Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-18
EIGHT ARE KILLED
AS STRAIN NPLUNGES
THROUGH BRIDGE
Seven Passengers and Pull.
man Porter Are Victims in
Colorado Wreck.

DENVER, Colo. July 1S (p.-
Eight persons were killed and more
than score injured in the wreck
near Stratton, Colo, early today of
the west-bound Colorado express of
the Rock Island lines, several cars
OF which plunged through bridge
weakened by sudden flood follow
ing cloudburst.
BY the Associated Press.
DENVER, Colo, July 18.-Twelve
persons we're reported to have been
killed when Rock Island passenger train
No. S, westbound from Chicago, plunged
into Landsman Creek, near Stratton
Colo, $50 miles east of Denver, shortly
after o'clock this morning.
According to report received by the
Denver Post from its Stratton corre-
spondent. the train plunged through a
weakened bridge and one of the Pull
mans on the all-Pullman train was sub
merged in the creek bed. First reports
stated that II persons were known to
have drowned and there were reports
that this number probably would be in
creased to 20.
The creek, ordinarily dry wash, had
become raging torrent during the last
"A hours as result Of extremely heavy
rains during that period.
Physicians Rush to Scene.
All physicians at Stratton and Bur-
lington, as we'll as Limon, Colo, have
been rushed to the scene and wrecking
crews have been dispatched from Colo
RADIO Springs, the Western terminus Of
the road.
Morris Gest, theatrical producer Of
New York City. en- route to Denver. was
said to have bsen passenger on the
train.
A highway bridge paralleling the
railroad bridge was washed out. AM
balances and doctors from east and
west of the wreck we're being delayed
in reaching the scene by high water.
An automobile road which parellels
will be difflcult, said telephone reports.
It was estimated that it would take
four hours for the water to lower SUM-
GENTLY to begin operations.
Only the train crew were awake when
the train plunged into the racing tor
rent. Approximately 500 passengers
were asleep in their berths.
Carries 20 Coaches.
The train, which is through pas
senger from the East, carried 20 coaches.
Four of these. including the baggage
car and the locomotive, went into the
creek. The heavy load on the train was
attributed to Summer tourist travel.
An automobile road which parallels
the railroad for some distance, was flve
feet under water at the scene Of the
accident. This prevented any one from
reaching the scene Immediately.
The car in which the victims were
trapped asleep pitched into the water
at a 45-degree angle. The water was
reported to be from to 10 feet deep.
A cloudburst looSed to inches OF
water in the region last night. The water
was slowly receding from higher ground
this morning, but gullies and cuts were
still filled. Roads were washed out in
every direction and highway bridges
went out before the torrent.
Rescue Work Begun.
DR.. Henry L. williams of Flagler, 26
miles from the wreck, was the first TO
reach the scene. DR.. o. p. Kenney.
coroner of Burlington, Colo, came
shortly after, and the two, with pas
sengers, began rescue work.
Pullman passengers, clad only IN
night clothes, gave what aid they could
in rescuing others caught in cars and
tossed about by the flood water.
The bridge swept away was about IS
feet long. It was a wooden structure
and was across sand draw on a
straight stretch of track. The water
at the wreck was reported running 100
yards wide.
One report said that screams Of the
women and children rose above the roar
Of the rushing water.