The Pueblo Catastrophe.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 209, 7 September 1904, Page 2

The Pueblo Catastrophe.

TIiAIN FALLS INTO A RIVER.

(Per Ventura, at Auckland.) PUEBLO (Col.), August 8. The, wreck of the World's Fair flyer on the Denver and Rio Grande railroad, near Eden, seven miles north of l'ueblo, last evening, proves to have, been one of the greatest railroad disasters in the history of the country. Two crowded passenger cars and a baggage car were cngulphed in u 'torrent that tore out a tresthi spanning Steele's Hollow, otherwise known aa Dry Creek. So far as is known to-night, only three occupants of tihoso cars escaped death. Fortunately, two sleepers and a diner completing the train remained on the track. How many perished probably will never be definitely ascertained. The treacherous sands are drifting over the bodies. At 8 o clock this evening seventysix bodies had been recovered, and of these more than fifty were identified dining the day. Bodies wore recovered all along the Fountain river from the scene of the wreck to this city. Nono of the bodies are badly mutilated, and all are in sucn a condition as to be .recognisable. S 0 qjuietly bad the catastrophe been enacted Umt the occupants of the three cars remaining on the track did not realise that the accident had occurred until they alighted from the train.; They were utterly powerless to remkjr any assistance to tho victims, who had disappeared in tho rushing waters. Tho engine-driver, Charles Hindman, was running cautiously about fifteeii miles un hour as he approached Arroyo, which was spanned by a bridge 901t in length. The condition of the bridge was not known until the locomotive, one of monster passenger type, had marly crossed. Tho fireman used a large torch to ascertain the condition of the track.. A tremor in tho great machine was felt, and as tlie engineer caught a glimmer on the water, he shouted Ids last words, "Put out the toich," evidently thinking that the flame would serve to spread a fire. But before the fireman could obey, while the-words were still on his' lit s, the bridge gave way, and the locomotive dropped, wiUi a hissing of steam, through 30ft of flood to the bo'ltom of the Arroyo. The baggage cur, smoker, and chair curs followed the locomotive into t'lie stream, and were swept-away.

The fireman, as the locomotive went over, was thrown out, and, managing to grasp a piece of wreckage from tho wreck, floated with that to a curve, and crept out of tha water. lie ran toward Eden, meeting oj» tho way several people who saw the light being extinguished. There were cries coming from the distanco; Physicians, wreck and pile-driving' outfits, and scores of workmen' were hurried from the city. The first train from the wreck came in shortly after midnight with Mr J. M. ls.il in, of Pueblo, whose escape was miraculous, Mr H. S. Gilbert Fislier, and Fireman Mayfield.

Five hundred men scanned every inch of tho river and its surroundings a few hours after daylight. They waded in the stream, and carried out tho mud-begrimed bodies, which were found at widely separated points—some of them miles from tin. stune of the accident. Some of the searchers worked all night and all day, and never once thought of eating or resting. People were con litantly arriving, and anxiously inquiring for lost ones known to have been on tho train. By 9 o'clock in the morning plains were dotted with \chicles, each with its load ol anxious seekers or morbidly curious. More than one thousand people wore on tho scene two hours before noon, and roads in every direction were filled with people coming away.

The list of the identified dead now numbers eighty-three. Tho general manager of the Denver and Rio Grande railroad, said ta-day that tho company was in no Any responsible for the wreck. It was one of those unavoidable accidents which were liable to occur on any railroad when a Hood happened. The fridge was suLfjeeted to regular I inspections by the company's bridge superintendent, and was as safe as any other on the Denver and Rio Grande line.