New-York tribune., 1920-09-23
Spread Rails ON Branch
Line Send Engine and
Four Cars of Special
Into Ditch i'm Arizona
Passengers Are
Cut and Bruised
Governors Car Stays ON
Track; Engineer Breaks
Leg i'm Jump From Cab

PHOENIX, Ariz., Sept. Ex-Governor
Cox's Presidential campaign train was
wrecked about 4:30 o'clock to-day,
fourteen miles north of here, while en-
route to Prescott.
The Democratic Presidential candi
date and his party were severely
shaken when locomotive and four
cars Of the special train were ditched
but all escaped serious injury. The
most seriously injured was Charles A.
Nicholas. an engineer of Prescott,
whose leg was broken in jumping from
his cab when his engine toppled over.
Spreading rails were assigned by
railroad men as the cause of the wreck
which compelled the Governor and his
party to return here tonight and can
eel his evening address at Prescott.
HIS future itinerary also was upset
Ditched at Forty Miles an Hour
The accident occurred half mile
out of Peoria, village of the Sante
Fe Railroad. After delivering several
speeches here the train, consisting of
SIX cars and drawn by two heavy
engines needed for the upgrade to
prescott, left here at 4 o'clock. About
hait hour later while running be-
tween thirty-fve and forty miles an
hour, the train Jared suddenly, as if
IN COLLISION, and then application of
thc emergency brakes, humping over
oroAen rails and ties and the carccn-
ing OF cars told passengers the story.
The four forward cars we're ditchcd,
the Governors private car. at the rear
and the adjoining compartment car of
newspaper men, except for it's forward
truck, remaining on the rails.
"A baggage coach jumped the track
ABOUT fifteen feet and turned over on
lls SIDE. Two passenger coaches and
anolher compartment car behind also
shipped ten feet from the track and
partly toppled over.
The first engine of the double
header, Engineer F. c. Sutton, of Pres
cott, said, left the rails first and then
jumped on again, but the second en-
g'ne toppled over amid n cloud of cs-
Gaping steam. The tender of the for
ward engine also fell over while the
hrst passenger coach ran the length
OF the overturned baggage car and
lammcd its forward end into the
tracks
Some Passengers Bruised
All of the passengers on all cars
were thrown topsy turvy. Some suf-
tered bruises and cuts from flying
glass In the rush for escape. several
women passengers in the coaches were
put through broken windows.
Cover rnor Cox was in the dining
room OF his private car going over
papers with DR.. Robert G.. Goldsmith
his assistant on the League of Nations
question. when the crash occurred
"What's that"" he shouted, rising to
his feet. only to hc thrown heavily
across the car against its wall He
was shaken up. but rushed out to as
sist the injured. and this accomplished.
smoked pipe while waiting for a
back to Phoenix.
OF the passengers. including several
Of the local reception committee of
Press colt and Phoenix, Judge F.. r.
Rollingcr, Of the Mo;avc County Court,
suffered a bruised leg. Personal of-
fccts Of all members Of the party were
scattered and broken.
Nichols was taken to Phoenix IN a
passing automobile, and first aid was
given to several others. Philip Alton,
of Prescott d brakeman, who was
alone IN IN" baggage car when 1t
turned over. suffered sea laccrationS
The fireman on the second engine was
unable to jump and crawlcd from the
wrcckagc without a scratch.
Governor Escaped by Chance
That Governor Cox escaped injury
was due, it was said, to delay in a
conference with the Prescott reception
committee, J. +. Sinnot, representing
the Democratic National Committee on
tho campaign trip, and Chairman Nor
ris, of the Prescott committee, were
on their way to the private car to
get tho Governor to 60 forward to the
first coach, where the reception COM
mlttce was riding, when the crash
came. Most of those bruised or cut
were in the forward coach
The railroad track was torn up for
from 300 to 400 feet, with bent rails,
broken ties and glass scattered about,
even in an adjacent cotton field. Rail
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