The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1907-01-09
Head.On Collision OF Passenger
Trains on Rock Island
IN WHICH MANY DIE.
Many of the Victims Were Pinioned Ia
the Wreckage and Their Bodies
We're Cremated in the
Fire Which Follow.
ed the Disaster.
ed the Disaster.

ed the Disaster.
Thirty four persons, ali Meztcans
but two, were killed and the bodies
OF 30 Medcans we're incineiated early
Wednesday in a head-on collision OF
two passenger trains Of the Chicago.
Rock Island and Pacific railroad nsar
Volland, Kansas. The wreck OCCUR.
red while both trains were running on
a curve in cut where the grade was
steep.
Al the killed were in the south
bound train except tramp who was
on the baggage csr On the northbound
train. This tramp, = negro porter
and q workman accompanying . gang
OF Mexican laboiefs were the only
Americans killed so far IS known, al
though . passenger says that q woman
and child were burned In tourist
car.
There were 80 Me1icans and five
Americans, composing gang OF rail-
-cad workers, in the smoking Car OF
the southbound train. OF these, 80
Mexicans were burned In the wreck.
age and TWO died lste1.
Most Of the injuries were due to the
setting Of the emergency brakes. Most
every passenger in the so1thbound
train was thrown to the car floor by
the quick setting OF the brakes. TIE
northbound train was running 10
miles an hour up grade.
The Me2ic2ns were pinioned under
the seats and the doors were jammed
so they could not get out. In the
chair car, also, many passengers we're
held down by the seats.
The train caught fire from the gas
tanks. Then came the cries for help
among the Mezicans in the smoking
car and the people pinioned fast in the
chair car. Every man or woman oo
the train tried to rescue the unfortu-
mates, but the flames soon became
too hot to permit Of approaching the
car.
The injured were removed from the
chair cars with less difficulty and ap-
parently ali were rescued alive from
these cars.
William Cane, conductor of the
southbound train, has broken collar
bone and is much brui led about the
face. he said:
The train YVES just pulling clear OF
! the Volland yards and vas travelling
about 80 miles an hour, I dropped
into the front seat OF the smoker and
dozed.
There were 81 Mexicans sitting two
in s,seat back OF me-. also Link, an In
terpreter, a foreman and five paid
fares.
81 wss awakened by the setting Of
the brakes. I jumped head first out
OF the window and struck on my
shoulder.
"When I turned and looked at the
train I saw 1snes lssping so feet high
from the smoker.
The foremost tourist sleeping car OF
the southbouDd train also burned, but
all the occupants escaped serious liz
jury.
John Lynes, 19 years old, telegrsph
opera tor at Volland, who let the south.
bound train get by bis station, where
It was to pass the nolthbound train
gave the following statement bafore
being taken to jail:
Il had been awake ali night and
was sober. At about or S O'Clock
this morning the train dispatcher gava
me four orders; one was for the south.
bound train to meet two trains. aS
Volland instead OF at Alta Vista az
previously arranged, The southbould
train headed into q switch and let one
train pass. backed out OF tia switch
and headed down the main Inns With.
out waiting for the other train.
thought it was going to stop to take
water, as trains haVe been doing, but
instead it went by at about 10 miles
an hour. The southbound bostd was
at danger according to the lever In
the c6ice, but the train did not stop,
and I ran out with my lantern. but
with two swings across the track 1t
vent out. I then ran to the pump
? house, grabbing the bumpers lanterns
waved few times and 1t also wena
! out. T vent back an5 told the dis
patcher that the southbound train
! vent by and we waited to gee II 1t was
going to come back OF hit the north
! bound train. Z told the dispatcher
q that was coming to Topeka and was
}. trying to get there when arrested"