The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1911-08-26
Lehigh Valley Passenger, Carrying Grand
Army Men and Friends, Is Derailed.
TWO DAY COACHES STRIKE RIVER tMBANKM[NT
Crowded With People Returning From Encampmen at
Rochester, Double. Header Meets With Accident on
40O-Foot Treste--Neary Forty Are Killed.
Sixty or More Are Hurt

of life was in the first day coach and a
dozen persons were later taken dead
from the second day coach, which, aft
er following the first over the trestle,
snapped its rear coupling and thus
saved the rest of the train from being
dragged along.
This second day coach struck on the
bottom and stood end up. the rear end
projecting few feet above the top
of the trestle. All the passengers in
this car were piled In mass Of broken
seats ut the bottom of the car.
The Pullman car Emelyn. which re-
mained on the bridge with one end
projecting over the gulch, and several
cars behind it, derailed and In i'm
mediate danger of going over on the
wreckage below, were soon emptied OF
their passengers, who, aided by em-
ployes IN the freight yards at Man.
chester. rushed to the rescue.
1t was several minutes. however, be-
fore anyone reached the ears at the
bottom to help the victims. Body af-
ter body was removed and carried to
the bank by the rescuers, knee-deep
In the river bed. The dead and m
jured were laid on the ground while
planks and timber were requisitioned
and a field hospital was established.
1t was more than an hour before
special trains from both Geneva and
Rochester brought physicians, nurses
and medical supplies and the injured
could be removed.
The railroad station at Manchester,
cider mill and an ice house were
used to give temporary shelter to the
sufferers.
The work of getting out the victims
In the first day coach was difficult, as
1t was necessary to chop through the
sides and bottom of the car. Many
of those found dead were G. A. r.. vet
erans.
The dead In the morgue at Shorts
vile. near here, tonight numbered 20.
Two other persons died OF their In
juries in Rochester. Several others,
seriously hurt, are In hospitals at Ro-
chesteS, Geneva and Clifton Springs.
The number of seriously injured Is es-
timated at so.
As the derailed dining car. in go
ing into the ditch east of the trestle,
had brought down several telegraph
poles, telegraphic service was broken
and assistance had to be summoned by
telephone
Late tonight, while the wrecking
crews were trying to remove part Of
the wreckage, the day coach that stood
on end fell into the gully, adding to
the debris under which more bodies
may be concealed.
Identification Difficult.
The work of Identifying the dead is
very difficult. Rescuers. In remov-
ing clothing and effects from the vic
tins, neglected to keep the various
articles near the bodies, and curious
ones mixed up garments and ldentifi-
cation tags
1t probably will be some days before
the full list. OF dead Is made Nj. The
features of some are so badly dis
figured that Identification In any case
will be difficult
In the Manchester station tonight
the hats of G. A. r. veterans and Sons
of Veterans were piled UP with bag
gage bloody garments, umbrellas and
other personal effects.
Two theories of the cause Of the
wreck have been advanced by railroad
men-that 1t was caused by broken
rail, or by spreading rails.
Right Rev. Monsignor Thomas j.
Hendrick, Rev. Father w II. lHarring-
ton and Rev. James Griffin. all of New
York state, were painfully bruised, bu.
hastened to the aid OF the injured and
administered the last rites OF the
Catholic church to the dying. ,~