The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-08


A disastrous wreck occurred at
1890 this afternoon on the Santa Fe
at a point near the Three Bridges,
three-quarters of mile east of
North Topeka, when a construction
train loaded with laborers backed
into an oil train.
1t is known positively that fifteen
persons were killed and ten others
seriously injured. All the dead per-
sons are railroad laborers except
Foreman Gray of the construction
gang. Gray lives in Topeka.
The oil train was running out of
Topeka at a good rate of speed and
when it reached the curve at the
Three Bridges the engineer dis
covered the construction train of
fiat cars being backed down the track
by the engine at the other end.
The engineer of the oil train applied
the air and brought his train to a
standstin just as the fiat cars crashed
into his engine with frightful force.
All the laborers on the first car were
buried under the wrecked engine.
The fiat cars were telescoped by the
crash and the wrecked cars and engine
were piled up in one terrible heap oc
death and destruction.
1t is known that ten Mexican labor
ers are buried under the engine of
the oil train. All these men are dead.
A relief train bearing nurses and
ten doctors was rushed at once to the
scene of disaster and the injured were
carried to the Santa Fe hospital as
quickly as possible.
Mexicans on Flat Cars.
The wreck occurred near the Kaw
Valley school house about two miles
north of the Three Bridges over
Soldier creek. about 1915 at noon
today. The work train was backing
down from north of Meriden with
fifty Mexicans riding on the fiat cars.
AS the train was rounding the curve
lust south of the Kaw Valley school
house the northbound extra freight
crashed into it.
Engineer Ed Ash and Fireman Joe
Corey who were in charge of the en-
CINE on the freight train were the first
to realize the impending collision and
Jumped from the engine as sooE as the
air brakes could be set. The Mexicans
were not aware of the danger until the
enginenen and trainmen jumped and
then it was too late for most of them.
But about half the number managed
to escape and many of these escaped
with injuries, which may prove fatal.
The engine on the extra freight slid
over the four fiat cars comprising the
work train and in this way fifteen
MexicanS besides several section men
who were in charge of the gang were
pinned down and at a late hour this
afternoon several were not extricated
A relief train which arrived shortly
after the wreck took the injured vic
Tins to the Santa Fe hospital. Eight
Mexicans who were injured were still
alive when the relief train arrived.
Tripp Talked After Accident.
Three of the four white men who
were killed died instantly, only Jess
Trip. section foreman at Valley
Falls, lived a short time. The colli-
sion was heard by several of the
neigh boring farmers who rushed to
caught underneath some of the debris,
but was still alive when extricated,
and talked for a few minutes, al
though in great physical agony.
''Yes. 1 knew it was coming. but
couldn't get away. Was anybody else
hurt?'' he said to group of sympa-
thizers, and with this sentence he ex-
pired. His face was badly bruised his
right side was mangled, one shoulder
was torn from the socket and one leg
The wreck before the work of clear
ing had commenced presented a pitia-
bic sight. The boiler and frebOx of the
engine completely covered one of the
nat cars. Wherever one could see in the
debris could be seen a dead body or
some limbs torn from the body
Charles Gray. the dead section fore
man, who lived in North Topeka, was
found in the debris his neck being
pinned down beneath a large iron bar.
His feet and legs were dangling in the
air. Tom Laird, the section foreman
of Nortonville, was caught by the pilot
of the engine and was held down be-
meath it, his lower trunk being entire
lv torn to pieces. His skull was also
crushed.
Barnes was caught in the rear of the
car on which most of the casualties
were enacted, his body being found un-
derneath the firebox- His body could
not be located for some time although
# was known that he was among the
missing.
The Mexicans were mutilated. many