The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-29
TWENTY-SIK
 ARE KILLED Frightfu1 Wreck Near Los Angeles. THE DEATH LIST MAY GROW Most of Those Fatally Hurt Were
 Italians.
 ---e- sunset Limited Passenger Train Ran Into open Switch, Left By Careless Eircnan--Theatrical Company's
 Rescue Work.
THE DEATH LIST MAY CROW

Colton, Cal, March 2S--A disastrous wreck on the Southern Pacific occurred one and half miles east of this town shortly after o'clock this afternoe |. when west bound train No. from NJ r Orleans for San Francisco. ran into ssi open switch while going at the rate of forty miles an hour, and ten of the fourteen coaches were derailed. Twen- ty-six people are known to have been killed and the list will total much high CT. The injured number about 100, many of whom will die.
 The wrecked coaches were hurled in every direction. Four of them were smashed into splinters. Most of the dead were Italians, from New York and New Orleans. They occupied the snaok- CT and day coach.
 The dead were terribly mangied. Eighteen were taken to Colton by 8 o'clock and eight additional bodies overturned cars. This car could not be raised until a derrick was brought from Los Angeles. sixty miles away.
 The injured were carried to this city fin vehicles of all sorts and the Coiton Hospital was quickly filled to its ca- pacity. Many were then taken to the Presbyterian Church and many private residences.
 Two American Victims.
 But two Americans are known to have been killed, although several Of those among the injured will probably die George L.. sharp of Muncle, Ind. was instantly Killed. The baggageman of the train. whose name had not been ascertained, was also killed. Engineer Clarence wormington, and Fireman Victor crebb. both jumped and wers caught in the wreckage. They were both terribly burned and scafded.
 Out of about eighty Pullman passen- gers. there were but two who sustained serious injury. The three Pullman coaches and the diner which were in tho rear of the train. did not leave the track The occupants Of these cars were practically unharmed. The Florence Roberts Theatrical Company occupied one coach, which was hurled from the track and both ends crushed l by impact against the others But two members Of the company out of tn3aa of tweTty-fws people were lasarea. MiAs Roberts herself escaped unhurt, The escape from death of the oceu- pants of this car was remarkable, con sidering the manner in which the coach was splintered and torn to pieces. The men and women were hurled from one end of the car to the other
 Rushed to Wreck.
 There were three tracks where the accident occurred, which is in the open country. The people of Cotton were first to be notified of the catas- trophe. Hundreds of people hurried to the scene of the wreck. Physicians and nurses were brought from San Bernardino and Colton, and ministered to the injured.
 The deraiIment of the train was caused by the crew of switch engine leaving switch open at this point. It is said that the engine passed through the switch a few minutes before the Overland appeared. A switchman named Morrision was in the yard. Af- ter the switch engine had passed to another track, the engineer asked the fireman if he had thrown tho switch The fireman recalled that he had neg lected to do so and the engineer whis- tied frantically for Morrison to close 1t The signal was not given in time, as Morrison did not reach the switch before the Overland had plunged through and had been d4raiied.
 The train which was due in Los Angeles at 7:3o o'clock, was nearly twelve hours behind time and was running at a high rate of speed. There was absolutely no warning of the catastrophe. The engineer saw the signal when only a short distance away and had not time to sound a whistle of warning, much less to re- verse the throttle or set tho brakes . He called to hiS nreInau 10 Jump anu both leaped wildly from opposite sides of the engine. The engine left the track, turned over on its side and ploughed a great distance along the
 Work of Rescue.
 The wreckage of the day coaches and smoker filled with the bodies of | the dead and injured were hurled all over 1t. Helpless passengers impris- oned in the wreekage called franti- cally for nelp. By miracle. the train was not set on Ire.
 Three of the passengers who escaped set at once about the work of res cue. Dozens were pulled and lifted | from the wreckage and laid beside the track until vehicles arrived to con vey them to the hospitals. Members l of the theatrical company aided mo- | bly, in the work of rescue.
 Men and women alike cared Tor the | injured Plush seats were taken from the coaches and bedding from the Pullmans and the roadside vas con verted into a temporary hospital |. | Several of those taken from the 1 wreckage expired before conveyances could be had to carry them to Col ion It was half an hour before any | medical aid could be secured. The wrecked train Is the regular Sunset | Express. leaving New Orleans daily | This train left the latter city at II ;oO l