injured and
as many more are missing, as the, result
of the wrecking of Rock Island passenger
train three miles from Dover, Okl, at 500
| o'clock this morning.
| The engine, tender, baggage and mail
cars, smoker and day coach Of passenger
train No l2 northbound left the high
bridge that spans the Clmarron river and
| plunged into the current fiankcd by treaoh-
| erous quicksands. The locomotive disap-
! peared from sight almost Immediately. The
matt clerks and baggagemen escaped from
their coaches and swan to the shore.
The accident was due to defective con-
ditions Of the bridge, which was swerved
out OF line by the pressure OF drftwood
| carried down by the swollen stream.
Train Running Fast.
The train was an hour late and was rum
ming 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
of 1t, when 1t was too late TO stop. He
shouted TO his 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 several injuries.
| When the engine struck the bridge, the
whole structure suddenly collapsed, pre-
cipitating the engine. smoker and day coach
| into the water. The two heavy Pullmans
were not pulled In, but remained on the
| track.
The scene was one OF indescribable con-
fusion. The shrieks of those imprisoned
I'm the partly submerged coaches were added
to by the shouts OF those on the bank.
The current whirled the day coach down
stream, and lodged II against a sand bank.
The occupants were helped out through
the doors and windows. The smoking car
foated down stream. submerged all but the
very top. 1t struck a sand bar In tho
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 driftwood swept
down and carried them on their fragile
footing VIZ es~ses Ia
Three other men jumped through the
rear door OF the smoker before It sank and
struck out for the shore. They were car
ric down the current for perhaps a quar-.
ter of mile. when they were pulled out.
They were almost exhausted from strangu-
lation and exposure
Thirty Men I'm Smoker.
The most authentic accounts place the
number OF passengers in the smoker at be-
tween twenty-five and thirty. With few
exceptions these have not been accounted
for. The only hopeful news Is contained
in messages received from rural districts
Men bits OF drftwood have been seen
going down stream at various points. but
attempts at rescue have in most instances
proved futile
One man, whose name Is not known. was
fshed out of the Cimarron at Cashion.
twenty miles from the scene OF the dis
aster. He almost dead. Others have
been reported floating down the river
Those who were injured and taken from
the river at the bridge were hurried to
Kingfisher. Six physicians left that place
Immediately after the first news of tho
wreck was received. They have been work.
Ing without cessation since early morning.
The people OF Kinsnsher have thrown
open their homes for the succor of the in
Jured. Enough clothes and supplies have
been donated to provide an army
: II will be impossible to ascertain the
exact number OF dead for several days.
Many OF those reported missing may show
up safe at some point down the Cimarron.
Search for the Dead.
Tonight the derailed cars are lying near
; the bank OF the river. A party OF search
ers is working with torches and lanterns
to lend aid to any who may be within the
coaches or recover the bodies. IL is the
opinion of people who are at the scene OF
the wreck that few bodies will be found
] inside the smoker.
: Sheriff j. p Love OF Kingnsher, who
was in the smoker of the wrecked train
: experienced marvellous escape. He said:
J Just as the car was turning on its
! side 1 fought my way 10 the rear and
I forced my body through the door. The
J water then was over my head. When
: came TO the surface was swept down
; stream by the heavy current. just as
7 had given up all hope and was I'm the
. last stages OF exhaustion. I touched bottom
: and drew myself upon the bank, There
e were thirty others in the smoker. l saw
only two beside myself escape
Learning of the wreck. Governor Frantz
: this afternoon ordered out the engineer
: corps OF the Oklahoma national guard In
encampment here 20 the big bridge over
the Cimarron river. three miles north of
Guthrie. Reports reached here that sew
eral bodies have been seen floating down
I the river.
story of survivor.
Clyde Giest of Dover. okl., who capped
from one OF the cars that went into the
river. says;
], I'VE were running very slowly and care
!. fully when we could feel the track giving
: away and heard the engineer whistle for
: emergency brakes. started for the door
with the porter and just as we got outside
: the door OF the car felt the track give
: entirely away and we fell into the river.
: : The porter and managed to stay on tor
Of the smoking car and foated down the
: stream several hundred yards. when waves
and driftwood dsIOdged and we were
cast out into the main current In the
meantime had taken on my clothes and
that aided me much IN getting ashore. The
n porter went down few minutes after
e being dislodged Immediately started for
n the railroad station, where ] notified the