The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-21

Fireman of Santa Fe Train in Kill
Creek Wreck Tells of His Escape.

Kansas City, Jan. 21.-A 7-mile trip
down the Kaw river on a piece of box
car, in the early morning While cold
rain was falling. This was the expert
ence of w. W. Dortch, the fireman on
a Santa Fe freight engine which went
! through a bridge at De Soto. Kan,
Saturday. F. w. Bartell, the engi-
neer, and H. e. Shaw, the head brake
man, who was riding on the engine,
were killed.
A farmer saw Dortch in the river
and went to his assistance in row.
boat. When he was taken off the raft
he was so chilled that he could not
stand and could scarcely speak. Dortch
was removed to the home of G. S.
Mosby, two miles south of Loring.
Kan, where he was given stimulants
and revived. His condition is not dan
gerous and he will return to his home
in Argentine today He talked OF his
81 believe that it was my position
on the window seat that saved my
life" said Dortch. Just before we
got to the bridge I shoveled in some
coal and then I get up on the seat on
my knees and leaned out of the Win
dow on my elbows. When the engine
went down the lurch threw me out of
the window. The brakeman was sit
ting in front of me, but his window
was not up and he did not have time
to get out.
feet. They say that the engine ex-
rloded, but I did not hear it; all l
heard was the crash as it went
through the bridge. The boiler must
have exploded while 1 was under the
water. When 1 came up 1 was about
thirty yards from the shore. 1 tried
to swim to the bank, but the current
was so strong could not make it. 1t
was hard work swimming. l wore
heavy shoes and 1 did not think to
take off my gloves, or in fact, ala
not have time to remove them:
piece of timber went by and grabbed
hold of it and fioated down the stream
AT the mouth of Kill creek,
where it flows into the Kaw river,
lodged On a small sandbar. But When
1 tried to stand up the sand sank un-
der my feet Just then a piece OF o0X
car floated by. 1t looked like it would
make a good raft and so get aboard
and was off in a hurry.
The wreck happened a little before
Z o'clock. 1t was cloudy and raining
and was still dark. The water was
full of all kinds of wreckage, but L
could not discern any of the objects
A half a mile below the bridge L saw
something floating by the side or my
raft. 7 thought it was the body OF
man, perhaps that of the engineer or
brakeman. When it came nearer l
reached out and tried to get hold or II.
found that it was the body of a dead
steer. Only a part of its back was
showing a DOVe the water. Two Gar
loads of steers just back of the engine
went through the bridge.
1.-TWO miles down the river L passed
the first farm house. 1 called at the
top of my voice. y dog ran down to
the river and bsrked, but l saw no
human being. Every time l passed
a house I called out; in fact, l be-
lieve I yelled all the way down until
toward the last I became so cold
couldn't keep it up My clothes were
soaked through, and a cold wind was
blowing. l tore q piece of sheetiron off
the raft and held it VI. in front of me
to break the wind.
About seven miles down the river
I passed a rock crusher and man /
saw me. It was T. ]. Bowers, the SUI |
perintendent He ran a few hundred |
Yards down TIE river bank to the |
home OF c. 8 Mcsby. I saw them |
dragging 2 row boat toward the water. |
MIR. Mosby rowed out into the middle !
Of the stream. The boat was so light |
that he was afraid it would turn over |
if tried to get in. He threw me a |
rope and told me to tie it around my !
bocy 50 that if fell off the raft he |
would have me. The bank was so high |
at that point we could not go ashore /
and we were compelled to float near
" half a mile farther down the river
before we could find a landing place.
1t was pretty tough experience, but /
when 1 think of those other two men
teel l am a lucky one