The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1922-08-18
SCORES PERISH
AS TRAINS CRASH
Limited Strikes Standing Train
at Sulphur Springs, Mo.-Cars
Fall Into Nearby Creek.
PATHETIC SCENES ENACTED
Cars at Sulphur Springs-Five In
Injured Father.

Sulphur Springs, Mo.-At least thir-
ty-eight persons were killed and about
1877 injured, twenty-five seriously, in
the wreck near here, when fast pas
senger train Of the Missouri Pacific
Railroad, running from Fort Worth,
Tex, to st. Louis, crashed at its full
speed into local train of wooden
coaches
Two of the five wooden day coaches
of the local train were hurled down
of the Mississippi River and four
other coaches were telescoped.
The fast passenger train, composed
of vestibuled steel cars and known ls
Train No. 4, plowed into the rear end
of the local as its engine was taking
on water, with the coaches stretching
back on a trestle over Glaise Creek.
Blame for the wreck is placed on
Matt Glenn, engineer of Train No. q,
in an official statement issued by John
Cannon, assistant general manager of
the railroad. Glenn, the statement
said, failed to heed a block signal
warning him the track was not clear
ahead.
Glenn, who was. fifty-seven years old,
was with the railroad for thirty-f1ve
years and in that time did not have a
mark against his record. He was killed
when he jumped from his cabin just
before the crash. He lived in st. Louis.
Edward Tinsley, also of st. Louis,
fireman of the fast passenger train,
remained at his post and was injured
seriously.
When Engineer Glenn's bod.' was
found, lying nearby were written
orders for him to pull over on siding
at Cliff Cave, ten miles north Of here,
to allow Sunshine Special No. ]" en-
route from st. Louis to Texas Points,
to pass.
1t was the opinion Of the assistant
general manager that Glenn failed to
heed the block signal set against his
train because he was reading the other
orders when he passed the block.
Both Train No. and the local train,
known as No. 80, were behind time.
Engineer Glenn's train carried 1SO and
the local 100 passengers.
Besides the five wooden day coaches,
there was a baggae car and an express
car in the local. Passengers were sent
hurtling down into the ravine with the
coaches or were crushed to death in
their seats.
The place where the wreck occurred
IT. Of
Louis.
The dead and injured were spread
over several city blocks, and chicken
crates. automobile cushions, baggags
and the railroad trucks constituted
their couches. This little village OF 100
inhabitants was unable to care for the
injured, and they, along with the dead,
were taken to st. Louis and De Soto.
DR.. w. w. Hull was the only physician
administering to the injured for sew
eral hours until relief trains arrived.
Had 1 had some assistance we
might have saved some of the dying,
DIR. Hull told press representative.
"At one time I was trying to treat
TWENTY-FIVE persons simultaneously"
The cries of the injured had to go
unheeded in many cases. Mothers
begged for news Of their babies and
children cried for their parents One
fourteen-month-old child, unable to tell
her name, was found mile from the
scene of the disaster asking for
mama" A woman from st. Louis
took her in charge.
One of the saddest cases reported
was that of the Degania ,amily, of st.
Louis. Five of the family of six were
killed and the father is reported dying
in a st. Louis hospital. Four of the
Degania children, Mildred, seven years
old; Ralph, six; Melvin, five, and Rob.
ert. fourteen months, lay dead to the
right of their father before he could be
removed, and Mrs. Degania lay dead
to his left.
Mildred had been mumbling audibiy
the Lords Prayer and just as she re-
cited "Thy will be done" death sealed
her lips.