People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1894 — MANY KILLED. [ARTICLE]

MANY KILLED.

Frightful Record Made by the Railroads. Wrecks on the Hock Island and Santa Fe Roads Result In the Death of Twenty-Six Persona WORK OF TRAIN WRECKERS. Lincoln, Neb., Aug. 18.—Train No. 8, an accommodation tram on the Rock Island road, called the "Fort Worth accommodation,” was wrecked Thursday night 4 miles from this cit3' by being thrown from a high trestle that crosses Salt creek to the ravine below. It is due to arrive here at 9:40 p. m. Thursday night it was about ten minutes late and was making up time, when it struck the trestle the rails immediately spread and the engine, drawing the two cars after it, went thtfmping along over the crossties for about 50 feet and then with a crash it fell 40 feet to the bed of the creek below. The engine burst and glowing coals ignited the wooden supports and the coaches behind it. and in a few moments the bridge, dry as tinder from its long exposure to the sun, was one mass of flames. The coaches piled one on top of the other were soon a seething mass of flames and many imprisoned amid the broken timbers of the cars were cremated. Twent3’-four bodies were recovered from the wreck. The list of injured is large. The police have arrested a colored man named George Davis, who is suspected of wrecking the train. Shortly after the wreck he applied to a hackman and asked to be driven up-town, sa3 - ing he had been on the train and lost his coat. He was seen with a crowbar near the place where the wreck occurred, it is asserted. The police sav they have evidence sufficient to convict. His motive is not known. A Fatal Wreck. Fort Madison, la., Aug. 14 Express and mail trains Nos. 4 anti 5 on the Atchison, Toßeka & Santa Fe road collided at 3 o’clock Sunday morning near Gibbs, Mo. Two were killed and several hurt. Both trains were running at high speed. The baggage, mail and express cars were demolished. The killed are George Coplinger, of, Chicago, express messenger on train No. 5, and E. R. Humphre3'S, of Kansas Cit3', engineer of train No. 4. The injured are: Daniel Daly, Fort Madison, la., engineer No. 5, shoulder badly hurt; E. E. Derrick, Chicago, baggageman No. 5, cut and bruised, may die;’ R. E. Dutcher, Chicago, mail clerk; Walter Durbin, Milwaukee, ankle cut; C. N. Elliott, Chicago, mail clerk; Martin Fogarty, Fort Madison, firemrn No. 5, badly burned; Holmes, Fort Madison, brakeman No. 5, head smashed; Justin McCarthy. Chicago, badly' bruised; Dan Millsbaugh, Engle wood. 111., baggageman No. 4, hurt internally, may die; F. P. Skyles. fireman No. 4, slightly hurt. Conductor Clegern was in charge of No. 5, west bound. He handed his order to the Associated Press reporter, which clearly showed that the two trains were to meet at Gibbs. The officials of the Santa Fe here say the conductor and engineer of train No. 4 were responsible for the accident, having disobeyed telegraphic orders to meet train No. sat Gibbs station. The conductor of No. 4 says he entirely overlooked the orders. The damage to property will not exceed 814,000.