The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-10-04

into the river An official message
from the scene of the wreck last night
told of the difficulties under which
the rescuers were working and held
out little hope for the many passen-
gers known to have been in the coach
and smoking car. The engine crew,
the baggage and mail employees are
also believed to have lost thier lives
The engine and coaches were COM
pletely under water.
Seven doctors from Casper dressed
the injuries of those cut by glass and
sustaining bruises, but reported that
none was dangerously injured. 5
Thrilling Rescues Made.
The rescue of eight persons, includ-
ing women and baby, was one of the
most spectacular features of the
wreck. A rope was run from the pas
senger coach to the Glen Rock side
of the creek and the eight people made
their way to the shore, by working
their way over the rope, hand over
hand.
An unidentified man remained on
the coach to the~last, directing the
rescue, and made the last trip by him
self, carrying an infant with him.
Dan j. McQuaide, of Denver, who
was passenger in the Denver sleep
ing car, was the first to give news
of the disaster and he announced that
in his opinion at least one hundred
lives were lost. Other survivors were
of the same opinion and the night
Burlington dispatcher here when told
of McQuaide's statement, said that the
loss would be at least that"
Several men and women managed
to crawl from the coaches which
plunged into the river, and clinging
to the top of the cars, screamed for
help, according to Henry Wyatt, of
Casper, who was a passenger in a
Pullman car which plunged half
way into the river and remained
standing on end.
! Nothing could be done to save
them," Mr.. Wyatt declared, "as the
creek was a raging torrent.
River a Raging Torrent.
II had just started for my berth
from the smoking compartment in the
front end of the car, when the wreck
occurred The train seemed to slacken
its speed suddenly and then the car
was in toppled over, the front part
resting on the bed of the creek and
the rear pointing up in the air.
"There was no scrambling or commo-
ton, everybody just set to work open
ing the windows and getting out. A
Pullman porter passed me rope with
which he dragged me up on the bank
and | counted six others besides my
self who escaped.
st appeared that a cloudburst had
occurred recently as the creek re-
coded two feet before I started back
for Casper.
zone of the cars in the river, about
% feet from the bank, appeared to
be only half under water. Whether
this was the chair car or the smoker
/ do not know"
According to previous reports, the
smoking car was crowded with men.
The local ticket agent reported that
he had sold sixty-six tickets from
Casper for this train which was made
up here and was bound for Denver
The Official Report. =
An official railroad message from
the scene of the wreck late last
night was as follows:
Sleeper standing on one end.
Bank caved off and sleeper fell in
stream, now covered with water; one
end of c and S chair car above water.
Two passengers got out of this car.
Coach and smoker, baggage and mail
car under water. Water running so
high and swift unable to work from
east bank. Number of people on east
side doing all they can to assist.
Out of total of 80 Pullman pas
sengers on No. thirty, % have been
accounted for.
Pullman conductor thinks two
others got away sSfely.
Lost porter in sleeper. Train con-
ductor lost unless he got out on east
side. Cannot say about engine crew.
Undoubtedly considerable number of
passengers in smoker and coaches.
Doing all we can for relief. Peo-
pie in coaches and smoker. Unable to
make more definite report until day
light. Details later. Will need
wrecker, complete with material"
This message was received from
the Burlington superintendent who
went to the scene of the wreck.
Terrific rains have been falling in
the district.
The train left Casper at S:35 last
night. 1t was made up of mail, ex-
press and baggage car, two chair cars,
and two Pullman sleepers.
Tie scene of the wreck isl in q sandy
rolling type of country. Near the
place Coal Creek flows into the Platte
river from the north. The creek runs
along the south side of the Burlington
tracks for about a quarter of mile.
The Platte is barely a stones throw
from the railroad tracks, where Coal
Greek empties into the larger stream,
and it was at this spot that the ILL
fated passenger train plunged into