Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1906-07-05
IN ENGLISH WRECK
Large Number Of Americans Net
Death in a Railway Accident
at Salisbury.
PASSENGERSFROM STEAMER
FortyThree Left the New York az
Plymouth for LOndOn--MOSt Of
Them Were Either Killed
or Injured. ". ~

Salisbury, Eng, July 2.--Driving at
a mad pace over the London South
western railway, the American line ex-
press carrying forty-three of the
steamer New York's passengers from
Plymouth to London, plunged from the
track just after passing the station
here at 1.57 o'clock Sunday morning
and mangled to death In Its wreckage
twenty-three passengers who sailed
from New York, June %, and four Of
the trainmen. Besides those to whom
death came speedily dozen persons
were injured, some of them seriously.
Nearly all Of the passengers on the
train were Americans who were en-
route to various points in Europe by
way of London.
The train was just entering the rail-
way yard at Salisbury, when the pas
sengers noted that the coaches began
swaying from side to side. Suddenly
at the end Of the long platform, when
the track begins to curve toward the
bridge spanning Fisherton street, the
main avenue of the city, the engine
seemed fairly to leap from the track
1t swung across the adjoining track
with terrific force and destroyed the
guards van of a milk train that was,
slowly steaming In the opposite dir
rection, killing guard. Lurching for
ward the locomotice plunged against
the standards and the girders of the
bridge. The bridge withstood the i'm
pact, and rebounding the engine crash
ed into another engine which was
on siding and overturned.
The wreckage of the two engines inter-
locked in great broken mass Of twist
I'd steel and iron. Throughout the
wild plunging of the engine, Driver
Robins, whether alive or dead, re-
NAMED in his cab. Hours afterwar6
his charred body was found grilled
over the flrebox.
The first coach shot over the engine
ind careened onward until 1t was
hurled against the parapet on .Bh
fridge and smashed into fragments,
filling or manning almost every Oc-
upant. One man was shot through
he wingow, cleared the parapet and
ell to his death to the street below.
The second coach lurched forward
nd rolled toward a stationary train
nd practically destroyed itself before
is wildfiight was ended
The third coach dashed down with
he rest, left the rails and encountered
ONE obstruction, overturned and col
apsed.
The guards van and buffet, the rear
,ost car of the train, was saved by the
ourage and Quickness Of Guard Rich,
rdson. With the first shock Richard
IN jumped forward and set the brakes
nd saved himself and and his COM
ades. The van ploughed forward. in-
ring some Of its occupants, but prac-
cally maintained its equilibrium.
The surviving passengers and train-
ZEN describe the sound Of the wreck
, like the discharge of a series Of
savy guns of varied calibre and when
le crashing of the wreck was past
lere came calls Of the injured, some
lrieking with pain and fear, and 9th
9 moaning as If bewildered by the
lock.
Relief came quickly, although IL was
i hour before the last body was drag
ID from the wreck
The darkness and incredible de-
made the work Of
scue exceedingly difficult. Lamps
ID torches were brought to light the
soiare scene. me sLaJlon was con-
rted into a surgery and the platform
is made a mortuary. Several Of the
ad and injured were imprisoned in
and it was necessary to
W away the partitions in order to af-
It their release. Others were caught
der heavy wreckage. Several of the
dies were badly mangled and ono
,man was decapitated.