The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1906-09-28
A train into RIVER
Engine and Four Co0ches Plunged
From Rock Island Bridge
Spanning Cimefron River,
NEAR DOVER. OKLAHOMA.
Engineer md Fireman Jumped but
Others Were Carried into the
Swollen Stream-Fate of
Many Unknown.


Guthrie, Ok, Sept Height people
are dead, two more or less injured and
as many more are missing in the most
disastrous wreck in the recent history
of the Rock Island which occurred
three miles from Dover, Ok, at $3.50
Tuesday morning.
The engine, tender, baggage and
mail cars, smoker and day coach of
passenger train No. IL, northbound,
left the high bridge that spans the
Cimarron river and plunged into the
current, thanked by treacherous quick
sands The locomotive disappeared
from sight almost Immediately. The
mial and baggage clerks escaped from
their coaches and swan to the shore.
The accident was due to the defec-
tive condition of the bridge, which was
swerved out of line by the pressure of
driftwood carried down by the swollen
stream
The train was an hour late and was
running at high speed to make up
time. The engine driver did not see
the condition of the bridge until he
was within few yards away, when it
was too late to stop. He shouted to
his fireman, threw on air brakes and
jumped. He landed on the very verge
of the river bank and escaped unhurt.
The fireman was less fortunate. sus
tanning severe injuries.
When the engine struck the bridge
the whole structure suddenly collapsed
precipitating the engine and coaches
into the water. The chair car and
two heavy Pullmans were not pulled
in but remained on the track
The current whirled the day coach
down stream and lodged it against a
sand bank. The occupants were
helped out through the doors and win
dows. The smoking car floated down
stream, submerged all but the very
top. 1t stuck on sandbar in the
midst 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 from their fragile foot
ing
Three other men jumped through
the rear door of the smoker before it
sank and struck out for the shore.
They were carried down the current
for perhaps quarter of a mile, when
they were pulled out They were al
most exhausted from strangulation
and exposure.
The most authentic accounts place
the number of passengers in the smo-
ker at between 25 and 30 With but |
few exceptions these have not been ac-
counted for. The only hopeful news is
contained in messages received from |
rural districts Men on bits of drift
wood have been seen going down
stream at various points, but at
tempts at rescue have in most instan-
ces proved futile.
1t will be impossible to ascertain the
exact number of dead for several days. |
Many of these reported missing may
show up safe at some point down the
Cimarron.
Tuesday night the derailed cars
we're lying near the bank of the river.
A party of searchers was working
with torches and lanterns to lend aid
to any one who may be within the
coaches or recover the bodies. 1t is
the opinion of the people who were at
the scene of the wreck that few
bodies will be found inside the smoker