Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-02
TH|RTY-F|VE DEAD
IN TRAIN WRECK
Many Others Injured in a Head
On Collision.
TRAINS WERE FAST MAILS
Accident Occurred at Alta Vista, a
Small Town in Kansas.
TELEGRAPHER WAS ARRESTED
he is Said to Be Responsible for Ac-
cident-Party of Mexicans
Burned to Death
Accident Occurred at Alta Vista, a
Small Town in Kansas.
TELEGRAPHER WAS ARRESTED

Officials of the Rock Island rail-
road admit that IS persons were
killed and forty injured in head
on collision near Alta Vista, Kan,
early this morning. The blame for
the accident seems to rest on the
operator at the little town of Vol
land, where the two fast mail
trains should have passed. The
telegrapher left his key after wiz
ing the train dispatcher mo. 20 has
gone and have gone also"
TOPEKA. Kan, January 2.-Thrty-five
passengers, mostly Mexicans, were killed
and as many more seriously injured in q
head-end collision at 4:30 o'clock this morn
ing five miles west of Alta .ista, Kan. be-
tween passenger trains No. -. southbound,
and No. 30. northbound, on the Chicago,
Rock Island and Pacific railway
The wrecked trains run between Ell Paso
and Chicago.
Most of the killed and injured were on the
southbound train. The cars went into the
ditch and several of them caught fire. Many
of the bodies of the victims were con-
sumed by the flames. The injured are be-
ing brought to Topeka on a relief train.
The early reports stated that the collision
was caused by the carelessness of the agent
at Voland.
telephone message from Mcfarland
Kan says twerity-nine Mexicans in one
coach the southbound train were burned
to death -
No news has been received of the fate of
the passengers OF the northbound train, No.
30 ..
Thirty Are Dead.
officials Of the Rock Island in this city
at $50 o'clock this morning estimated the
number of dead at thirty-five and the num-
Der of injured at forty
Most of the dead are believed to be Mex
lean 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 occupants. the majority of who were
curled up in the seats asleep.
The cars caught fire soon after they
struck. and five of the cars of No % were
consumed by the flames. 1t Is likely that
several bodies were burned to ashes, and IL
may be long time before complete list
OF the number killed be learned.
Ten Bodies Taken Out
At $50 am ten bodies had been taken
from the ruins of the smoking Nine OF
them were Mexicans. one was an American.
Train No. 20 bore the brunt of the Coz
lsion. The cars on No. 80 were not serious
ly damaged and they were made up into a
train and sent on south in place of the de-
stroyed No. %.
Blame for the collision seems to rest on
John Lynes. the telegraph operator at Vol
land. who has disappeared. Orders had
Volland. These orders had been sent to the
operator at Volland, who was instructed to
hold No. % at that point For some reason
he failed to deliver the order to No. % and
the latter train went by, meeting No. 30 a
few miles west of Volland.
Lynes' whereabouts are now unknown.
He fled before the wreck occurred. after
first forecasting the impending collision.
Five minutes before the trains met he wired
the dispatcher as follows:
NO 30 has gone, and have gone also"
Then he left his key.
No Way to Prevent.
Even with this dispatch in hand there
was no possible way OF preventing tho
wreck.
AS far as the officials of the Rock Island
here know at this time all of the killed and
seriously injured were passengers on No.
% Few, If an passengers on No. 80 were
seriously hurt.
Both trains were heavy ones, having ten
cars each, including Pullman sleepers and
tourists. chair cars and coaches, smokers
and baggage cars. No. 20 is known as the
California fast mall" 1t left Chicago at
$50 Thursday morning. No. 80 is tie op-
posite train and is known as the Chicago
fast mail" 1t leIC Ell Paso Monday night
and was due in Chicago tonight. No. 20 was
crowded to the doors with passengers, but
the number Of travellers on No. 30 was not
large
Relief trains and all possible succor were
rushed to the scene from every available
point Superintendent ORourke OF the
Kansas division hurried with a special
train from Harrington, carrying all the
physicians he could gather there and pick
ing others up at stations along the line
special train was sent from topeka WIN
Dr. Mum and DR.. Hogeboom. kilograms
were sent ahead to various places between
here and Yolland, where other PHYSICIANS
were picked up. Twelve OF me most SER
ously injured were brought to Topeka IN
charge OF Drs. Mum and Hogeboom
Injured in Topeka.
The special train bearing twenty-eight
injured many of them Mexicans. reached
topeka this forenoon. Ambulances hur-
ried them to Stormont Hospital. Twelve
bodies were left at Alma. The names are
yet unknown.
Just before the collision Engineer Nc
Mahon and Fireman Brown of No. 30 and
Engineer Slater and Fireman Sweeney OF
No % Jumped All four escaped injury.
An interpreter for the Mexicans was
questioned as he lay slowly burning to
death under the wreckage. He said there
were twenty-five Mexicans in their party
going from Kansas City to FL Paso to work.
The most of these were burning to death.
Soon after giving this information the In
terpreter himself succumbed.
The injured brought to Topeka presented