The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-07
Dead Engineer of Fast Train
Which Hit Local Blamed.
That He Disregarded Signals Is
Story of Crew Members.
DEATH TRAINS INTO ST. LOUIS
Crowds Which Fear Relatives
May Have Died See Arrival.
Young Girls Ministered to the
Dying, Acting as Physicians.
tRr the Associated Press.l

Sulphur Springs, Mo-. Aug. Eye
witnesses were summoned today be-
fore a coroner's jury at DeSoto, Mo,
to recount details of the rear-end col
lision of two Missouri Pacific trains
here Saturday when thirty-seven are
known to have been killed and 1SS
injured.
investigation of circumstances which
caused the disaster, the worst train
wreck in the history of this part cf
the country. While Matt Glenn, dead
engineer of the fast train which
plowed thru four coaches of the local
train near the station. was blamed fJr
the accident, according to the version
of John Cannon, assistant general
manager OF the road. relatives of ;tc
dead and injured Joined In demanding
a thoro investigation.
Block Signals i'm Order.
This was promised by authorities OF
Jefferson county. The crews of both
trains were summoned by the coroner
to give their versions of the accident.
Officials of the road, including Mr..
Cannon, declared that the block sig
naiE were found to be in order after
the crash occurred, and all were
unanimous in their assertion that En-
gineer Glenn did not heed the warn
ing signal.
All day yesterday rescuers re-
moved bits of wreckage in their
search.
Pathos and Horror Mingle.
Tales of many miraculous escapes
were repeated, mingled with stories
fpathos and horror
Stories of young girls offering their
assistance in caring for the injured
and dead were numerous. Some were
seen hurryinR from one victim to an
other, bandaging their injuries. wash
ing their wounds and giving what as
sistance they could.
Local Was on Main Track.
The block signal system is an emer-
gency precaution, designed to protect
trains when other precautions failed.
1t is not intended to do away vita
other precautions. But it appeared,
in advance of the official inquiry. that
other precautions were neglected in
this case and everything was left to
the block signal, which then was not
needed. 1t seems that observance of
the signal would have prevented the
disaster.
At the same time it has not been
explained why the local train was on
the main track at a time when the ex-
press was overdue.
Had No. 80 taken the side track at
Sulphur Springs and waited until the
passing of No 4, before going on the
main track to take water, 1t would
have made a safe, tho much beiated
arrival in st. Louis.
The events Immediately preceding
the wreck were related by the tele-
graph operator at Riverside, which Is
three miles south of Sulphur Springs.
st. Louis. Aug. Appalling hor-
rors of the Sulphur Springs, Mo, train
wreck were brought the homes OF
st, Louis relatives of victims when
two trains bearing scores OF dead and
injured arrived here from the scene of
the disaster.
Injured Tell Their Story.
Faces gray with anxiety peered thru
the grating in frantic efforts TO catch
gIimpses Of the shrouded bodies. as
they were taken to waiting automo-
biles.
For hours before the arrival of the
death trains crowds surged thru the
station seeking word that might allay
their fears.
Crowds gathered at the city morgue,
where IS dead were taken after their
arrival on the relief trains. which also
brought many injured. who were
rushed to hospitals. The injured who
were able to talk brought with them
of pathog and horror.
One Heroine Is Frustrated.
Broken under the strain of her serv-
! ices as volunteer nurse for injured
from the i'll fsted local train, Miss
Florence Steingruby. "a. lay in her
home in Maplewood. suburb, suffer-
| Ing from nervous prostration, while
| her sister. Mabel, was recovering from
| injuries received when she was hurled
against a seat
After caring for scores of injured
/ at the scene of the wreck Miss Stein.
fgruby assisted in bringing here J. e.
Tinsley. injured fireman of the flyer.
| who on its race to st. Louis crashed
thru the coaches of the local.