Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-29
RAGING TORRENT
AFTER CLOUDBURST
PREVENTS RESCUES
Checkup on Toll in Wyo-
ming Rail Disaster May
Wait for Stream to Sub
side

DENVER, Col, Sept. 2S.-A .spe-
cial to the Post from Casper, Wyo.,
says one of the submerged cars Of
Burlington train No. 80, which
plunged into Cole creek near Casper,
last night, has been pulled from the
stream, and eight persons were found
alive in it.
CASPER, Wyo., Sept. '2S. - Esti-
mates of the number of persons who
lost their lives last night when Bur
lington passenger train No. 80
plunged into Cole creek near here
differed at o'clock this morning.
The lowest figures placed the dead
at forty. a railroad telegraph opera
tor at Glen Rock, near the scene Of
the wreck, and who assisted in the
rescue work. said he thought the
death list might mount to 100.
All rescue work had to be tempo.
rarily abandoned at , o'clock this
morning. 1t began showing about
that hour, after ~ hours of continu-
GUS rainfall.
The scene Of the wreck is about
II miles east of Casper. in u sandy
rolling country, near where Cole
creek flows in to the Platte river
from the north. The river runs
along the south side of the Burlins-
ton tracks for about d quarter of d
mile.
! River Beside Tracks
| The Platte is barely u stones
throw from the railroad tracks where
Cole creek empties into the LAGER
stream, and it was at this spot that
the ill-fated passenger train plunged
into what ordinarily is a dry creek.
Terrific rains have been falling i'll
the district.
The train left Casper at S:S5
o'clock last night. 1t was made up
of mail, express and baggage car,
two chair cars and two Pullman
| Sleepers.
Several bodies were removed early
today from partly submerged cars.
but names of victims are lacking.
The first bodies removed were taken
to Glen Cross, small station easI
of the scene of the wreck across the
Platte river from Glenrock. 1t is
| probable several bodies We're washed
down stream.
30 Survivors Res ~
A relief train which returned to
| Casper during the night brought
back some 30 survivors, most OF
them from rear Pullmans of The
train, which escaped the washout.
May of these people, minus their
clothes, were still in a car at the
station here this morning.
Among those believed to have per-
! ished in the wreck were Train Con
ductor Guy Goof. of Cheyenne; Ed
Spangler, engineer, of Grey Bull, ana
Ollie Mallon, fireman, of Casper.
The bridge gave way, according to
| best reports, before the engine was
FAR out on the structure. The bag
| gage coach followed apparently slid
ing into the torrent on top Of the
locomotive ana breaking wide open
as il lunged to the far SIDE OF the
creek. The smoking car, in which
| the greatest loss of life is believed
to have occurred, was completely sub
merged and swung around parallel to
the stream. This coach helped to
save the lives Of some in the chair
car, on end of which was lifted out
of the water by resting on the smo-
ker. Only one Pullman went into
the flood.
The roar of water over cars in
the stream could be heard for three
miles. What ordinarily is a dry
creek during the summer was sWoi-
len suddenly unto a torrent by the
heavy rains of~yesterday.T
Bridge just Inspected
A track walker had inspected the
culvert over Cole creek less than ali
hour before the Burlington train
vas due. He reported everything all
right. although the stream was ris-
ing. ...
Probably only four sleeping car pas.
sengers lost their lives by drowning.
From twenty to twenty four passen-
gers were rescued from the top of a
sleeper which was partially sub
merged in the stream.
Neither the Cheyenne nor Casper
sleepers went into the stream.
A rescue train from Casper arrived
at the scene of the wreck at 1 p. M,
and Immediately it was seen that the
best chance Of rescue was by means
of rope arrangement strung from
twenty to twentyfour persons on top
of the sleeper. all begging to be res.
oUed.
Thrilling Rope Rescue
The most thrilling portion Of the
rescue scene then ensued. A big
cable rope obtained at the Big Mud
dy Oil field was thrown over to the
marooned sleeper.
With the headlight Of the locofno-
tive OF the relief train playing On the
scene, the slow process Of rescue in
en- and children went hand over hand
from the sleeper to the east bank, a
distance of more than $50 feet. Sew
eral times women lost one hand hold
Of the rope, only to regain their
grasp and save themselves from
dropping into the sweeping waters.
After their trip across the water,
several women fell into dead faint
and had to be carried to waiting
cars. A man carried a baby in his
arms from the marooned car to the
bank and almost n1iraculously af-
fected a rescue.
OF the injured brought to Casper
early this morning few are severely
hurt.
1t was still raining at the scene
Of the wreck early this morning..
One sleeper was left on the track
where it had been derailed at the
brink of the stream.
Undertakers left Casper at 5
o'clock this morning to search the