CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1906-03-22

individuals in Canon and considerable
annoyance will be experienced from
the loss of SO much valuable mail.
Three hundred and fifty-six pounds
of mail burned on train No. 16, of
City. thirty-one from Leadville and
245 from Salida.
Clearing Away Wreckage.
Long before daylight Friday morn
ing superintendent Rockwell reached
the scene of the wreck in a special re-
lief train from Pueblo and took active
charge of the work of recovering the
bodies and clearing the tracks.
The tender of engine 72O pulling
train No. 16 had been thrown across
the Santa Fe track and this was the
first task of the wrecking crew. AS
soon as this had been gotten OFF the
track the D. & R. G. trains were de-
toured over the Santa Fe between
Canon City and Portland and the
blockade of traffic relieved.
Monetary Loss Estimates.
According to the estimates made at
the scene of the wreck, it is believed
that the monetary loss will pass $780,
900. 1t is estimated that the value of
the seven coaches wrecked and burned
will average $4,000, while the loss to
the engines will probably reach $20,
or $4,000 each In addition to this
there was the damage to the track and
the delay in traffic.
Number of Dead-Fffty.six.
1t was authoritatively stated Monday
afternoon that the surgeons at work
removing the remains of the bodies
from the wreck found that fifty-six
persons lost their lives in the wreck.
There We're 15e passengers on train
No. 3. OF these III escaped with their
lives, leaving forty-eight unaccounted
for. Five trainmen lost their lives,
and the engineer, fireman and express
messenger on train No. 16 were also
killed. which brings the total of known
dead up to fifty-six. The enumeration
is said to he made on the number of
pelvic bones recovered
Escape of the Enginemen.
The escape of the three enginemen
from train No. is looked upon as one
of the most remarkable incidents of
the wreck. The train pulled out of
Pueblo. double-header, engine 529
in the lead with Engineer Walter Coss-
lett and Fireman ]. H. Smith on board.
Engine 7a5 was next to the train with
Engineer Grant Kelker and Fireman
Harry Hartman in charge Both of
these engineers are among the Oldest
employees of the road, all escaping ex-
cept Cosslett.
Not a Word Spoken.
Fireman ]. H. Smith says that when
he first saw the approaching headlight
the first thought that came to him
was that the train was on the Santa
Fe track A little later he became
aware that this was not the case and
he rushed to the right side of the en-
gine preparatory to jumping in case
1t became necessary. AS he crossed
the engine he noticed Cosslett's hand
on the emergency brakes. Il stepped
down onto the steps and feeling
pressure on my back the thought came
to me that should jump to allow
Cosslett to get out. This l did, but l
did not see Cosslett again until he was
found pinioned between the tender and
boiler in the cab dead"
both Enginemen Killed.
As both the enginemen on train No.
16 were killed II is impossible to know
whether they saw the oncoming train.
However. it is supposed that Engineer
William Hollis, being on the outside
of the curve, was unable to see the
approaching train until it was too late
to stop the train or escape from the
cab Another thing against Hollis was
that the snow storm coming from the
east covered the windows of No. les
cab. Both Engineer Hollis and Fire
man Suddeth on Engine 7s0 were
caught in the crash and killed, their
remains being picked up from under
the engine after they had been charred
to crisp.
Conductor Smiths Experience.
Conductor Frank Smith of train No
8 is we'll known in Canon. For long
time he had the Denver stub out of
here.
at is an awful thing to think Of"
he said. "and will never forget those
scenes. At the time of the collision
was standing at the west end of one
of the sleepers. l was reading some
thing. 1 don't know whether it was
an order, or a paper. and will probably
never know When the shock came
was thrown against the end of the car.
and while weigh over 250 pounds,
was not hurt in the least. None of
the passengers in that car were In
iured in the least, and 1t was several
minutes before any one looked out to
see why the train had stopped. My
first knowledge of the seriousness OF
the wreck was when l looked out OF
the end of the car and saw the train
in flames. then at once began maxi