The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1906-09-19
PLUNGED INTO WATER
Brids- Collapsed a. a Rock Island
Train Went on II.
LANDS IN THE RIVER


II IL believed thai several lives xrr.s
lost Sunday when several oars af Rock
Island train No. ~. nor,hhound gent
into the Cfmarron ,iter at Dover.
Okia., no bodIe have been recovered
and the only person on the train posi-.
lively known TO have persisted Is
Hank Littlefleld an employee 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
Z. W. Brown, Comanche. l. r, arm
wrenched
Mrs. c. e. HUSTLER. Dallas. back
slightly injured
David Lang, Hillsboro. Tex. cut on
head, back and arms
c. w. Bacon. Enid. Okla. arm .is,o.
Gated
Three-year-old child of Mrs. Kate
Sells, Payne, O., strangled from water.
cannot live
Simon W. Byron, fireman, shoulder
dfslocated; cut on head and neck
Engineer lies, cut on head.
W. a. 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 to the defect
I've condition Of the bridge. which was
sverved out Of line by the pressure
OF driftwood carried down bv the
swollen stream. The train was an
hour late, and was running at a high
rate OF speed to make up time. The
engine driver did not see the condition
OF the bridge until he was within a
few yards, when it was too late TO
stop. He shouted to 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.
tanned severe injuries
When the engine struck the bridge
the whole structure suddenly collaps.
ed, precipitating the engine, smoke r
and day coaches into the water The
two heavy Pullman cars remained on
the track.
The current whirIed the day coach
down stream and lodged it against a
sand bank. The occupants were help
ed out through the doors and windows.
The smoking car fioated down stream
submerged all but the very top II
struck on sandbar in the middle of
the river. and four men were seen TO
Chamber he nd
themselves on top of the car, calling
loudly for help, but those on shoi @
were unable to reach them ON account
of high water While they were beg
ging assistance large bunch of drift
wood swept down and carried them
from their fragile footing.
y Three other men jumped through the
rear door of the smoker before il sank
and struck out for shore They We're
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 .hey have
not been accounted for The only
hopeful news is contained in mcSSag-
es received from rural districts. Men
on bits of drftwood have been seen
going down stream at various points,
but attempts at rescue have in most
instances proved futile.
One man whose name is not. known
was fished out in the Cimarron at
Cashion, twenty miles from the scene
of the wreck He was almost dead
Those who were injured and taken
from the river at the bridge were hVr-
ried to Kinefisher. Tho people of
Kingfisher have thrown open their
homes for the succor OF the injured
The deraied cars are lying near the
bank of the river. \ party of search
ers worked with torches and lanterns
TO lend aid 10 any within the coaches
or recover the hodlet
Sheriff / =. Love 81 kingfisher.
who was In the smoSer Of the wrecked
train. experienced marvellous escape.
he said lust as the rar was turn
ing on it's side I fought my way to the
rear and forced my body through the
door The water then was over my
head when I came 20 the suiiHr"
was swept down stream hv the heavy
current Just as had given up ID
hope. ana was IN th' last STAGES ~
exhaustion touched bottom and drew
myself upon the bans There w"r" AZ
least thirty others ia the smokcr
saw two hesidrs mt selt escape
Governor Frantf ordered eut ihr 7"-
s,ue.r cnrps ~ ths uk .tbumt Na'ilu#.i
guard In rucampmt ni. bore 'H''1
a bridge over thf CimH.nHu -fsr+ fHff
mites north NJ Gufhrr
The Cimarrnu ryrr f'u nearly five
f..t TuYaaat ntshf \ negro puftsr
II believed tn hak, been dFosu"d At
the passengrrs excerpt Hank i5ftl"tvid
the circus wsu. hHRs Been accounted
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