Rock Island Argus., 1907-01-02
Meet Headon and 80 Are
Killed and 40 In
sjured.
OPERATOR AT FAULT
Most of Victims Mexicans
Asleep In Smoker---Relief
Rushed to Scene.

Topeka, Kan. Jan. Between 25
and 80 passengers, mostly Mex
leans. were killed and as many more
seriously injured in a headon collision
cary today 80 miles west of Alta Vista
between passenger trains No. 30. south
bound, and No 80 north bound, on the
ChieagO, Rock Island & Pacific rail
way. The wrecked trains run between
Ell Paso and Chicago.
Most No. 30.
Most OF The casualties were on the
sou-h bound train. The cars went into
the ditch and several of them caught
fire Many of the bodies of victims
wee consumed by the flames The in
jursd are being brought to Topeka on
Ielief train. Early reports state the
olision was caused by the careless
ness of the agent at VOland.
Crushed I'm Roof.
Most of the killed are believed to be
Mexican laborers who were in the
smoking car on No %. The baggage
car telescoped the smoker and crashed
down through the roof of the latter
car. crushing out the lives of the Occur
curled up in the seats, asleep. The
cars caught fire soon after they struck
AMI five cars of No. 20 were consumed
by flames. Several bodies were burned
to ashes 1t will be long time before
a complete list of the killed can be
learned.
Place Dead at Thirty.
Officials of the Rock Island in this
city estimate the number of dead at so
and injured at 40. Ten bodies were
taken from the ruins of the smoking |
car. Nine bodies We're those of Mex |
leans and one that of white man.
The cars on No. 80 were not serious |
ly damaged. They were made up into |
a train and sent on south in place of
the destroyed No. 30.
Orders Not Delivered.
Blame for the collision seems to |
rest upon John Lynes. telegraph oper-
ator at Voland. who has disappeared. |
1t is stated he for some reason failed |
to deliver the order to the crew of No. |
29 and the latter train went by Voland |
meeting No. 80 a few miles west.
Operator Has Fled.
Lynes' whereabouts are unknown. |
He fled before the wreck occurred af-l
ter first forecasting the impending |
collision. Five minutes before the |
trains met he called up the dispatcher |
and wired him as follows:
mo. 29 has gone and 1 have gone
also" Then he left his key.
Even with this dispatch in hand |
there was no possible way of prevent
ing the wreck.
Both Heavy Trains.
Both trains were heavy ones, having
10 cars each including Pullman sleep
ers and tourists, chair cars, coaches,
smokers and baggage cars.
No. 20 is known as the California
fast mail 1t left Chicago at $3.50
Tuesday morning No. 80 is the oppo-
site train and is known as the Chicago
fast mail. 1t left FL Paso Monday
night No. 20 was crowded to the doors
with passengers, but the number of
travellers on No. so was not large.
Relief Hurried Forward.
Relief trains and all possible succor
were rushed to the scene from every
available point. Superintendent
|O'Rourke of the Kansas division, hur-
ried with a special from Herrlngtoll,
carrying all the physicians he could
gather there and picking others up at
stations along the line.
A special train was sent from To
peka with Dr. Mum and DR.. Hoge-
boom kilograms were sent ahead at
various places between here and Vo-
land where other physicians were pick
ed up. Twelve of the seriously injured
were brought TO Topeka.
Trainmen Escape.
Engineers and firemen of the collid-
ing trains jumped Just before the crash
came. and all four escaped injury. The
only trainman known to be seriously
hurt was porter on train 90, whose
leg was cut off. The express messen7
ger on No. 30 is reported missing The
conductor on No. % was badly bruised.
Talks as He Burns to Death.
The interpreter for the Mexicans
was questioned as he lay slowly burn
ing to death under the wreckage. He
said there were 25 Mexicans in the ]
parry going from Kansas City to Ell
Pasc to work Most of these were
burned to death. Soon after giving