Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-03-20
FIFTY PERSONS DIE
IN Train collision
MISTAKEN ORDERS CAUSE AW-
Full RAIL HORROR NEAR
ADOBE, COL.
MANY OF THE VICTIMS
ARE ROASTED ALIVE
Disaster Occurs on Curve Around
High Blu1f-Snowstorm Adds to
Suffering of 1nJureo-oome Thrill
ing Rescues.


Pueblo, Col, March 1.-THE worst
railroad wreck in Jolorauo since the
memorable Luen disaster occurred
ABOUT two O'CLOCK fliday morning ON
the Denver Il Rio eiande railroad,
near Adobe. Easu-bou44u train No. Ii
crashed into west-bound No. 3, tele-
stopinS The forward cars on each
train. The coache; at once took fire
and the names completed the horror
begun by the collision. line number
of dead is estimated at from so up
ward. The number OF injured is
paced at 25. The wrech is attributed
TO failure to deliver orders to No.
16, SO that No. could pass.
Following is a partial list of the
dead: Walter Causiett, engineer first
engine, No. 3, Pueblo, leaves widow
and three children; William Hollis,
engineer No. 16, Pueblo; Fireman
Hugh Suddworth, No. 16, Pueblo; E.
M. Mcfarland, Globe express messen-
ger; Hemitt Family, ten persons, re-
ported burned to death.
Express Messenger E. NJ. McPar-
land is a relative of the detective of
that name who has been active in the
Gov. Steunenberg assassination case.
Many of the bodies will never be
identified, having been burned to
crisp. Part of the mail was destroyed
and all the express matter. Some of
the victims were pinioned under the
wreckage and burned alive before help
could reach them.
Keller trains were at once dispatched
to the scene from Pueblo and Flor
ence, but the work was necessarily
slow, because of the smoke from the
burning wreck and because Of the
cold weather. Snow began falling be-
fore midnight. The severe cold added
to the sufferings of the victims
Collision Occurs on a Curve.
The place where the trains came
together was near mile post 147 ne
trains were rounding sharp curve,
around high bluff, just short dis
lance west of where passenger No. 16
and freight No. SO came together Octo-
Der 10, 1904, when seven persons were
killed and many were injured. 1t was
impossible for the engineer of either
train to see the other train until the
two trains were within about 200
yards of each other. AT this point the
Santa Fe and Denver & Rio Grande
tracks run close together, and it was
easy for the engineers to suppose that
the oncoming train was on the Santa
Fe track. According to the first or
ders the trains were supposed to meet
at Adobe, half a mile from the scene
of the wreck. At Florence No 16 re-
ceived orders to meet No. 8 at Beaver,
five miles east of Portland. 1t is sup
posed No. was to have been given
similar orders at Swallows, but failing
TO receive them, ran on to Adobe
Engineer Killed at throttle.
Three of the crew on No. 3 were
killed and two on No. &c. One of the
engineers on No. 3, which was dou-
ble-header, was found dead in his cab.
with his hand on the throttle. All
three engines were practically demol-
1shed and piled in heap. Within
few minutes after the collision the
Wreckage was a mass of flames. The
first three cars of No. 8 were piled
up, but before the wreckage took fire
the majority of the passengers were
removed. Most of the injured were on
No. 3, which was heavily loaded No,
III carried comparatively few passen-
gers, and these escaped generally with
slight shaking up. No. 3 was COM
posed of mail car, express car. two
day coaches, two tourist and two
standard sleepers. All the sleepers
were saved, none Of the occupants be-
ing injured.
Girl Dies in Rescuer's Arms
Many thrilling rescues were reported
One man whose name could not he
learned forced his way into coach that
had received the brunt of the shock and
seeing a young girl who was pinned un-
der seat, endeavored to lift her to n
place OF safety AS he raised her the
girl gave gasp and died in his arms.
The rescuer dropped his burden and
seized man who was lying under roof
timber He dragged the man to a clear
ing in the wreckage, where other hands
carried him to place of safety. This
one man was seen to rescue four diff
ferent persons from the wreckage.
During the progress of the fire ono
man was seen hanging from car win
dow. Save me-" he cried but the heat
was too intense for the rescuers ~
reach him. He slowly roasted to death
before the eyes of the crowd around the
burning wreck
One man, badly hurt, was pinioned
under an iron rod. He begged The other
passengers to help him. They workad
until the flames reached the spot whom
the man said: II am too badly bnrt Il,
want to live. Save yourselves and LOT
me die"
A man and wife were trying to get ON
of one of the car windows, when an iron
rod caught them. They were burned
alive, together with their little chilli
which was near them
Fireman Jumps ard Tsca;~
A. ii. Smith, fireman to Engineer,
Causlett, SAID that Just be'ore the %,
sion he saw the headlight of train No
10 as IL rounded the curve about 200
yards distant. He went to the engineers
side and saw Engineer Causlett at the
emergency brake. He STONED down
and, feeling Causlett's feet on his back,
jumped Not word passed between
the two men.
Grant kelker, of Pueblo, engineer on
the second engine of No. 8, and Harry |
hartman, his fireman, both noticed the |
headlight of No 16 as II rounded tho