Pueblo chieftain., 1921-03-16

Five persons. four men and one
woman, are believed to have lost their
lives early Tuesday when sleep
ing car on train No. 1l5, Denver and
Rio Grandc railway. burned at Roof,
~ miles south of Pueblo. Coroner
Darnell, of Walsenburg. where the
remnants of charred flesh and bones
were taken Tuesday, states that
the exact number of dead is not. and
will not be known, except by process
of elimination, and that personal iden-
titication of any remains is thinS
impossible.
G. w. Barrett, assistant superin-
tcndent of the Denver and Rio Grandc
railway at Alamosa when called today
stated that records in his possession
showed the passengers on the sleep
ing car Corona to have been Francis s.
Speelman, OF Pueblo: Mrs. Winnie b.
Comstock, of Creede, Colo; A. B.
Jacks. of La lara. Colo; James Miller.
Florence, Colo: r. H. Downey, a trav-
dad, postofficc inspector. Mr.. Barrett
states that Hood had been accounted
for, but that the others were, up to a
late hour this evening, missing.
The train left Pueblo Tuesday morn
ing at 12:o5 o'clock, the sleeper Cor
mosa sleeper" being picked up in this
city by the train from Denver Reports
in this city of the accident are that
the negro porter of tho Corona, j.
Tompkins, of Denver, was asleep in
an ,lpper berth of his car when
awakened, half-strangled by smoke. He
rolled out of the berth to the floor and
attempted, so he is said to have stated,
to awaken the passengers. The smoke
ovcrcamc him: he crawled to the rear
platform just ahead OF the flames.
The sleeping car conductor is said to
have been sleeping in the car just
ahead. which was also burning, and
| was awakened by the screams of the
passengers in his coach.
Train No. 1i6, from tho south. was
due to meet No, lis at Roof, and upon
drawing near. the blazing rear coach
| was seen by tho trainmcn of No. l16.
| They siEnallcd. No. lis stopped and
went into n siding at Roof. Train No.
l1s stood by and attempted to siye aid.
but the Corona. n wooden coach. so
| train officials state, was by that time
wrapped In flames.
The fire on the sleeper was discov-
| cred by the train crew about Il miles
this side OF Walscnburg, and the
train was halted Mt Roof station
about 1889 o'clock Tuesday morning.
According to members of the crew
| of No ii6, coming from WnlscnburE
4 for Pueblo. they arrived at the fire
about lao o'clock. Their train left
walscnburg at 1870 o'clock, about
| ono hdIi npuf ihlt.
The first report to reach Pueblo
came from n station called Laskar. at
$40 o'clock. according to the Denver
and Rio Grnndc chief dispatcher at
/ the Union station. In statement
made Tuesday afternoon. He was off
duty. ut the time, and n telephone
call to his home reused him from
| bed
! The report was that n fire had
| been sighted between the rear cars, as
the train passed Laskar. Tho dis
patchcr left word nt the office 20 be
called in case OF further develop
monts. and returned to bed. About
.2:3O O'Clock, he was called again,
when It was reported that car had
! burned up Mt Roof There was no
report Of casualties. he said.
| Later. the Pueblo office was In
1 formed by wire that n wrecker was
needed to clear the track at Roof.
/ No relief train. reports state, was
asked for. The wrcckcr, carrying
the usual wrccking crew and Assist
ant sup erintcndcnt J. w. Martz, from
| this city. went to Roof. The call for
the wrcckcr. together with details Of
I the tragedy. did not reach Pueblo un-
til o'clock Tuesday morning. nc-
cording to the dispatcher. The
wreckcr left Pueblo at 5;03 o'clock.
O. NJ. Hood. so far as is known was
the only person. aside from the porter.