Los Angeles herald., 1906-09-20
MANY ARE STILL
UNACC0UNTEO FOR
WRECK NEAR DOVER CLAIMS
VICTIMS
Latest Reports Say Twenty Psssen-
gers May Be Found in Coach
Which Went Into the
River
Nv ssocisted Press.

BY Asso ciated Press.
CIMARRoN BRIDGE Cvia King
fisher), Okla, Sept. 19.-Contrary to
yesterdays report. it developed today
that twenty PERSONS who we're known to
have occupied the smoker on the north
bound Rock Island train that went into
the Cmarron river near Dover yester-
day morning are unaccounted for.
Efforts are being made to locate the
smoker. which is at point ten yards
below the site of the bridge.
strong eddy is believed to mark the
spot where the smoker sank. The
water has fallen five feet from the high
mark of yesterday, but neither the
engine, baggage car nor the smoker can
be seen.
When the train went off the bridge
the baggage car, smoker and day coach
broke loose and, toppling off the
wrecked bridge swung downstream
Immediately the baggage car sank.
The SIN oker half floated with one end
above water, the couplings between 1t
and the day coach broke, and, SUBJ
merged. it was carried down the river
for a distance of over 100 yards.
None of the persons who escaped
saw any one leave the smoker except
four persons who stood on the roof of
the car when 1t was struck by portion
of the wrecked bridge. They were
knocked into the water and rescued
finally several miles down the river,
clinging to debris.
Death List Grows
An additional death was added to the
list today when the 3-year-old son of
Mrs. Kate Sells of Payne. o.. died of
strangulation caused by inhaling sand
and water
Piles of wreckage in the Cimarron
river at points one and two miles below
the scene of the wreck were examined
by men in boats today. An effort was
made to find the twenty persons who
are believed to be in the smoker and are
still missing. With long prods, the de-
bris. consisting of splntered boards,
furniture from coaches, and baggage,
was disturbed, but not a body was
found.
1t was reported here today by tele-
phone that the bodies of five men were
taken out of the river ten miles south
of the wreck early today.
The bodies of passengers who were
buried in the sinking smoker will prob
ably never be rescued. For short
time following the wreck a small por-
tion of the smoker was visible. 1t sank
slowly in quicksand.
Lunch baskets field with water
soaked lunches. clothing, go-carts and
apurse containing $3.50 were taken from
the Kingfisher Side Of the river today
B. p. Nicholason, who was riding ir
the smoker, is the only person known
to have escaped from that coach.
At Least Ten Killed
Mr.. Nchola son said today that he
knew at least ten PERSONS were riding
in the smoker when the train went into
the river Persons with whom he was
talking are missing.
Escape of persons known to be riding
in the front end of the smoker, Sepa-
rated from the rear door by a partition,
is thought to have been possible. Postal
Clerk Camel of Fort Worth, Tex. is
known to be among the missing. Con-
ductor Thomas, in charge of the
wrecked train, is positive that nine per-
sons at least occupied seats in the
smoker. Conductor Thomas. who took
part in the rescue work, is of the Opin-
ion that three persons made their es-
cape from the smoker 1t is doubtful
whether the engine, tender, baggage
car and smoker can be lifted even after
the water recedes. All are 100 feet or
more from the bank,
Mrs. Robinson of Enid. Okla, one of
the seriously injured, cannot recover.
B. Litlefield, the circus advance agent
who was killed, was from Pittsburg.