Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-09-29
Coaches Telescope
COnbinatiOnCar
Splintered
Tulsa, NOWata and
Shamrock Men
Among Dead

Twenty-seven persons are
known to have been killed and
fifty injured, half of them
seriously, in the most disas-
trous railroad wreck in the
history of Oklahoma in a head.
on collision that occurred two
miles southwest of Kellyville
Okla, yesterday afternoon
about 2 o'clock when Frisco
passenger train No. 407, leav.
ing Tulsa at 1905 p. m., ran
into an empty troop train
coming east.
1t was impossible to learn
the names of the dead at 10
o'clock last night, but it is
known that only seven were
white. AS the bodies were
taken from the wreck they
were rushed away to morgues
at Bristow and Sapulpa.
Frisco officials declined to
give out any information as to
the extent of the disaster, say
ing they did not know how
many were killed or injured.
Collision at P0iecdt Creek
The collision occurred just
after the passenger train cross
ed the bridge over Polecat
creek. The crews of both en-
gines jumped, saving their
lives, but were severely in
jured.
The passenger train was in
charge of Engineer Rule Of
Sapulpa, who was able to walk
to his home in that city after
he had jumped from his en-
gine. M. N. Catterton, his
fireman, also of Sapulpa, was
brought to the hospital in this
city with the wounded pas
sengers.
Why il Happened
The troop train was running
in two sections and the first
had passed the passenger just
out of Kellyville. Not know
ing there was another section
behind, the passenger train
took the main track and
crossed the river.
eve had just left the
bridge" said Fireman Cater
ton, when we saw the other
train coming around a curve
just ahead. Rule threw on his
emergency brakes and whistled
for a stop. | jumped as he did
so and that's all | remember.
| rolled down an embankment
fifty or sixty feet and laid
there unconscious until picked
up. Rule jumped just after !
did but hit on high ground
and was not badly hurt"
+. n. HUTCHINSON of Tulsa. cable
splicer OF the Pioneer Telephone COM
pany, living at 1916 East Fourth
street is among the list of identified
victims.
ARTHUR TRACEY. OF Nowata. was
the second white man to be identified
among the dead.
JOHN CROWNOVERs OF shamrock.
n former deputy shciiff OF Greek
county, is the other white man known
to have been killed.
H. u. Whitleff of Sapulpa, Is the
only one Identified among the sixteen
negro victims.
The dead were taken TO Bristow and
Sapulpa. Information from there says
that the victims number IA negro men,
three negro women and three indians
None of them have been identified with
the exception stated above.
Cars Smashed to Bits.
The engines and five coaches were
smashed to bits. The two first coaches
OF the troops cars and the mail. bag
gage. smoker and first chair cars OF
the passenger were demolished, the
first three being completely torn to
splinters
The mail car was split and its floor
was driven back thru the smoker In
the front of which was the Jim
Crow" car, pinioning and driving the
occupants into wedge OF it's death
as IL passed This accounts for the
large number OF negroes killed.
Altho the chaircar was badly
smashed and many of its occupants
CONTINUED ON PAGE SIX