Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-29
TWENTY.SIX DEAD In WRECK
Fast Train on Southern Pacific Runs Into
Open Switch at Cotton, Gal.
'NDRED PERSONS ARE INJURED
y of victims Are italians Bound
for San FrnnciscO-OnIy Two
Americans Among the
KILLED.

! COTTON, Cal, March "a disastrous
wreck on the Southern Pacific occurred one
and one-half miles east Of this town shortly
after 4 O'Clock this afternoon when west
bound train No. 9, from New Orleans for
San Francisco, ran into an open switch
while going at the rate OF forty miles an
hour and ten Of the fourteen coaches were
derailed with frightful results. Twenty-six
persons are known to have been killed
and the final list will total much higher
than this number.
The injured numbered about 100 many of
whom are seriously injured and will die.
! The wrecked coaches were nurIed in every
! direction Four of them were smashed
into splinters. Most of the dead we're Ital-
ians from New York and New Orleans
going TO San Francisco. They occupied
the smoker and day coaches.
Bodies Badly MangIed.
The dead were terribly nnangled. Thir-
teen Of them we're taken to an undertaking
establishment at Cotton by 5 o'clock and
eight additional bodies could be seen under
meath one of the overturned and demolished
cars. This car could not be raised until
a derrick was brought from Los Angeles,
sixty miles away.
The injured were carried to this city in
vehicles of all sorts and the Cotton hos
pital was quickly filed to its capacity.
Many were then taken to the Presbyterian
church and to private residences In the
vicinity. But two Americans are known TO
have been killed, although several of those
among the injured will undoubtedly die
within the next few hours. George l..
Sharp of Munice Ind, was instantly killed.
The baggageman of the train whose name
had not been ascertained was also killed.
| Engineer Clarence E. Warrington and
Fireman Victor Crebb both jumped, but
failed to get clear and were caught in tho
wreckage. Ahey were both terribly burned
and scaldeo Iohn Golden. the train con-
ductor, was N the Pullman section Of the
train and esC aptd injury.
Out Of abont eighty Pullman passengers
there were bu, two who sustained serious
injury The th,ee Pullman coaches and the
diner which were on the rear OF the train
did not leave the track. The occupants of
these cars were practically unharmed. The
Florence Roberts Theatrical company oc-
cupied one coach which was hurled from
the track and both ends Of II crushed in
by impact against the other cars. But
two members Of Miss Roberts company
out Of a total Of twenty-five people. were
tirely unhurt
Fireman Leaves switch Open.
The derailment of the train was caused
by the crew Of a switch engine leaving a
switch open at this point It Is said that
the engine passed through the switch a
few minutes before the Overland appeared.
A switchman named Morrison was in the
yards. After the switch engine had passed
=
fireman II he had rethrown the switch.
The fireman recalled that he had neglected
to do so, and the engineer whistled fran
tically for Morrison TO close It. The signal
was not given in time. as Morrison did
not reach the switch before the Overland
had plunged through and been derailed.
The train. which was due in Los An
geles at 1880. was nearly twelve hours be-
hind time. At the time of the disaster
II was running at a high rate Of speed
IN an attempt TO make up time. There
was absolutely no warning OF the impend-
ing catastrophe. The engineer saw the
signal Of the open switch when but few
rods distant from It and had no time TO
sound even a whistle Of warning, much
less to reverse the engine or set the
brakes. He called to his fireman to jump,
and they both leaped from the engine.
Inc engine lcAA bAAC AA0IAt NAAhch CNNA oA
its side and plowed a great distance along
the right Of way.
Three Coaches TeIescOped.
The broken wreckage OF the day coaches
and smoker. filled with the bodies of the
dead and injured. were hurled all about.
Helpless passengers imprisoned in the
wreckage called frantically for help. By
a miracle the train was not set on FIRE.
Three Of the passengers who had escaped
set at once about the work Of rescue.
Dozens were pulled and lifted from the
wreelage and laid beside the track until
vehicles arrived to convey them to the
hospitals.
The Italians in the day coach and smoker
met a horrible fate. Wholly without warn
ing the impact came. and the three for
ward cars we're completely telescoped and
hurled to one side. The helpless passen-
gers were terribly torn and cut to pieces.
Death came TO a score Of them instantly,
Many were dismembered and impaled upon
pieces OF the wrecked cars.
The sopthern Pacific headquarters in
Los Angeles was notified Immediately after
the wreck. but 1t was som time before the
relief train left for Cotton. In the mean
time assistance had come from San
Bernardino and Riverside few miles
away
Scenery and Properties Lost.
NEW YORK. March B.-The Florence
Roberts Theatrical company Of twenty per
sons was aboard the Southern Pacific train
wrecked near Cotton. Cal. today. None was
injured or at least not seriously. but the
scenery and properties carried were de-
stroyed.
The company, which Is touring the west,
left Phoenix, Ariz., yesterday for San Fran
cisco where an engagement was 70 have
been opened Monday.
SCHWARTZ TO HAVE CHARGE