Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1906-09-20
PLUNGED INTO WATER
Bridge Collapsed as a Rock Island
Train Went on II.
LANDS IN THE RIVER
One Mau IL known 10 Have Lost
His Life, and II Il Possible
Others Drowned In
the Coaches.

| aAsAEaAeaNsH OsNf"et 0~F"
it Is believed that several lives were
lost Sunday when several cars OF Rock
Island train No i2. northbound. wen,
into the Cimaron river At Dover.
Okla. no bodies have been recovered
and the only person on the train posi-.
lively known TO have per.shed Is
Hank" Littlefield. an employe Of the
Forepaugh-Sells circus. who was
drowned. The missing are:
Mrs. Robinson. Enid. okla. bruised
badly.
George L. Wright. Denver. badly
bruised. head cut
@. w. Brown. comanche. |. T.. arm
wrenched.
Mrs. C. E Hushler. Dallas. back
slightly injured.
David Lang. Hillsboro. Tex, cut on
head. back and arms.
O. W. Bacon. Enid. Okla. arm Gislo-
Gated
Three-year-old child q. Mrs. Kate
Sells. Payne, o.. stransled from water:
cannot live.
Simon W. Byron. fireman. shoulder
dislocated: cut on head and neck
Engineer lies. cut on head.
W. II. Splitter. Enid. arm sprained
and fingers cut.
The locomotive disappeared from
sight almost Immediately. The mail
and baggage clerks escaped from
their coaches and swan TO the shore.
The accident was due 20 the defect
i've condition Of the bridge. which was
swerved out OF line By the pressure
OF drittwood carried down by the
swollen stream. The train was an
hour late. and was running az 4 high
rate of speed 10 make up time. The
engine driver did not see the condition
OF the bridge until be was within a
few yards. when II was too late TO
stop. He shouted 20 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 sus.
tained severe injuries.
I NMt NAkAuN tue
the whole structure suddenly collaps-
ed. precipitaung the engine. smoker
and day coaches into the water. The
two heavy Pullman cars remained on
/ the track.
The current whirled the day coach
down stream and lodged II against a
sand bank The occupants were help
ed out through the doors and windows.
/ The smoking car floated down stream
submerged all hnt the very top Il
/ struck on a sandbar In the middle OF
I the river and four men were seen to
| Chamber through the windows and pull
l themselves on top OF the car. calling
| loudly for help but those on shoie
were unable TO reach them on account
I OF high water While they were beg.
/ ging assistance a large 5uach Of drift
wood swept down and carried them
from their fragile footing.
Three other men Jumped through the
rear door Of the smoker before II sank.
and struck out for shore They were
carried down the current for perhaps
a quarter OF mile. when they were
/ pulled out. They were almost exhaust.
ed from strangulation and exposure.
The most authentic accounts place
the number OF passengers in the
smoker at between twenty-five and
thirty With few exceptions they have
not been accounted for. The only
| hopeful news Is contained In messag.
! es received from rural districts. Men
on bits OF driftwood have been seen
I going down stream Rt various points
I but attempts at rescue have In most
instances proved futile.
One man whose name Is not known
was flshed out In the Cimarron AZ
Cashion. twenty miles from the scene
OF the wreck. He was almost dead.
Those who were injured and taken
| from the river az the bridge were hur.
ried 10 Kingfisher The people OF
Klngfshsr have thrown open their
homes for the succor % The Injured.
The derailed cars are lying near the
bank OF the river. A party OF search.
ers worked with torches and lanterns
90 lend aid 20 any within the coaches
or recover the bodier.
Sheriff J, p. Love OF Klngflsher.
who was In the smoker OF the wrecked
train. experienced a marvellous escape.
he said; Just as the car was turn.
ing on It's side fought my way 10 the
rear and forced my body through the
door. The water then was over my
head. When ! came 20 the surface
I was swept down stream by the heavy
current Just as | had given up all
hope. and was In the last stages OF
exhaustion. touched bottom and drew
myself upon the bank. There were az
least thirty others In the smoker. I
saw two besides myself escape"
Governor Frantz ordered out the en-
gineer corps OF the Oklahoma National
guard. 10 encampment here, 10 build
q bridge over the cimarron river three
miles north Of Guthrie.
The cimArron river fell nearly five
feet Tuesday night A negro porter
Is believed TO have been drowned. All
the passengers except Hank Littlefield.
the circus man. have been accounted
for.