Evening star., 1938-06-20
Torrent Sweeps Over Wreckage.
BY THORSTEN THORsON.

AWfeut sweeps over Wreckage.
BY ELLIS LUND
MILES CITY. Mont. June 20.-The
shock OF the crash was such that an
injury I had once had on my right
side returned to pain me anew.
When we looked out into the dark
ness we saw an awful sight. There
were the cars behind ours which were
all under the water and we knew that
in them lay many who must have
died by drowning. The sleeping cars
were under water as the raging torrent
swept over the wreckage. One of these
cars was standing practically parallel
to the banks almost in the middle Of
the stream. One or two of the cars
were out of sight entirely.
1t seemed to take a long time to
get in touch with anybody on the
train who knew what to do. There we
were in the creek, water surging and
rushing along down to the big Yellow
stone River. One of the sleeping cars
was reared up almost upright so
strong was the current sweeping down
b the larger river.
1t was a black morning through
which the train was rushing. The
wind was blowing into a roar. Moth
ing but flashes Of lightning showed
what was going on out in that open,
isolated country beyond the windows
as Mr.. Thorson and I stared out at 1t.
The noise of the train was dimmed
tn some extent by the wind blowing.
Then. suddenly. when the train was
on the bridge. there came precipitous
stop and there was terror in me even
before realized that something was
happening.
The bridge gave way, bent forward
BY the rushing torrent, and away went
bridge and train into the water.
We are glad We were able to help
those who were hurt get out of the
ear.
Newspa per Alliance, Inc.)
bridge Broken Like Straw.
N. r. Kester. advertising man
soer OF the Miles City fMont.)
Star. pns one OF the first to piew
the Olyrnpinn Wreck. from the air.
Here IL his account
By h. 4. KESTER.
written for the Associated Press)
MILES CITY. Mont, June 10 lPl-
A cloudburst of unprecedented pro-
portions falling along the short course
or Custer Creek sent q great wall of
water down a gulch that drops from
the bench above, against the Mil
waukee steel and concrete bridge with
such force that 1t was washed out as
II IT had been so much straw.
Milwaukee No. IS (the Olympian)
coming along shortly afterward. drove
ss full speed into the gap and piled
up. with nearly all its IL cars crashing
Into the waters.
Viewed from the air it was rs
though some great force had set about
10 scramble the train and create everv
possible hazard. and at the same time
select a spot where aid was almost en-
tirely impossible.
The disaster struck in the dead of
night and the first word came through
hours later and for q considerab BILE
time all that could be learned was
scraps Of news dropped here and
there.
was in bed at home when a tele-
phone call came.
1 called Bill Albright, an aerial
photographer, and then got Bill Nc
Connell, also in Government map max
ing service. and flew out to the scene
Of the wreck.
As we approached the scene. I was
surprised to be able to count only
fo,1r or five coaches.
could see no sign Of the bridge
Itself and concluded it was submerged
also. How any one could have escaped
death or drowning in any of the cars
that plunged off the bridge was i'm
possible to understand.
Never Thought Of Wreck,
ny JOHN STARLBERG.
written for the Associated Press)
MILES CITY, Mont. June 1s.-I
was In the ninth car. Well, all know
Is there was jar, or several Jars. AZ
AaHh car u,ay,t over