The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-02

These fateful words clicked from a
telegraph instrument foretold one OF
the most frightfuI railroad disasters in
the west at five O'Clock this morning.
Two Rock Island passenger trains met
in head end collision near Volland As
miles west of Topeka and at least 80
people were killed. The agent at Vol
land should have stopped the west
bound train and failed to do so. AS
the train flashed by on it's way to sure
disaster the agent, realizing the fright
full import of his error opened his key
and sent the message to the Dispatch
er acknowledging his responsibility for
the terrible disaste he knew was GER
tain.
THE DEAD.
William Thomas Miller, Soldier City,
Kansas.
Unknown man, believed to be SOL
6ier ON furlough. whose home ia
supposed to have been in Iowa. -.
Five white men, names unknown, in
smoker, burned bodies not recovered.
Twenty-Five Mexican laborers. Four
teen of the NIexicans it is supposed,
were burned in the wrcci1er car. Sew
en- bodies of NIexicans were recovered.
THE INJURED.
The injured. numbering twenty-four
were brought to Topeka. reaching
here about $50. Two of the injured
Mexicans died en- route from the
scene of the wreck to Topeka. Two
other Mexicans died since at Stormons
hospital. 1t was impossible to secure
a list of names of the Mexicans.
The list of the injured is follows:
w. II. Cameron. 9O2 Oak street,
Cifu Ont over left
r.. a. Hicks, 2S16 Tracy, Kansas
City. Abrasion over right knee, inter-
nal injuries.
Anna Vinland, from stockton, Ia,
present address, Lawton, Okla. Cut
or Iefs hand.
Mrs. p ID. Grips. Mcpherson, Kan.
Hips and arms injured.
EGmid Myers Davenport, Ia. Head
and body badly scratched, leg frac-
tured.
Mrs. Enid Myers. Davenport, Ia.
Head and body bruised.
G. If. Dauchy, assistant engineer.
IsocI. Island, Topeka. Left ear off, and
badly burned on face and hands.
Albert Link. porter. Topeka, 1899
Pine street. Left leg of near knee.
Badly cut on head.
w. j. Nest, Ottumwa, Ia. Ankle in
jured.
VIM. Douglass. Nevada. Mo. Right
leg and collar bone broken.
G. Harrison. baggageman. Kansaa
City. Hurt internally. head cut.
Gus Boadcntier, Davenport. Right
arm broken.
VIM. GALES, conductor. Collar bone
broken. left wrist sprained.
w. p. Beel, Davenport, Ia. Finger
broken. ambrasion left side head.
w. a. WilIet, Peabody Kan Wrist
burned. one rib broken.
James Beatty, Atl1is, Ia. Abrasion
head and neck strained.
Seven MexlcanS injured.
II. SukeFman, FL Paso. Badly sllak-
en- up.
Engineer Slater and Fireman Swee-
ney of train No. 29 were the first to
discover the inevitable headon collis- |
Ion four miles west of Volland. Engi
neer Slater reversed his engine and
applied the air to the brakes, after
which they jumped. At the moment of
the collision No. 20 had come nearly to
a standstil.
Brown of No 80 didn't discover the
proximity of the two trains till it was
too late to slacken the speed.
Mcmahon stepped through the door |
on the front of the cab. on to the foot |
board that runs the length of the en- |
gine and Fireman Brown clambered |
down the steps in the rear. Both men |
let loose of the engine to jump at about |
the instant that the two engines came
together.
No. 80 was running at the rate of 40 /
miles an hour and the grade was slight |
ly down in favor of No. 80.
The force of the shock pushed No. % |
back several hundred feet
The accident occurred on a curve in
side a deep cut, which accounts for the /
fact that neither engineer was aware of
the nearness of the other train, the /
glare of the headlights being broken |