Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-08-07
80 PERSONS ARE
KILLED AND 1877
HURT IN WRECK
0NM.P. RAILWAY
Engineers Failure to Heed
a Block Signal Causes
Rear End Collision at Sui
phur Springs, Mo-.
PASSENGERS CRUSHED
TO DEATH IN SEATS
Two Coaches Hurled Down
a 50-foot Ennbankment,
As Fast Passenger Crash
eS Into a Local Train
(Ry The Associnted Press.l

sulphur Springs. Mo-, Aug. (by
the Associated Press) Failure of
an engineer to heed block signal
caused the rear end collision on
the Missouri Pacific here last night
In which thirty-eight persons were
killed and 1877 injured. twenty-five
seriously, according to John Cam
non, assistant general manager of
the road
Irain No. 4. fast passenger.
vestibuled, steel train, running at
Iull speed. crashed into No. go, a
local composed of five wooden day
coaches, a baggage and an express
car, as the engine was taking on
water with the coaches stretching
pack on trestle over Glaise creek.
The impact hurle two of the
local coaches down a 50-foot en-
bankment edging the Mississippi
and telescoping four other coaches,
crushing number of passengers
to death in their seats. Both trains
were behind time and the fast pas
senger running from Fort Worth,
Tex, to st. Louis carried $50 pas
Failed to Heed Warming.
According to Mr.. Cannon, Matt
Ginger Glenn of st. Louis, engineer
of the fast passenger, failed to heed
a block signal warning him that
the track was not clear ahead.
Glenn, 81 years old. an engineer
for thirty-seven years without a
black mark against his record, was
killed when he JUMPED from his
cab just before the crash. Edward
Tinsley, also of st. Louis fireman
of No. 4. remained at his post and
was injured seriously.
Engineer Glenn. shortly before
arriving in Sulphur Springs, re-
ceived orders "on the rum to pull
over on siding at Cliff Cave. ten
miles north of here to allow "Sun-
shine Special No. l." en- route from
st. louis 10 Texas points, to pass
and Mr.. Cannon explained the en-
eineer failed to heed the block
signal because he apparently was
reading these orders when heypass-
ed the block. ,'he orders were
found near his body.
AGhouls on the Scene.
Ghouls appeared on the scene
shortly after the crash and robbed
the dead and dying of wheatever
they could. Only one was arrested.
however, and he said he was Will
liam Hall of st. Louis. Several
pieces of wearing apparel taken
from the unfortunate We're found
on his person and a bible was in
his waist. The bible, it was said
had been the property of the Rev.
V. o. Pensey of De Soto cone of
those killed.
The dead and injured were
spread over an area of several city
blocks and chicken crates, automo-
bile cushions. ggage and the
railroad tracks constituted their
couches. This little village Of $50
inhabitants was unable to under
take the task of caring for the IN
jured and they along with the dead
were taken to st. Louis and De
Soto. DR.. w. W. Hull of this viii
lage was the only physician admin
istering to the injured for several
hours until relief trains arrived
'Had some assistance we might
have saved some of the dying"
DR.. Hull told representative of
the Associated Press. ''At one time
was trying to treat twenty-five
persons simultaneously"
Cries of the Injured.
The pitiful cries of the injured
could be heard for blocks. Mothers
begged for news Of their babies
and children cried for their par
ents. One IA months old child
who was unable to tell her name
was found a mile from the scene
of the disaster asking for "Mam-
ma" A woman from St. Louis |
took her in charge.
One of the saddest scenes re-
ported was that Of the Degonia |
family of st. LOUIS. Four of the
family of six were killed and the |
father is reported dying in a st.
Louis hospital.
Mr.. Degonia in his scmi-de-
Iirium reached over and grasp
ed his infant son to his breast,
repeated between groans of
pain. "Tlank God, Bobby,
we're all alive" not knowing
the hearts i'm the breasts of his
wife and children were still.
Thirty-four Known Dead.
Thirty-four dead have been ac-
counted for but the death toll is
expected to exceed this number by |
at least a dozen as in the confu-
sion several bodies were hustled |
upon the relief trains before being |
checked. Many of the bodies could |
not be identified because their ef-
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