The Washington herald., 1907-05-13

Special TO The Washington Herald
Santa Barbara. Cal. May I2-There are
thirty-five known dead. one missing. and
twenty-one injured. victims Of the wreck
Of the Shriners' train. on the Southern
Pacific. near Surf, last night
The accident was due to somebody's
carelessness. but it IS quite probable the
actual cause viii never be known.
Surf is little station above Point Con-
| cepcion, on the sandy, wind-swept coast,
with no facilities for caring for the
manned and dead
The wreck was one of the ugliest pile
ups in the history OF Western railroads.
The train was running at high speed.
( The fact that the locomotive turned over
at once is responsible. seemingly. for the
complete telescoping Of the diner. which
literally leaped upon It and smashed bag
gage cars. At the time OF the crash
thirty-two men and women we're seated
in the diner. This car was hurled upon
the locomotive, split in twain, and filed
with scalding steam. All its occupants
were killed or badly injured.
Crowd Happy and Hungry.
These passengers had only left Santa
/ Barbara less than half an hour before.
They had taken the train fresh from a
trip TO the Old Mission. Happy and keen
~ hungry. they hurried to the dining car.
Every seat was filed and many stood in
the vestibule between this car and the
next sleeper. They had seen California
never 10 see it again. for nearly every one
in the diner was killed.
The appearance Of the track after the
wreck gave the impression that tbs
switch al which the engine Jumped the
track had been misplaced. Engineer
Champlin says he heard something on the
engine break. but the condition Of the To-
connective after the wreck was such that
nothing could be definitely ascertained.
Wreck Takes Fire.
The scenes after the wreck were fear
ful- A number Of the injured VINO were
pinned among the wrecksge we're roasted
alive, as the wreckage at once took fire.
Around the three local undertaking
rooms weeping men and women called all
day 70 look at the dead. and then traced
their steps 10 the hospitals to learn the
I
vivors the ordeal was terrible.
Shriners on the trains that. came in
to-day all stopped over 10 take up the
work OF succor- For many hours the
wreck trains remained on the lonely
siding. while the dead were taken from
the wreCkage II was 1.20 this morning
before they were brought to Santa Bar
bara.
Here had gathered men Of their order.
They came at the first news Of the dis
aster from Los Angeles.
Few Knew Victims.
Hardly one knew the name Of single
person o. the wrecked train. and yet the
tears stood in the eyes Of more than one.
The Shriners. upon the arrival OF the
special tain. took charge Of caring for
the hurt. They were hurried away in
closed carriages to the hospitals After
these carriages had ratified away there
came heavier sound-the rumble Of
wagons. which had been pressed into
emergency service by the morgues.
According to the survivors, the relief
train returning TO Santa Barbara with
the dead and the lesser wounded was
halted cut on a siding amid lonely sand
dunes while four belated Shriner trains
passed by, none Of the passengers Of those
trains dreaming that the relief train con-
tanned the grief-stricken and hystericaI
women and bruised, bleeding. and ex-
hausted men The train was kept far
cut on the beach wastes for six hours
Woman Held Rcscuer.
Survivors Of the wreck say that Mrs
John ". Cutler, of Binghamton. whose
husband was also killed. CHANGED 70 be in
the baggage car to see about her trunk.
TIE body was driven through the car.
and the frame had 10 jacked up TO ex-
trieate the corpse
Mrs. Fred Grummond. also Of Bingham
ton. was buried under piles Of trunks.
As the rescuers burrowed TO release the
women. one Of them. supposed to be Mrs
lGrummond. seized the foot Of one Of the
rescuers. and holding on to 1t, shouted
feebly that she would not let go till she
was released. Just then a cloud OF steam
drowned her voice
George F. Hageman, a bachelor lawyer,
of Reading. died nobly After his brother
mobiles dragged him from the debris. he
moaned. Look after the ladies first I
am dying; go help them"
Cleveland Man Gets Hose.
Sander Dubbald. Of Cleveland. secured
a hose and with 1t extinguished the flames
that surrounded several of the women
pinioneG in the debris. He took out Mrs.
William W. Essick, of Reading. but she
was so badly scalded that she died in a
few minutes.
4. D. Wasson. Of Buffalo. was sitting
IN the corner Of the diner near the hot
water tanks. He was so badly scalded
that he died in q few minutes.
His wife and three-year-old child were
on the train, but escaped injury
Charles W. Tyson, Of Buffalo. is Ill at
the Potter Hotel. as the result of the
fearful experiences he had in rescuing in
jured. He risked death several times In
dragging friends from the burning
wreck Five more Of the injured have
died here. making ten dead in the local
morgue. They are;
S S Snyder and wife. Reading. Pa: /:
Richard EsSiek, Reading; J. J. Bunlach,
| rooo1;rg- Micc Cfolz RpoTior. 7 ~ ri