The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-31

Two Pul1mans that broke away, caught
fire. The crash had come without the
least warning and the passengers were
unable to extricate themselves.
Could Not Reach Them.
Those of the passengers and crew
who escaped went to work Immediately
with great energy to aid those i'm
priSoned in the blazing PullmanS, but
were unable to reach them. The train
was in charge of Conductor Clemons
and Engineer Millington.
Millington and several passengers in
the other cars were injured.
The fireman was buried beneath the
engine, which turned turtle.
The scene of the wreck was out in
the country and neither apparatus to
fight the flames, nor aid for the injured
was at hand.
All the physicians in Trenton, togeth-
er with a v'recking car, were hurried to
the scene and went quickly to work.
Several of the injured were brought to
Trenton later and placed in hospitals.
General Superintendent Smalley and
superintendent Easley were among the
first to arrive at the wreck, and they
directed the rescue work. Farmers hv-
ing in the vicinity helped
The ground was covered with snow
and ice, causing suffering to the pas
sengers and rendering difficult the
work of rescue.
The known Dead.
FIREMAN o. P. LININGER, Tren-
ton, recently of Eldon, Ia; scalded and
burned to death.
FOUR PASSENGERS, unidentified.
Injured
Engineer W. L Millington, Trenton;
scalded, will recover
William Flynn, agent Cudahy Pack
ing company, Kansas City; shoulder
broken. cut about head.
]. z. Orning, Davenport, Ia, leg
broken, head cut.
Steve Howard, Alabama. won't tell
town: leg broken.
c. E. Spencer. Dallas, Tex; back
sprained.
J. c. Childers, Anderson, Ind; sprains
and bruises.
Mrs. Nancy Hamershley, Let's, Ia;
badly hurt about head, may die.
Julius Meddlesome. Boston, Mass;
slight.
Davis Segel, Cleveland, O.; probably
fatal
Many Dead in Tourist Car.
The bodies of the two women were
taken from the chair car Most of
the injured also were in this car. All
the passengers in the burned Pullman
escaped. and aside from bruises and
slight cuts. none was hurt
The number of those who lost their
lives in the tourist car is in doubt. 1t
is believed nearly all its passengers
were cremated. The wreck occurred
without a moments warning to the
passengers and by the time they had
realized what was happening the three
cars were In flames. Happening as it
did in an isolated spot, there was no
aid at hand. save that available in
other parts of the train. Those pas
sengers and members of the crew who
escaped injury Immediately went to
work to aid the injured. Many were
dragged from the chair car, while
those in the burning Pullman gener-
ally escaped unassisted. The flames
that attacked the tourist sleeper burned
freely. forcing back the rescuers. and
they stood by in the ice and snow
lpowerless to render aid.
Engine Jumped the Track.
The cause of the wreck is not
known. The engine suddenly jumped
the track and, plowing through the
roadbed, landed upside down so feet
from the tracks. Following closely
came the mail and baggage cars
I, These two cars doubled ahead past the
engine. both badly smashed. Back of
these two cars came a chair car. a
tourist sleeper, two standard Pullman
sleepers and an observation car When
| the chair car, the tourist and the first
/ of the Pullman sleepers reached a
point opposite the disabled engine
| they left the track and piled up. These
at once caught fire from the engine.
The second standard sleeper and the
observation car were practically un-
damaged
The first shock of the wreck over,
passengers began clambering through
ran to the scene. Men ran to the
burning chair car and dragged half
stunned and bleeding passengers to
safety Flames prevented the rescu-
ers from entering the tourist car.
From the windows of this car two or
| MS n hoUo
| made their escape unaided. The fate
of the others could only be conjec-
tured
From beneath the burning wreck OF
the engine the rescuers, dragged the
body of Fireman Linninger, burned
and mangled almost beyond recogni-
ton.
When the wrecking train arrived
from Trenton the cars on each side
of the three ill-fated cars were
drawn out of the reach of the flames
1.-THE tourist and the first Pullman were
I soon reduced to pile of twisted iron
! and ashes. In the belief that the de-
| stroyed tourist car held the bodies OF
perhaps a dozen or more persons the
passengers lining the tracks stood by
| in aWed silence.
The injured were hurried to Tren-
| ton and given first aid at the local
hotel. later being transferred to Kan
sas City.
A complete list of the missing was
lunattainable and the number and
identity of the dead can not be re-
vealed for many hours.
Number of Dead Unknown.
| Kansas City. Mo, Dec. 31-A Ions
distance telephone message from Tren
ton at As this afternoon says the deaG
| in the burned tourist car on the Rocl
| Island train were estimated at ell the
| way from 20 to 80 persons. There wa.
no way at this hour of getting at th'
facts as almost every veStige of the
car has been destroyed
The Official Report.
| Chicago, Dec 31.-At the genera
offices of the Rock Island railroad here
| il was said three persons were killed
| in the wreck of the California specia
near Trenton. Two of the dead were
| women passengers in the chair car, thu