Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-10-29

IS 5years of age. He is the only one who
Witnessed the plunge Of the train from
close point Of vantage. The scenes which
followed caused him TO lose his reason and
when he was found three hours afterward
he could not tell rational story.
Coaches All Full.
From the oficials Of the railroad COM
pany only a meager and disconnected story
OF the occurrence could be made. The
train, which is made up Of three heavy
veetibule coaches Of the newest type, all
electrically equipped, left Camden at /
O'Clock this afternoon. Walter Scott was
the motorman on the forward car, John L.
Curtis Of Camden was the conductor In
charge and Ralph Wood was the brake
man. When the train pulled out Of Camden
the coaches were comfortably filed women
and children being IA the majority. They
occupied the two forward quarters Fiji
teen members of Osoca's Artillery band
were in the rear coach.
At N6wfieid Junction, a few miles from
here, about twenty passengers were taken
aboard. making the total number on the
train a few less than 100 The conductor
does not appear to. be certain as to the
exact number. He had lightweight tickets
in his possession when he was brought to
this city, but he thinks several tickets
were lost, and it is his opinion there we're
from ITO to 100 passengers on the train
This, however. seems too high an estimate
Track is Clear.
On leaving Westville, the third rail cleo
trio car was applied and the train from
there on bowled along at it's customary
speed. Not the slightest incident occurred
to cause the, motorman to slow down.
When the draw bridge, which crossed the
stream popularity known as the Thorough
fare" was approached the motorman saw
clear track before him.
All at once the forward coach lurched
the Jonderous wheels leaped the rails and
came down upon the ties. swerving to the
loft. the first coach dragged the others
after II and plunged over the edge into
the water. Tho third coach. however
struck heavy abutment and was left
momentarily suspended in midair Not a
single passenger in this car was killed
neither did one OF them get away unin-
jured. II is doubtful II more than half
dozen persons escaped from these two
coaches.
Man Reseues Little Girl.
One instance of a heroic and almost mi
raculous escapcsfrom the first coach is the
reached Atlantic City suffering from
bruises about the face and body. carry
ing in his laeerated arms s-year-old Helen
Gilbert, also of Camden. At the first inti-
.pnation of danger Finley leaped to the plat
form. taking the child with him. AS the
coach plunged downward he sprang into
the water an dsucceeded in swimming
ashore with the little one.
The cries Of the imprisoned passengers
a. the coaches plunged into the water did
lot last long and when the tops OF the
two cars disappeared not sound was
heard nom those who were being smoth-
cred by the thrush.
The living devoted their time to the res
cue OF those who were imperilled in the
iasyt coach. Most of the passengers in
this coach were able to help themselves
and with the arrival Of assistance from
the city they were removed to hospitals.
Recovery OF the Dead.
After the injured had been removed and
cared for the resouers turned their atten-
ton to the dead and before midnight four
teen bodies had been taken out OF the
water. The first five bodies were placed
on special car and conveyed to the pas
senger station in this city. Here a crowd
Of several thousand persons collected, and
as soon as it became known that some OF
the dead had been brought there, there
49, a frantic rush to view them. With
aimculty the police held the crowd, and
the bodies were taken 10 a nearby house
and as soon as Identified were turned over
10 the undertakers Tho unidentified were
turned oyer to the morgue.
When Il became evident the bodies could
not be reached by the use Of graphing
irons divers were sent for and on their ar
rival the work OF removing the dead was
renewed. A derrick am dholsting engine
were also brought into service an dlate to-
night efforts are being made 10 raise the
submerged cars bodies