The Oskaloosa herald., 1906-09-20
HARVEST OF DEATH
IN RAILROAD WRECK
TRAIN GOES THROUGH DEFECT.
I'VE BRIDGE INTO RIVER.
EIGHT KNOWN TO BE DEAD
Twenty Persons Injured and a Score
Missing as Result Of Accident
on Rock island Road,
Near Dover, Okla.
scripps-McRae Telegram.

| Scripps-McRae Telegram.
Lawton, Okla, Sept. 19.-Estimates
of the number of dead in the wreck
are low this morning, officials declar
ing that only nine persons rode in
the smoker at the time of the plunge
They have accounted for all except
three. Still it is possible that the
subsiding waters may reveal more
bodies. The survivors tell narrowing
tales of narrow escapes.
Guthrie, Okla, Sept. Height peo.
pie are dead, 20 more or less injured
and as many more are missing as the
result Of the wrecking of Rock
Island passenger train three miles
from Dover, Okla, at $3.50 O'Clock
Tuesday morning.
The engine, tender, baggage and
mail cars, smoker and day coach OF
passenger train No. IL, north-bound,
left the high bridge that spans the
Cimarron river and plunged into the
current flanked by treacherous quick.
sands. The locomotive disappeared
from sight almost Immediately.
The mail and baggage clerks es.
capped from their coaches and swan
to the shore.
Due to Damaged Bridge.
The accident was due to the defect.
i've condition Of the bridge, which
was swerved out of line by the pres.
sure Of driftwood carried down by the
swollen stream.
The train was an hour late and was
running at high 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
| sustained severe injuries.
Plunged Into Water.
When the engine struck the bridge
the whole structure suddenly col
lapsed, precipitating the engine, smok
er and day coach into the water. The
two heavy Pullmans remained on the
| track.
The current whirled the day coach
| down stream and lodged it against a
sand bank. The occupants were
helped out through the doors and
windows. The smoking car floated
down stream, submerged all but the
very top. 1t stuck on sandbar in the
middle of the river, and four men
\ were seen to Chamber through the
windows and pull themselves on tor
of the car, calling loudly for help, but
those on shore were unable to reach
| them on account of the high water.
Swept from Car by Driftwood.
While they were begging assistance
large mass of driftwood 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 the shore
They were carried down the current
| for perhaps a quarter of mile, wher
they were pulled out. They were al
most exhausted from strangulatior
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and exposure.
The most authentic accounts place
the number of passengers in the
smoker at between 25 and 80. With
few exceptions they have not been &C
counted for.
| Men on bits of driftwood have beer
seen going down stream at various
points, but attempts at rescue have In
most instances proved futile.
Sheriff Escapes Death.
Sheriff ]. P. Love, of Kingfisher
who was in the smoker of the wrecked
train, experienced marvellous escape
He said:
Gust as the car was turning on Its
side / fought my way to the rear ant
forced my body. through the door
! The water then was over my head
When / came to the surface was
: swept down stream by the heavy cur
rent. Just as had given up all hope
: and was in the last stages of exhaus
tion / touched bottom and drew my
self upon the bank There were al
least 30 others in the smoker. I saw
two beside myself escape"
Tells of Disaster.
L. H. Coy, travelling man whose
i home is in Kansas City. had a narrow
escape in the wreck. He said:
! 'when left the scene of the dis
! aster in the morning all but about 2!
of the passengers had been accounted
for. was seated near the back o.
the day coach when the engineer
! threw on the brakes and sounded tht
alarm. I jumped for the door and
through the swaying of the car my
hand was smashed between the doors
when the engine plunged into thu
stream 1t went clear out Of sight. TIL,
mail car stopped not far from wher,
1t, went down. The smoker wen
down stream. heading for the middle
Il 4