The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-09-29
SO Killed
in
Train Plunges Through Bridge
Weakened by Rain-Swol-
len Creek-Roar Heard
Three Miles.
Storm Delays Rescuers

casper, WyO., sept. Zo.-fSdln anu
snow continued to fall intermittenly
this afternoon as workers at the scene
of last nights wreck OF Burlington
train No. 80 strove to find ways and
means of reaching victims known to
be imprisoned in watery graves.
Roads in the vicinity of the wreck
were impossible.
Out in the Sandy loam county near
Lockett, Wyo., Is miles east OF Cas-
per. where creeks generally are but
a little larger than irrigation bitches.
a furious, lashing current tonight is
sweeping over the wrecked remains
of what at the same hour last night
was the crack Casper-Denyer Bur
lington railrod train No. 80.
The train, composed of a locomo-
tive, baggage, mail and express cars.
and two day coaches and two Pull
mans, plunged through a bridge
across Coal creek shortly after leav-
ing here at 8:35 last night. All OF
the train except the rear Pullman
dropped into the torrent. 1t is be-
lever that about 40 persons lost their
lives. No rescue work was attempted
tonight because of darkness, high wa
ters and the extreme isolation OF
the scene of the wreck"
As the day wore on. newspaper re-
porters noticed that the submerged
cars slowly were setting in the flood
waters.
No additional bodies were recov-
cred from the wreck this afternoon
and the known dead consist of Mich
olas Schmetz OF Douglas, Wyo.. and
D. E. Schultz of Casper. baggage
man, and an unknown man who was
beating his way on the trucks of the
baggage cars.
It is impossible to accurately esti-
mate the total toll of lives taken by
the wreck. Generally. a conservative
estimate OF dead is believed TO be
40. Some persons maintain many
others lost their lives, while railroad
say fewer persons were
lost.
The death figure probably will not
be known for many days. Out of ap-
proximately so persons believed 20
have been passengers on the train,
about 40 have been accounted for in
the list OF dead and survivors. The
estimate Is based on statements
made by passengers who passed
through the da ycoaches prior to
the wreck. These coaches still are
submerged
Hundreds OF people visited the
scene of the wreck. They gazed at
the wrecked express car and saw the
legs Of a man clad in faded blue
overalls, the feet dangling In the
water. In the vestibule of the same
car. the body of a man, hanging face
downward. could be seen. And while
they stood helpless, unable to reach
the victims, the angry current roared
over the sides OF the car. To at
tempt to reach the imprisoned bodies
meant death in the swollen stream.
The figure OF an aged man. stand
ing with bowed head. staring into
the water began to attract attention.
The cold rain and occasional snow
beat down on his face, mingling with
his tears. He was the father of
Orrie Mallon. fireman of the ill-fated
train. There was not a trace of his
boys engine to be seen.
List Of Missing.
a partial list Of missing. compiled At
$50 this aftern9on, follows; Charles A
gomery, Denver: q. Il. Nelli' Denver; o
f. Ganks. Denver; H. Watkins. negro
porter CASPER j. w. Goff conductor.
W. +. Henricks, railway mail clerk.
Casper ollie Malon. fireman. Casper:
r. J. klive. brakeman. Casper: Guy Girls
void. center street. Casper. Mrs. Minnie
Owens. Casper: w. Martin Casper, r. /
Gierhart Denver
Known survivors: L. Krews brakeman,
Cheyenne: John Downs. Littleton Colo:
J; NJ. Shirley. Customs building. Denver:
Y.n.v'as yer Mrs Bon su.Iyan, Casper WyS
Wyatt. Casper. wyo.; a. d. Lewis Den
yer accountant: J. ]. Giblin. Denver: Dan
!; Mcclure. Denver; G Davis. ,2727 West
Mullock. ThermopoiIs: NJ Morwltz ad
dress unknown: George Evenson, Casper.
Mr.. and Mrs Charles Beck. Douglas, Du-
bois. wyo.: Mr. and Mrs. w. +. Mcclure.
California: %, J. Danker. bro nrooklne; line;
Powell. 1901 Washington street. San
Francisco. Mrs Raleigh. Brown and two
children. formerly OF casperu. en- route
70 ogden; Utah; , W; Melsilz. d,,,lis psnyer: nyo
Gene Gene Carbon carson. address unknown: II, NJ
Gallagher. Denver: ". n. Douglas. Den
yer: Miss Eva Boyer. Glenroek. or Doug
las Wyo. John Spurgin. Salt Creek
Wyo. Gus @; Phillips, barber, OIL hln 5ehn
2.It IA IA