The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-17
Final Estimate on Loss of Life
in Adobe Wreck.
Disaster Was Due to Failure to
Deliver an Order.
THE OPERATOR SLEPT.
Says He Had Been on Duty
SeYenty-tWO Hours.
Damage to Railroad Property
Placed at 100000.

AE8ADr LDAl- MA ---- eS-------
Agent Charles Mitchell of the Denver
& Rio Grande railroad today approved
a list Of the dead from the collision
near Adobe. Colo. yes erday morning.
1Er Mitchell thinks 1t is rs nearly ac-
curate as can be made at this .inie-
The list follows:
WILLIAM HOLLIS, engineer, Fu-
eblo
WALTER COssLETT, engineer. Pu-
ebio
~ d. sUDDETH. fireman. Pueblo
T. D. BAIRD deputy sheriff, Denver.
r. G. WHITNEY. convict, Denver.
e. III. MCFARLAND messenger, Dem
yer.
a. n. b. BARTLO, salida
MISS GRACE BARTLO, Salida.
TAYLOR HEWITT, Lebo, kan
MRS. Lillian HEWITT, Lebo, Kan
MRS. WINONA HEWITT, Lebo,
Kan.
PEARL HEWITT. Is years Old, Lebo.
Kan.
MRS. KATHERIN HEWITT AND
BOY BABY CLAUDIUS. four months
old, Lebo, kan
ED COWLEY, EmpOria, Kan.
GRACE COWLEY AND BABY, EN-
pOria Kan.
FRED JONES Lebo. Kan.
FRED LIMCOOLEY, Denver.
MRS. BELLE WEBB, keystone,
RAY FIELD, aged 10. Keystone Wyo.
THOMAS BRENNAN, Leadville,
Colo.
Dead List Totals Thirty-six.
Pueblo. Colo. March 17.-While the
exact number of lives lost in the Adobe
wreck near Florence. on the Denver &
Rio Grande railroad viii never be
known, it viii undoubtedly. take rank
among the great disasters in the his
tory of railroading. In other wrecks
there has been great loss of life but
none has been productive Of greater
horrors Conservative estimates on the
loss Of life place the number Of dead
at thirty-siX, seventeen charreos mangled
and utterly unacceptable bodies lie In
the Pueblo Horgue; five other parsons
are known to be dead and possibly
score Of bodies were burned to ashes.
There was not q single entire body re-
covered from the Wreckage with the
exception of the enginemen who all
though horrible mangled, had not been
reached by the fierce flames which
swept through the wrecked cars.
Bits of charred flesh and piles Of
bones were all that indicated that a
holocaust had occurred, but trained
eyes picked out the pelvic bones from
the charred masses and from these it
was seen so far as the search had
progressed no less than thlrty-siX hui
man beings had persisted.
Tt is known that the wreck was due
to the failure of telegraph operator
to deliver an order The operator has not
been arrested He says he had been on
duty seventy-tWO hours and was hardly
responsible for what he was doing. The
railroad officials refuse to discuss his
statement.
1t is known that the engineer of tn e
westbound train put forth every pos
sible effort to bring his train to a stop,
but his efforts were fruitless and al
though he succeeded in checking the
speed Of his train. the crash that fol-
lowed was beyond his power to pre-
vent, and he went to his death with his
hand ON. the throttle. faithful to his
charge. This much is vOuched for by
his fireman. who, seeing the uselessn ess
of remaining in the face of sure death,
jumped and saved himself. OF the
conduct of the engine crew Of the east
bound train, it can only be stated that
they died at their posts for no one lives
to tell the story Of their heroism.
A list of dead made up from close
investigation by responsible persons
(the railroad officials refusing to make
list for pubhcation), follows:
The injured are.
G. S Hage, Kansas City. Mo;
p. Peters, baggageman, Denver. ribs
broken. head cut
James Proconons. travelling to Flor
ence. Col. from italy; head hurt and
otherwise bruised.
Ira Eirod. Gypsum, Col; foot
sprained.
Miss Mable Fields. address not
given. travelling to Wolcott Col: in
ternal injuries. serious.
q. A. Hewitt, Lebo, Kan. one leg
broken and otherwise injured.
Miss Mary Goch. Oakland, Cal; suf-
1ering from shock.
Thomas Webb. Yampa, Col; right
foot sprained.
r. W. Phillips. Cayswlle. Utah; foot
bruised.
C. G. House. Champa, n. M: both
mouth cut
l. g. RamsbOttom. San Francisco;
neck injured.
W. r. Page. Yampa, Col; back in
jured
"A. Gerber, New York; ear torn.
e. ~ Wright New York; head
slightly injured.
James Page. whitewater. Col; head
r. II. Sweeney clinton. NO; foot
/. Lotion. Beethoven. No. hip
crushed.
G. 9. Clark Portland. COL; head cut.
]. C. Yeah, Denver neck slightly in
J. s. Reef. LeadviHe. Col: neck in
jured-
r Jones. Denver; back hurt.
a. L. knous. 0uray, Col: neck hurt.
The monetary damage to railroad Dro-
perty is estimated at 100000 In add
ton TO this all the baggage on No lie
was destroyed, as well as the mali. one
of the pathetic tragedies Of the disaster
was the wiping out of all except two of
the family of Taylor Hewitt of Lebo.
Kan. rather, mother. daughter. grand
child and the wives OF the sons are
missing. The two sons. F. A. Hewitt
and W. J.. Hewitt. are among the in5ur-
cd IN the hospital here. each Of them
having leg fractured in addition to
other Injuries. A. 2. Hewitt said.
sour party consisted Of my father.