The Mankato free press., 1923-10-05

-swoilen by rcrrlIic rains, the
water OF Big Goose and Little
Goose creeks left their banks
early this morning and dashed
over WIDE sections Of Sheridan.
Scores Of residents in the river
bottom, sections began paekinR
their belongings preparatory TO
moving to places OF safety.
The water lis standing one TO
three feet In. various sections OF
the town.
Casper Wyo.. September 2S.~-
Burlington passenger train NO. 50.
hound for Denver, which plunged
into Cole creek early last night,
went into a raging torrert causing
q loss of life estimated carry hls
morning at approximately forty per
sons. =,
the stream could be heard for three
miles. What ordinarily is a dry
creek during the summer was sua :
denly swollen into torrent by the
heavy rains of yesterday.
A track walker had inspected the
,culyert over Cole creek less tnan an
hour before the passenger train WAS
due. He reported everything ali
right, though the stream was nslng'
Swept AROUND curve =
About $40 p. m. the Denver Lrain
iswept around a curve and plunged
into p the stream. Apparently the To-
connective got clear across the cul :
vert before It gave way under the
weight, OF the heavy train. Then II
slipped back into the water, ana Dotn
engineer and fireman were killed.
.,M One passenger car, buried in the
stream, was swept 100 yards out
into the Platte River. Wyomlng
largest stream. II Is believed that
ali occupants Of this coach perished.
because by the time rescuers could
give any =. aid the water had com :
pletely buried the car as II turned
over on it's side. Platte river Is
more than a mile wide at point
ear the wreck.
.e Most In sIeepers Saved
Probably only four sleeping car
rowning. From twenty TO tweIS
our passengers were rescued from
he top OF the sleeper which was
artially submerged In the stref. l.
Neither the Cheyenne nor Caster
leepers went into the stream. :!
eecue train from Casper arrived a.
he scene OF the wreck at eleven p.
n, and Immediately 1t was seen
hat the best chance OF rescue was
v means OF a rope arrangement
trung from the east bank. There
we're from twenty TO twenty Tour
sersons on top OF the sleeper, all
,egging 10 be rescued.
The most thrilling portion OF the
escue 'scene then ensued. A big
able rope obtained at the Big Mud
odl field, was thrown over to the
narooned sleeper. ..'
Slow Progress Rescue
with the headlight OF the loco
motive OF the relief train playing on
he scene, the slow process or res =
ue IN this manner proceeded. Men,
yomen and children went hand ov-
hand from the sleeper to the east
ank, q distance OF more than l5O
and hold OF the rope, only 70 re :
ain their balance and save them :
elves from dropping into the water.
After their periious trip. several
women fell into dead faint and
ad to be carried TO waiting cars.
4 man carried q baby In his arms
rom the marooned car TO the banK
nd almost miraculously enected
OS the injured brought to Caspe!
early this morning, few are injured
Water Rapidly Raising
No bodies have been recovered
from the wreck because on the rag
ing stream and constantly rising
II was still raining at the scene
OF the wreck early this morning
One sleeper was left on the train
where il had been derailed At the
brink Of the stream.
Occupants were sleeping in the
car.
Aside from two dim railroad arc
lights, there WAS not a light visible
at the scene. OF the wreck, and II
cation of the different cars in the
tream or jammed against the east
ank.
Searching the Wreckase
UndertRkers left Casper at hye
clock this morning to search the
Greckage. Undertakers also have
cen notified at Douglas to cooper.
N the same special train for the
The police at Glen Rock have
cen notified and will cooperate IN
reventing any robbtng Of the bo-
les. Cities down the Platte river
lave been notified to be on the
ookout for floating bodies on bo
, les washed ashore.
It Is believed that II will be twen
y-four hours or more before many
odies can be taken from the SUB
merged cars because OF the high
water. Most of those drowned may
ave been washed out Of the cars
ecause of the terrific current:
One Of the lightest ticket sales in
ears was reported here by the Bur
ington and 1t is believed that the
nal list OF persons aboard the train
will show. not more than seventy
missing. -. -..
.-- Is Lucky Man
Lloyd A. Jackson, an engineer
considers himself q lucky man to-
day. Yesterday afternoon he refus-
Cd to answer the call boy stating
that he did not want 70 take his
regular run, out OF Casper becartse
Of the heavy rainfall and dangerous
condition OF the roadbed. As re
suit, Eugene Spangler. not the reg
ular engineer for this nun, took the
train out of Denver. He Is reported
among the missing and II ID beliey.
ed that he was killed In the wreck
when his locomotive plunged back
wards into the stream.
The scene OF the dispater 's
isolated spot on the Burlington, the
nearest communication Dee .--- >
miles away. @ .....
Rains Raised River
The nncrtYrad ahNlt fer