Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-03-17
Many Roasted Alive III Fierce Flames
Which Consume TeleScoped
Passenger Cars.
OPERATORS ERROR RESULTS IN
FRIGHTFUL HUMAN SACRIFICE

Pueblo, Colo. Mar. 18.--A wreck
accompanied with horrors exceeded
only by the Eden disaster, which oc-
CURED August Z, 1904, on the line Df
the same railroad, resulted from the
collision of two passenger trains ON
the Denver and Rio Grande road, four
miles east OF Florence, Colo, at ali
early hour this morning. The fated
trains met on a sharp curve and were
less than two hundred yards apart
when the engineers discovered that
collision was imminent. 1t is known
that the engineer of the westbound
train used every power at his cont
mand to bring his train to stand
still, but his efforts were fruitless and
although he succeeded in checking
the speed of his train, the crash TINT
followed was beyond his power 10
prevent and he went to his death
with his hand OH the throttle ami
braveIy. faithful TO his charge. This
much Is vOuched for by his fireman.
who. seeing the uselessness of remain
Ing In the face of sure death, jumped
and saved his life. OF the conduct OF
the crew of the eastbOund train, IL can
only be stated that they died at their
post, for no one lives to tell the story
III their heroIsm. The disaster was
made more horrible by the manner of
the death OF many of the passengers,
variomsly estimated at from twenty 20
thIrty-five. Fire swept over the wreck
enRnIGing the victims In caldrOn oT
flame and leaving only charred and
blackened bones TO tell the tale OF
slaughter.
In a binding storm which made 4
almost impossible for the trainmen to
see ahead, the two passenger trains
colllded head-on at a point midway
between Portland and Adobe, twenty
five miles west of Pueblo at 2:2O o =
clock this morning Immediately Iol-
lowing the collision several wrecked
ears burst into flames and were con-
sumed. a number of passengers being
burned to death over thirty others
were injured, but of these 1t is not
thought any were fatally hurt. The
cause of the wreck is attributed to the
failure of an employe of the road 10
deliver an order, which changed the
meeting place of the two trains. Utah
and California Express No. 3, west
hound, left Pueblo over an hour and a
half late and was given orders to
meet the Colorado and New Mexico
Express No. 16, eastbound, at Flor
ence. This order was changed and
the westbound train directed to pass
the eastbound train at Beaver about
IL miles east of Florence. The laSI
named order should have been deliV-
cred to the train crew at swallow, but
for some reason, still unexplained the
operator there neglected to do so. In
The meantime the eastbound train had
received complete orders and expect
ed TO meet the westbound train.
FrlghtfuI In Its Suddenness.
Both trains were running at the u.s.
ual speed, the deep snow and hlgh
wind making 1t necessary to exercise
exceptional care. Suddenly bOlf
headlights flashed out from the dark
ness and II was realized for the frs
time that something was wrong. Ac'
cording to the story of Fireman j. VI
Smith, of the westbound train, Engl'
neer Walter Coslett opened the emer'
geney brake and the train was check
ed for an instant, but the slippery
rails and the momentum of the heaY'
train carried IL on. From the stories
told by several of the trainmen wh'
survived and were in the forward par
of the train the impact was scarcel!
noticeable, but the crushing, grinding
noise that followed warned them tina
something had been struck. The hel
Der engine OF No. evidently acted D.
4 sort OF cusion minimizing the fore
and weight of the heavy mountain en-
gines that hauled the trains where tn
grade does not require assistance. Thi
helper was crushed together like 81
much paper and the monster ma
chimes ran through, locking them
selves together as " In a death strug
gle. Fireman Smith was the only on
Of the engine crew who escaped. Th
baggage car of No. 3 broke In tive
aud the three coaches squeezed to
gether. The baggage and mail car an
coach Of No. IB buckled, hut none q
tho were telescoped as was first re
ported
Sheet 0f Fire Appears.
Hardly had the trainmen and pas
sengers reached a realization that q
was not right when Go their horror
sheet Of fire ran through the cars .
both sides OF the engines and I'm
twinkllng the cracking sound .
breaking tlmhers startled them to at
tlnn In the forward coach Of tn
westbound train every seat was occt
pied by passengers, most Of whol
wera hnmeseekers on their way to I'll
northwest a number Of foreigner
wAre ameng them and In their terrC
fhev gave IN life without making al
ation NJ tn reach safety, outside II
booming rars p1rnlvzed with fear an
witt npapers uron heir Inns they san
Ia the floor nf the car and were, roas
aiiso Tive cooler ones In the ei