Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-10-16

negligence Of Conductor Gross. we we're
over an hour late, said Conductor
! Travers Of the passenger but our train
was not by any means considered dead 90
John Scott. engineer Of the passenger
declared that he heard no whistle from
the freight He sad they we're not going
! more than twenty-five or thirty miles
an hour Guy Wilson. his fireman. was
stocking as the freight hove in sight and
did not see or hear anything until Scott
| spoke to him Both men then reversed
and put on the air after which they
| jumped.
+. c. Crawford, engineer Of the freight
train, wandered about the wreck. pale
and unnerved. with tears in his voice
he repeated over and over his story Of
the collision. He blamed Gross. his con
ductor. for the wreck.
eve had left South Omaha about $50"
said Crawford. Il was not going at a
high rate Of speed AS we rounded the
curve l caught sight of 1o5 coming north.
Not having received any orders as to
#. concluded that it was a Burlington
train. However, / slowed down until
was barely creeping AS soon as [ realized
the mistake | put on the brakes and re-
versed. but it was too late"
Engineer Crawford said that it was
the duty OF every engineer to Sign off
the register at the stations. He said,
however, that a universal custom had
relieved the engineer OF the duty and
fixed It on the conductor solely. Gross
must have overlooked No. 100 or failed TO
| check off" he said. At the Missouri Pa
ciflc station in South Omaha It was said
that while Conductor Gross had sigued
off for orders he had either failed TO
check the register for No. 1O5 or forgotten
to transmit the order to bis engineer.
Baby soon AwalSens.
While engaged In the rescue OF the
wounded Conductor Trsvers came upon
an infant a few months old. The baby
seemed dead and the conductor handed
It over to DR.. ]. Colliver, who was work
ing in the coach. DR.. Colliver passed his
hand over the body of the child in
cursoty examination and the infant with
smile awoke and began to COO. The
babe was said to be of the Rowtmann
family. though this could not be verified
at the time. It was given in charge OF
a nurse in the hospital.
Immediately following the wreck many
OF the passengers who were uninjured or
very slightly hurt boarded a special made
up at the fort and came into the city
about noon.
The wounded at the post hospital. It
was understood, would be transferred to
Omaha as soon as they were able TO bear
travel
As the news of the disaster spread the
fort was deluged with telephone calls
from anxious relatives and friends of
passengers. Many came out in auto
mobiles from Omaha and South Omaha
The car lines ran extras to the, scene Of
the wreck and hundreds Of curious people |
out souvenirs.
Governor Gi1christ Not Iniarad.
OF the uninjured Governor Gllehrist OF
Florida, who was on his way to the
prison congress. was the most prominent |
The governor came into Omaha as soon
as the special was made up. Others OF |
the passengers were people on their way |
to the land drawings at Gregory and
Dallas. s. d.
The Rowtmann family was coming into |
Omaha TO attend a church convention. |
and the Conway sisters to present a
theatrical turn.
Both the railroad men and the pas
sengers were loud In their praises Of the |
post physicians ana the South Omaha
OF the wreck. There is no doubt that
the prompt medical assistance rendered
the injured saved several lives
Another feature OF the good work Of
the fort was the forethought of Cap
tains Doray and Butler in turning a
stream OF water upon the smoking en-
sinss which were surrounded by heaps
Of pine lumber thrown from one OF the
freight cars. The work OF the soldiers
in this regard probably prevented q fire
in the wreck. The seats and fittings In
the chair car were smashed to splinters.
II was announced at the wreck that
Division superintendent j. r. Russ would
institute an investigation into the cause
Of the wreck. Traffic which was blocked
for several hours. was opened up late
in the evening after the wreoking crews
OF the Union Pacific and Missouri Pa
cifio railroads had iabored all afternoon.
BUSH SAYS CREW AT FAULT
President OF Missouri Pacific says
Engineer AIsO at Fault.