Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1910-06-04
TRAIN 1Oe WRECKED
The World Editor was in Chair Gar
When Accident Occurred.
COUPLER OF THE TENDER BROKE
Soft Track and High Speed Caused the
Smashup tuesday at 3:15 A. M.
Mo Passengers Killed.

enroute home after an absence
of two weeks. During our stay
we travelled by rail in the neigh
borhood of 5000 miles, and with
in six miles of home were caught
in one of the worst wrecks the
Union Pacific railroad has ever
had, and to get out of it without
a scratch was miraculous.
Train No. 100 is considered
the fastest train running be-
tween Kansas City and Denver,
it's average speed considering
stops between points is 40 miles
per hour, to make this schedule
at times it would be necessary
for the train to make a speed of
90 miles per hour, which it does.
The train consisted of bag
gage, smoker, chair, tourist,
diner and Pullman car. The
train was running at the rate of
about 80 miles per hour when it
struck a piece of soft track about
six miles east of town, the ten
der jumped the track, the engi-
neer turned on the emergency
brakes and in less time than we
can tell it. the tender broke from
the engire and when we jump
ed out of the window next to
the smoker bumpers we beheld
the tender, baggage and smoker
turned over lying in the ditch,
the chair and tourist cars left
the track about 20 feet but did
not turn over. All that saved
the chair car from turning over
was the wedging in or V shape
made at the end of each car; this
wedge held the chair car and
when it left the track it seemed
to glide off onto the bank. The
chair car was full of men and
women and they were panic
stricken for minute, but they
soon realized the worst was over.
We sat next to the toilet and was
riding backward, we could feel
the engineer put on the emer-
gency brakes, the grinding of
iron, then the crash. We held
onto the seat like grim death,
and the feeling as we glided
along to the embankment cannot
be expressed on paper. The
diner and Pullman stayed on the
track.
No one can imagine the horror
incident to wrecked train. The
conductor and porterS were soon
at work removing the injured in
the smoker. and it wasn't long
until all were out of the car. 1t
was sight to behold-Some had
scars on their heads, others We're
holding their sides and backs,
and taking it all in all they were
brave lot of passengers The
injured were removed to the Pull
man where DIR. O'Donnel and
Miss Lord "a nurSe) of Ellsworth
did all in their power to relieve
those injured.
The engineer realizing he had
no time to fool away ran his en-
gine to Wa-Keeney on what
steam he had left and gave the
alarm About 45 minutes after
the wreck occurred DrS. Jones,
Herrick and Davidson arrived in
autos from town, also Fritz and
August Staatz. Minor Poffenber,
Joe Reeder, Stan Straw, Ray
Nelson, Chase Wilson and Rev.
McKeen of Salina were the first
to arrive at the scene of the
wreck. The doctors set to work
and soon had those injured rest
ing as easy as could be expected
under the circumstances.
An engine from Ellis arrived
later with Dr. Blake and officials
of the road The diner and Pull
man were taken to Ogallah.
The engineer and fireman re-
turned to the scene of the wreck
with the section men from Wa
Keeney on hand cars. The first
question asked by Engineer Rip
pey was: rs there anybody kill
ed," and as the answer was no, -
he seemed to be relieved, as
when he left the wreck be was
sure some one was killed.
The most miraculous escape of
all was the baggage man. He
said he piled the baggage in the
one end of the car and the ex-
press for Wa-Keeney was close
to the door and when the crash
came he rolled over and the ex-