The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-16

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bodies in the forward part of the car
! had succeeded at o'clock.
The water was still flowing in a tor
rent about and through the car.
Cars Crowded.
The motor train consisted of two
cars. the motor and a coach in the
rear. Both cars were crowded on ac-
count of a county teachers conven-
ton at Randolph today. Most of the
passengers in the motor car were in
jured They have been rushed to this
town for medical aid
A three inch rain fell near here yes
terday sending all streams to the
flood stage. The Union Pacific bridge
weakened by the freshet was unable t.
stand the weight Of the heavily loaded
motor and it plunged into the waters
without warning.
Passengers in a Mass.
The passengers in the motor were
thrown in one mass against the COM
partment separating the main section
and the smoking end. The impact
came so suddenly that the seats were
torn out of the car and the passen-
gers, mostly women, jammed together
in struggling miXup.
The car stood perpendicular, with
the engineers cabin and the smoking
compartment buried in the mud and
water.
Coach Didn't Fall.
The coach being pulled by the Smo-
tor did not fail into the creek. Relief
work began Immediately through the
efforts of the uninjured and within
an hour everyone had been taken
from the i1l-fated motor.
Crowded With Teachers.
The train was crowded on account
OF a meeting OF the Riley County
Teachers association at Randolph.
The coach was added to the motor car
as a trailer to accommodate the extra
passenge ers.
The conductor of the motor said
concerning the accident:
THE car lurched forward without
warning and we were thrown in a
heap at the. bottom of the wreckage
of human beings and car seats. There
were 65 passengers on the motor aC-
cording to my checks. Probably at
least fifteen of these we're in the Smok-
ing compartment which is buried in
the mud and water. The rest were
taken from the upper section as the
car stood on it's end. Relief work was
impossible below the water line. We
are waiting for the wrecking crew.
Topeka Man Loses Life.
Dr. Lewis Atwood, the Topeka man
who was killed in the wreck at Marys-
vile, was his way to Randolph,
Kan, where he was to assist his broth
er, who is also physician, with an
operation this morning.
The first news of his death was re-
ceived in a telephone call to his home
at 10 o'clock.
DR.. Atwood has been practicing in
Topeka since May ID, at which time
he came here from Los Angeles. He
was thirty-five years of age, and was
a member Of a family of physicians.
Besides his wife ne is survived by
his mother. Mrs. Mary. Atwood of
Clay Center; four brothers, Charles
of Randolph, Will Atwood of For
mosa, and Edward Atwood of La
Crosse. Kan; two sisters, Mrs. Ella.
Hahn of Clay Center. and Esther Att
wood.
Since coming to Topeka DR.. and
Mrs. Atwood have lived at 707 Euclid
avenue. Dr. -\ttwood had his office
at 622 Kansas avenue. He was a spe-
cialist in. diseases of the eye, ear. nose
and throat. Mrs. Atwood is a niece
of p n. GiSh of Topeka.
DR.. Atwood practiced medicine in
Los Angeles before coming to Topeka.
Previous to that time he was at Meri-
den, Kan, for eight years and also
worked at his profession at Lacrosse,
Kan. for three years. Three of his
brothers are physicians.
First Wreck in Years.
This disaster is the first Union Pa
cific wreck of serious consequence in
years.
fortunate in this respect and recent
bulletin was issued from the general
offices at Omaha rems rking on this
record.
Run With Gasoline.
The car is similar model tc those
running the Topeka branch of the
Union Pacific Its motive power is
furnished by gasoline. The car is di-
vided into two passenger compart-
ments The fore room is used as A
smoker and the rear compartment the
chair car. This motor car has been
running or the branch for several
years. 1t is the first motor car acci-
dent on the Union Pacific and one of
the few disasters of its kind in the
country.