Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1892 — WITHOUT A WARNING. [ARTICLE]

WITHOUT A WARNING.

SEVEN PEOPLE KILLED IN A SANTA FE WRECK. In the Midst of a Howling Storm the Transcontinental Express Plunges Through a Bridge—The Disaster Caused by a Tremendous Raln-FalL Down to Death. Without a word of warning, in tho midst of a frightful storm, the east,bound transcontinental express on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, filled with human beings wrapped in slumber, plunged through a trestle weakened by rain to death at about 1:45 Thursday morning, between Revere and Medill in Missouri, about 265 miles from Chicago. It was a frightful night, the rain fell as It never fell before, and only an occasional flash of lightning could be seen in tho gloom. The great express had come through from San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Mexico to Kansas City on time. On arriving at Kansas City at 4:40 Wednesday afternoon orders were received to hold' it until 6:40, and run to Chicago on the time of the Denver limited, which was very late. At 6:40 the train, which was composed of a postal car, a baggage car, smoker, chair car, tourist sleeper, and two Pullman coaches, commenced its run to Chicago. All went well until a pile and trestle bridge over tho Fox River near Revere was reached. This bridge was about 175 feet long and 30 feet high. Two hours before the transcontinental express struck the bridge a heavy freight train passed over it in safety, but the pouring rain had swollen the raging torrent which rushed beneath the rails to a miniature Niagara, which finally carried the bridge out of line, yet left It standing and, so far as the engineer on the locomotive could see, all right. With wheels turning slowly for safety’s sake, for the storm was terrific, the train crawled slowly on the bridge. The engine crossed in safety. Then the bridge went down. Only the engine and rear sleeper were not precipitated into tho swiftly flowing waters which coursed through the ravine below. Five cars, with their load of human freight wearied into deep sleep with a long trip, and the remains of the bridge sank together in one conglomerate mass of crushed timbers, torn and twisted iron work and mangled humanity. Then came a wild cry from the wounded and dying rising above the noise of the storm. Lighted to their work of rescue, the engineer and fireman from one side of the stream and the uninjured occupants of the rear sleeper from the opposite bank hurried to give what aid was possible to thoße in the ravine. Men sprang from the windows of the wreoked cars, and fighting their way through whirling waters filled with debris reached the banks and fell exhausted. Not less than seven and possibly nine or more sank in the wreck to die. Twenty-five are known to have been injured. wires went down in the storm and only meager information reached Chicago regarding the wreck. Third Vice President J. D. Springer of the Atchison, and W. F. White, the passenger traffic manager, used every effort to obtain full details of the. accident, and freely furnished all information in their power to the reporters and anxious relatives of passengers who besieged the Atchison offices demanding information. It was with great difficulty that messages could be put through, but the Atchison officials received the following list of dead and injured, which was at once made public: Killed —William Hynes, Oklahoma City, Ok.; Lou Murkel(or Markee)Kansas City, Mo.; Luther Cornelius, Klrkville, Mo.; 8. E. Verkler, Westport, Mo.; John C. Grones, Macon, Mo.; lady and child, names unknown. A press dispatch confirms this list, and adds an unknown child, the engineer, and fireman as killed. This is not confirmed by the Atchison report from the officers on the ground to Vice President Springer, and regarding the engineer afad flrerrian was denied, as the locomotive crossed the bridge in safety. Injured .J. Tucker, conductor, Downers’ Grove; Martin Regan,’brakeman; W. A. Isham, brakoman, Riverside;. Andrew J, Ronajj, express messenger; Claud 801 l and R. E. Butcher, postal clerks; Mrs. Jane Hißey, Riversjdej J. C. Winslow, H. M. Cutler, H. C. Cowling, and N. Lanoaster, Chicago; W. A. Allen and Mrs. E. T. Allen, Athens, Pa.; Robert Schultz, Lexington Junction, Mo.; J. F. Hartgen, Reading, Pa.; William Adams, 0. L. Boys, J. Gunther, W. B. Barnes, J. H. Snider, S. H. Laugh, J. Mason, F. Graves, and W. G. Smith.

In addition to this there Is an unconfirmed report that an Italian woman and child were injured. Tho extent of the injuries could not be ascertained. The Atohison was in very bad shape. Superintendent 11. C. Ives started for the wreck early, but was confronted with three feet of water on the track at Lockport. The road was also under water east of Fort Madison, between Fort Madison and the wreck, and wires were down in places for many miles in length. The oast-bound Denver express, which followed the transcontinental express, attempted to run around the wreck on the Keokuk and Western branch of the Burlington, but was stoppod by a landslide a few miles out of Keokuk.

The accident seems to have been one of those unfortunate events that human foresight qan not guard against. The bridge was as strong as such a structure could be built, but tho heavy rains of the last few weeks, crowned by the awful storm of Wednesday night, so weakened it (that it went under. The accident will cost the Atchison over SIOO,OOO, and probably $150,000.