Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1910-01-06
Train DeraiIed, Cars Piled Up
and Burn While Vic
tins Suffer.
Heroic ReSCueS Many-PulI-
man Porter Wins
Much Praise.
Extreme Cold IntenSifleS SUI
fering-BraVery OF
Aged Woman.

Trenton. Mo-, Jan. 1.-Two women
and one man were killed and at least
As injured, when the Rock Island
California Special" was wrecked two
miles south of here.
The dead are:
0. 2. Leininger, fireman, Trenton.
Mrs. Gertrude Barnes Armourdale,
Kas.
Unidentified woman.
The cause of the wreck is unknown,
although it is thought it was caused
nv sDreading rails While the train
was running at high speed the engine
and tender left the track and plunged
over a five foot embankment, fol
lowed by two baggage cars, mail
car, a tourist car and Pullman
sleeper. One sleeper and the obseT-
sation car remained on the track.
While the passengers were strug-
cling to escape from the debris, fire
started and the cars burned IKE
finder. The three who lost their lives
were badly burned. Scores were res
cued after the flames had scorched
their clothing and burned their flesh.
Many were pinioned under the wreck
age and begged piteously to be re.
leased before the fire reached them.
David Sigel OF Cleveland held out
an hour while the flames burned with
n a few; feet of him. He instructed
the rescuers to carry water from the
tank of the engine and extingGish fire
nearest to him. This was done ana
eventually he was rescued, although
he will lose an arm.
Heroic rescues were numerous.
Men and women who escaped from
cars by kicking out windows or break
ing down doors, rushed back into the
burning wreckage to rescue fello"
passengers At the risk of their own
lives they carried burned, MANNED and
bleeding humans to safety.
Happening far from a station and
more than half a mile from a farm
house, the wreck occurred in a most
desolate spot No building of any
kind was near to rent The ground
was covered with snow and raw
wind was blowing.
Thrown into the open air with but
small portion Of their clothing, even
those who escaped injury suffered ter
ribly. But the strong readily saCrl-
feed everything for the weak. Men
gave up coats to women and children
and injured. Women tore strips from
their clothing to bandage wounds.
AS many Of the injured as room
could be made for were placed in the
two cars remaining on the track. 9th
ers stood about bonfires made of por-
lions of the wreck until the relief
train arrived.
A farmer called up the Trenton of
fee, which is a division point, and a
relief train was quickly dispatched.
The most seriously injured were taken
to the hotel at Trenton. Another re-
lief train took 90 injured and the I'M
injured passengers to Kansas City
All the passengers were there provid-
ed with tickets to their destinations
1t was believed that at least
dozen were killed, but last night prac-
ticaIIy all the wreczage was cleared
away and only three bodies found.
A rigid investigation is being made
by the Rock Island officials, and a cor
Oner's inquest will begin today.
The greatest havoc was wrought in
the chair car. 1t was in its debris
that the bodies of two womeD were
found. 1t as the first to burn. being
mass of flames in few minutes after
the deratlment. One end of the tour
st car lcaped over the chair car, max
ng escape, except through one end.
impossible. Many passengers kicked
windows out of the chair car and es-
capped.
From beneath the total wreck of
the en2ine. which was one of the fin.
est on the ROAD. the body of Fireman
Lejninger was draggcd. 1t is believed
he was crushed to death and then
sca]ded. Much praise is gjveu to the
Pullman conductor. He was STANDING
in the front end OF his car when the
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