Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-08-07

St. Louis to Texas points, to pass,
and Mr.. Cannon explained the en-
gineer failed to heed the signal be-
cause he apparently was reading
these orders when he passed the
block. The orders were found near
his body.
Ghouls appeared on the scene
shortly after the crash and robbed
the dead and dying. Only one was
arrested and he said he was William
Hall of st. Louis. Several pieces of
wearing apparel taken from the VIC
tins were 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. Pensley of Desoto,
one of those killed.
The dead and injured were spread
over an area of several city blocks,
and chicken crates, automobile cush-
ions. baggage and the railroad tracks
constituted their couches. This lit
tie village of 80 inhabitants was
unable to care for the injured and
they, along with the dead, were
taken to st. Louis and Desoto. Dr.
w. w. Hull was the only physician
administering to the injured for sew
eral hours until a relief train ar
rived.
Had I had some assistance we
might have saved some of the dy-
ing" DR.. Hull told a representative
of the Associated Press. AT one
time 1 was trying to treat % persons
simultaneously
The cries of the injured had to
go unheeded in many cases. Moth
ers begged for news of their babies
and children cried for their parents.
One 14-months-old child. unable to
| tell her name, was found a mile
I from the scene of the disaster ask
| ing for Mamma" A woman from
! ST. Louis took her in charge.
/ One of the saddcst scenes reported
was that of the DeEonia family of
| st. Louis. -Four of the family of six
We're killed and the father is report.
| cd dying in a ST. Louis hospital
! Three of the Degonia children, Ralph
! 6; Melvin and Robert, IA months
| lay dead to the right of their father
before he could he removed and Mrs
Degonia lay dead to his left
| Mr.. Degonia in his delirium
clasped his infant son to his
| breast. repeating between groans
of pain. THANK God, Bobby, were
all alive" not knowing that all OF
the family had been killed.
In the confusion, several bodies
were hurried aboard the relief trains
before being checked. leaving the
! number of dead uncertain Mann
could not be identified because Their
effects had been scattered over such
a wide area.
The railroad tracks parallel tho
| Mississippi river, and the trestle or
| which the disaster occurred spans
GlaiZ creek where it enters the river
AS a result, a report was current
that Il number Of bodies We're
washed into the Mississippi, but
there was no way of verifying this
report.
Rescue was hampercd by lack OF
| light. This village is without cleo
! trlCitY and the rescue workers and
| morbidly curious made their way
| among the mass of twisted steel and
crumpled wooden coaches by the aid
of Kerosene torches and candles.
Thousands of persons visited the
scene late last night and today, anG
roads We're blocked for three miles
pr. Hull said bodies We're found
300 feet from the scene of the acct
dent. One body was buried waist
! deep in a bog. DR.. George w FL
| derS. coroner of jefferson county
said a thorough investigation of the
accident would be made.