Neb. State Historical Soo.
SEMI-WEEKLY EDITION FOUR PAGES
VOLUME XX VIII
PLATTSMOUTII. NEBRASKA. TIIUKSDAY, FI2KKUARY 18, 15)09
NUMBER 182
URLINGTON NO. 6
HAS A WRECK
Crashes into Pile Driver Near
OreapolisEngineer is Badly
Injured and Bruised
Through the interposition of
Providence the Burlington this morn
ing escaped from a most disastrous
wreck when their fast daylight ex
press from Omaha to Chicago col
lided with a work train at the town
of LaPlatte some five miles from
here. The wreck resulted In the ser
ious Injury of George II. (Sandhill)
Moore the engineer and the painful
wounding of the fireman whose
name Is understood to be Shafer.
That the list of the wounded was
not much longer and that there was
no one on the deathe list can be
counted little short of miraculous.
For some time past a work extra
has been engaged in driving piling
at the Platte River bridge between
Oreapolis and LaPlatte. This train
has been tying up In this city, de
parting each morning for the scene
of operation about 6:43. This morn
ing the train in charge of Conductor
Huddleston and with engine No.
IOCS, Engineer Lewi and Fireman
Shafer departed for the scene of
work at C:50, the train being com
posed of the locomotive, three bunk
cars and a caboose. At LaPlatie
they picked up the pile driver, re
turning to the bridge where they
proceeded to commence work.
This has been the usual prr.dice
ever since the work of rebuilding
the bridge commenced and the train
would usually back into LaPlatte
for trains No. 6 and 19 both of which
were due at the bridge between 8
and 8:30 o'clock. This morning,
owing to the bad weather both
trains were late and In consequence
i lie nui n nam uiu uui c m.w
the station on Its usual time.
No. 6 the daylight Omaha-Chicago
train came down this morning with
Engineer George H. Mocre at the
throttle. He had his orders to be on
the lookout for the work train and
In consequence he was not running
as fast as usual when he sighted the
station at LaPlatte. This train us
ually goes through this town at a
terrific rate of speed but owing to
the work going on and the necessity
of watching for the work train this
bad not been done lately., As the
train near the station, Moore recol
lected his orders and kept a lookout
for the work train, seeing It on the
track and also seeing the flagman
of the train standing at one side of
the track. The flagman signaled
Moore to stop, but, he states, the
steam was blowing across the front
of his engine and he misunderstood
the signal and believed it to be for
him to come ahead. The work train
was backing in on the siding near
the depot, the engine being at the
south end of the train.
Moore getting what he conceived
to be the signal to come ahead, op
ened up the big engine and tore
down the track. When almost di
rectly In front of the depot, his en
glne struck the work train, side
. swiping a car of piling, ditching It
and hurling the material on the car
through the platform and the depot
building, literally demolishing the
former and tearing the end out of the
depot. Moore and his fireman failed
to discover they were going to hit
the work train until they were right
on It when It was too late to be
avoided. In the crash which fol
lowed, the air was filled with flying
timbers from the wrecked cars and
the cab of the engine was demolished
while other damage was done to the
engine. The engineer had reversed
as soon ns he saw that the ollls
lcn was inevitable and Hi" tram
(auio to a stop Immediately nftc r tin
collision. Moore wi,s picked up In
a bi'dly brulstd ceii II umi. lie evi
dently thought that h" whs r.lotK to
die us he at cn'o co;:inene d milk
ing arrangements to notify Ms wife
The fircT.rn wits also briil'-1 but not
i!at,p rously. Micro's InJ 'i i "li
is'ed of general bruit s all ov r I. Is
system, his face being lacerated ami
rut wlille tlie knee and ilslit arm
were also bruised tip. The llreman's
bruises were also nf n like nature
and were painful but not serious. As
soon its possible Drs. T. P. and J.
P. Livingston were summoned and
departed for the scene of the acci
dent on a special train which was
hastily made up in this city and dis
patched to the ground. They gave
the two injured men Immediate at
tention and as soon as the wreckage
could be cleared away both men were
brought to this city, medical atten
tion being given them at LaPlatte.
Moore was not favorable to coming
here and wanted to be taken to his
home at 1924 R street, Lincoln.,
This was also arranged for by the
Burlington officials and he departed
at noon on No. 7 being taken In a
private coach attached to the train
and accompanied by Dr. J. S. Liv
ingston. It is not thought by his attending
physicians that his condition is dan
gerous, their impression being that
no bones are broken but that his in
juries are merely bruises which
while painful are not so serious.
The work train had other and
more startling experiences befall it
after the collision. The engineer
and firemen on this train, seeing
No. 6 approaching and knowing that
a collision was inevitable, both
loaned from the engine, the engineer
reversing his engine and shutting
eff steam. The force of the impact
of the big, heavy passenger train
and the cur of pilin;; resulted in
forcing the throttle of the work train
engine open and as soon as steam
could get to work the engine and
the remaining cars of the work train
started off down the track toward
the bridge. The bunk cars had a
number of men in them and one of
these, a water boy on the grvng, de
termined to stop the train at all haz
ards. He crawled over the cars and
finally over the engine tank getting
Into the cab and shutting off the
steam Just as the engine moved out
on the bridge. It was really an act
of heroism. The engine and cars
were then backed up to LaPlatte.
It required but a short time to
get the track cleared at the place of
the wreck and Nos. 6 and 4 wero al
lowed to get past at about 10:30 this
morning. A switch engine from this
city was sent to brlnge In No. 6's
train which It did pushing the dis
abled locomotive ahead of It.
There were a number of passen
gers on the train all of whom had
some thrilling stories to tell of their
experiences. That the wreck should
occur and do no more damage than
Is set out above Is really remark
able as all the conditions were pres
ent for a bad spill.
Moore the Injured engineer, has
been in the Burlington employ for
mni:y years past, he entering the
com pin y serlce about the time of
the big strike In 1SS8. tin It con
sidered one of the best men in the
engine service and this accident tin
doubtedly happened as he states. The
blowing steam obscured his sight
and caused him to misread the slg
nal of the flagman. His orders
were on his person when he was
picked up and distinctly warned him
to be on the lookout for the work
extrta and If they were not In the
clear at LaPlatte to stop., That he
was primarily to blame for the dls
aster seems quite dear from every
thing In connection with the trouble
The train from the eHst for Omaha
and the west was detoured as stated
above, by way of Council Bluffs and
all passengers from this city were
taken to Oreapolis In a coach at
tached to the switch engine where
they were transferred to the Schuy
ler and taken to their destination
arriving there several hours late.
The mail at noon was on time
an I went throu;;h all light.
Fruit Tree True tit Niuite.
I am the agent of the E. I,. Walnuts
Ni'rsi ry. of Dos Moine.-, la., tin mi
reliable institution f its kin I in the
West. Every tree tested ill the 111 r
sery before being sent out. I have
dealt in nursery stock for years and
can say this stock Is correct in evi ry
respect and prices right. If In need
of anything drop me a postal card
and I will call.
First class ornamentals of every
description.
C. C. Despaln.
FROM THE
CAPITAL
Hon. M. A. Bates Writes of the Do
ings of the Legislature
Lincoln, Neb., Feb. 14, 1909.
The House adjourned Thursday
evening to two o"clock Monday, In
honor of the 100th anniversary of the
martyred President Abraham Lin
coln, while the Senate continued in
session until Friday noon, devoting
most of the morning to services in
commemoration of the war president,
and the respect they bore for the Ill
fated executive.
There has been many bills placed
on general file, and new ones com
ing in daily. The committee on
banks and banking will have the
guaranty bill In shape to report next
week. This committee has labored
hard to place before the House and
Senate a bill that will meet the appro
bation of all who favor a guarantee
law. While there may be some op
position to any measure the commit
tee may report, it Is safe to say the
bill that will be presented will go
through with a whoop.
The democratic caucus Wednes
day night at the Lincoln Hotel was
attended by all the members in sym
pathy with democratic measures.
And all agreed to carry out the
pledges of the democratic party. It
was a regular love feast and all felt
that it was good to be there. Of
course there were a number of coun
ty optionists present, and as the plat
form was silent on this issue, this
matter was not discussed. The cau
cus adjourned subject to the call of
the chairman. The democrats are
tow united for the first time since
the session began, and are better
acquainted with one another.
There was a lively squabble Thurs
day over tlie report on the Soldier's
Home. Representative Scbeale of
Seward county, who was with the
committee when It visited the Homes,
came to the conclusion that he was
the "whole cheese and presented a
report that not one of the committee,
outside himself, agreed to, and was
objected to by them, and consequent
ly his report was side-tracked. Be
ing a member of that committee, I
know his report was outrageous. The
Inmates have no fault to find, and
why should the committee? The
committee proper has made no report
but w hen they do It will be what It
purports to be a report that will be
satisfactory to the House, and will
be approved.
The Senate has killed the women's
suffrage bill, and no matter what the
House will do, the proposed law has
gone glimmering among the bills that
were.
The memorial services at St. Paul's
church Friday night was a grand
affair, and the church was crowded
to its utmost capacity. The addresses
were very Interesting and the music
was simply all that could have been
desired. It was a Just tribute to the
memory of the Immortal Lincoln.
The House several days since voted
an appropriation of $15,000 toward
the erection of the Lincoln monu
ment. When the bill went to the
Senate an amendment was tacked on
increasing the sum to $25,000. The
amendment was voted down in the
House as it should have been. What
appears strange to us Is why the re
publican legislature did not make
such nn appropriation two years ago
They are In favor of It now, and why
not then- Every ten year old Bchool
child knew that when the 100th an
nlversary of the great Lincoln rolled
around the event would be properly
celebruted through the land. Rock
has been on the ground for the pur
pose of erecting this statute for sev
eral years, and Is lying ther yet un
touched by the artist's hands. The
people of Lincoln should have had
this monument ready for unveiling on
this 100th anniversary, and then had
am h a celebration ns would hnve call
ei thousands of people to the capital
to do honor to the man whose mem
cry we all revere, ami who done so
ni'uh to save the nation. Tennessei
olte of the seceding stales, donated
this stone for the purpose ef ere I
ing a statue and if tint state thought
so much of tin- martyred president as
to do Ibis, certainly the people of
Lincoln should have persisted In an
appropriation from the legislature
two years ago, and not have waited
fur the democrats to take this mutter
oft their hands. It looks like tliej
have been very dilatory In this re
ganl. Or maybe, the republican leg
islature of two years ago had so many
other appropriations on their minds
that they didn't have time to look af
ter this Important matter.
There will be an effort made next
week to pass a resolution against ad
journment so frequently, and make
It read that no more adjournments
shall occur until Saturday noon until
Monday at 2 p. m. It is the sense of
most of the members that we are
liable to remain here until the mid
dle of April, unless something Is
done to curb the practice of adjourn
ing Friday noon. Such a resolution
will undoubtedly be adopted and we
hope It will.
Hon. W. J. Bryan will address the
members of the two houses next Wed
nesday evening, and It Is safe to say
there will not be standing room for
the people who will want to hear
him.
Filibustering seems to be the plan
of the republicans to retard necessary
legislation. The democrats want to
be as liberal as possible in the way of
appropriations, but many think we
made a mistake in appropriating
$200,000 for a binding twine fac
tory at the penitentiary. The same
matter was taken up before the re
publican legislature two years ago,
but It was killed. Now the repub
licans are anxious for it.
M. A. B.
HAPPILY
WEDDED
Miss Ethel Dovey and Mr. Fredrick
Truecdc! Married at Oakland,
California
A message received in this city
Saturday afternoon by Mrs. George
10. Dovey conveyed to ln r the intel
ligence that her daughter, Miss Eth
el Dovey, who is now on tlie rind
with the road eomtmny playing "A
Stubborn Cinderella," had been
united in tttarrii'f'e on Saturday, Feb.
tj, at Oakland, Cal., to Fred Trues
dale, leading man of the same com
pany. Mr. Truesdale will be recalled
as one of the stars In "The District
Leader," when that companv -'iiert
this city, lie is the son of a ... .im-
inent banker of Michigan, a young
man of marked ability in his profes-
bioii and one who will make Miss
Dovey a splendid husband. Miss
Dovey is too well known in this city
to need any comment upon her many
excellent qualities. Site Is a young
woman of refinement and culture
and an artist of rare ability. The
many friends In this city who have
known her from childhood and who
have watched her steady rise In the
theatrical world with such success,
unite In congratulating her upon her
venture In the matrimonial Held.
Nick Holmes (Jets Full.
Uncle Nick Halmes and wife, who
have been visiting with relatives at
Falrbury, came In last Saturday night
Mr. Halmes hastened home to have
some injuries which he sustained to
his hip and hand attended to by his
regular physician. He had gotten up
to go out of doors at the place he was
stopping and wag walking along the
porch. Coming to what looked to him
to be the end of the porch, he stepped
off and was precipitated to the ground
falling a distance of some eight
or ten feet. In falling he struck on
his hip and also badly bruised and la
cerated his hand and arm. Despite
the nature of his Injuries he did not
depend upon physicians at that city,
but came here at once where his In
juries were treated. His hip was
plastered and bandaged up and the
attending physician thinks that he
will soon be himself again. At his
time of tlfe such Injuries are serious
although he is very rugged for his
age.
Will Build Station.
Several days since the Journal
printed the complaint of J. P. Kell
and many others of the Inadequate
waiting room facilities at Oreapo
Us. This matter came to the atten
tion of Superintendent Blgnall nnd
General Superintendent Byram, who
at once took the matter up and In
vestlgated the conditions. It Is now
announced that a suitable waiting
room will be constricted at that
point, work to commence on It Just
as soon ns the material can be got
ten and the forces organized for th
vork. This Is an Improvi ineitt which
Is much iieeib il ami Hie prompt ai t
Ion of the It.iiiingtoi, efrii laN la
meeting the public ii maud Is to lie
commended. It Is pnilinlile that the
Hew building will he erected w It hill
a few weeks. The gratitude of the
traveling public will be bestowed
upon the gentlemen for this Improve
ment. Mrs. O. P. Monroe Is spending the
afternoon In Omaha being a passen-
'ger on the early train for that city.
MISSOURI PACIFIC
TRAIN DERAILED
Thomas Barnum, a Prominent
Citizen of Union is Killed and
Several Severely Injured
Running at a speed of approxi
mately thirty miles an hour train
No. 104 of the Missouri Pacillc yes
terday morning was derailed about
one mile north of Union, killing
Thomas G. Barnum, a well known
citizen of that town and Injuring a
number of other passengers. This
train is the south bound Omaha
Kansas City express leaving Omaha
at nine o'clock In the morning $nd
leaving this city at nine forty-eight.
The train was In charge of Conduct
or Thomas Reagan, one of the best
known and popular trainmen on the
road.
The train consisting of a baggage
car combination mnil and smoker,
tourist car, chair car and buffet car
left this city on time and was well
filled with passengers. The smoker
In which the casualltles occurred
hail a good crowd of passengers re
turning to their homes from Omaha
and this city, many of them being
citizens of the west eni of the coun
ty. Tlie spot where the derailment oc
curred as stated above, is about one
mile north of Union, at a point where
a bridge spans a deep ravine or
slough. It is near this bridj.-e when i
the trucks of the baggage car left i
Oie trad; from no apparent cause.!
This car ran about one-quarter of a
mile before any of the other cars left
track and until It struck the wye
track perhaps three quarters of a
mile fro rnthe depot. As soon its
the derailed car struck the switch,
It also derailed the combination car
In which Mr. Barnum was riding and
the two cars, bnggae and combina
tion ran onto the ties for probably
fifteen or twenty feet finally over
turning and rolling down an embank
ment several feet In height. The
combination car rolled some forty
feet down the hank nnd out on the
right of way while the baggage car
rolled about twenty feet to one side
of the track. The engine was torn
loose when the cars rolled over and
It ran ahead remaining on the rnils.
The tourist car, chair car and Buffet
car all left the rails but did not over
turn, remaining upright on the em
bankment.
Immediately after the cars had
overturned and the train had come
to a stop, those In the other cars
who were uninjured swarmed out to
assist the trainmen In their effort
to aid the injured and to remove the
unfortunate Mr. Barnum. The lat
ter was evidently prepnrlng to leave
the train at the next stop which was
his home. The presumption Is that
he was on his feet and that the de
railment hurled him forward and
against the side of the car, crushing
his head In on the right side and cut
ting a long, deep gash through the
front part of the head and forehead,
through which the brains oozed. Mr.
Barnum evidently met death instantly
as he was dead when removed from
the wrecked car which took plnce
within a very Khort time after the
accident.
Immediately after the wreck un
injured passengers hurried tp Union
where Drs. Barrltt and McLeod were
summoned and from which point a
telephone message to Nehawka
brought over Dr. Alex Walker, all of
the physicians hurrying to the scene
and rendering every possible aid to
the Injured.
Later the company dispatched a
special relief train from Oninhn to
the scene of the disaster, this train
arriving several hours after the tie.
clilent. This train In addition to cur
rying a number of men who were to
I.lllll til ItCvt.
The funi ral of Mrs. Georgia S. tilth
Cline took place yesterday morning
from the Christian church In tills
city, In the presence of a number i t
friends of the deceased who had gath
ered to pay their last respects. Mrs.
('line had lived here practically all
Iter life it ml was well an I popularly
known. She was n niece of Mrs. Dr.
S'iillilknecht of tills city with whom
she had lived for tniiiiy years.
Interment took place at Liberty
cemetery south of this dty where the
grand-parents and mother of the de-
censed sleep. The deceased was born
dean up the wreck, had a large party
of company surgeons headed hv
Chief Surgeon Ramsey.
Too much praise cannot be bestow
ed upon the trainmen of the wrecked
train for their aid to those unfortu
nate enough to be caught in the
wreckage. They did valiant work
and to their promptness and efficien
cy Is clue the fortunate rescue of
several of the Injured whom might
have suffered severely by being pin
ioned In the wreckage. The people
of Union and vicinity turned out in
large numbers despite the bad weath
er and threw their homes open for
the reception of the wounded. Every
possible assistance was rendered by
them nnd much credit is due them for
their actions.
The Injured ,who desired It were
taken to Omaha last evening on the
north bound train, a number of them
passing through this city bandaged
and bound up ami looking like real '
wreck victims as they were.
Among those who were Injured
and whose names were forwarded to
the Journal by Mr. C. L. Graves, ed
tlor of the Union Leader, v.ei'e:
Amos McNamee, of Union. Two
cuts on head, not serious and other
minor bruises.
I. us King, of houtii Omaha, cut
on head, hip Injured and otlmr minor
bruises, not serttuis.
Myran E. Thomas, of :iiaha.
Traveling solicitor for the Twentieth
fvntury Farmer. Two q'llte serious
edts en head, right arm broken be
tween c'bow and wrist, f.ict bruised
Condition not consldvoi ciangerotn
but. i.iU serious.
Fred Henvctin, of South Omaha.
Deep cet above left eye' left side of
nioti'li ri.d some teeth knocked out.
Hand injured. Serious but not dan
gerous. J. E. R. Goldsmith, address un
known. Slight Injury to right arm.
There were a number of others
who sustained slight bruises but
who preferred not to have their
names Injured, regarding their injur
ies as too slight for notice.
The cause of the accident has not
been located. Presumably It was
either a low Joint In fhe track or a
stiff truck on the baggage car. The
condition of the roadbed of this com
pany has been such for several years
past that accidents have been looked
for by everyone who rode over It.
The policy of the Gould manage
ment In cutting down expenses and
allowing the roadway and equipment
to deteriorate Is more than probably
a; the bottom of the trouble.
The dead man, Thomas O. Parn
um, was one of Union's bet-t known
citizens. He wan born In Liberty
precinct near the spot where he met
his death and, had he lived be would
have been 4 8 years of age on March
28th, next. He leaves surviving a
widow, formerly Miss Pollard, a
daughter of Isaac Pollard of Ne
hawka, and a sister to Congressman
Ernest M. Pollurd, and one daugh
ter Mrs. G. W. Cheney of Edison,
Neb. The latter was Immediately
notified by wire of her father's
death.
The deceased was a most estimable
man, well liked, popular and with u
host of friends. He was one of the
most affable of men, genial and kind
hearted, generous to a fault and of
that nature which marks the truo
man. To all who had the good for
tune to know him, the news of his
untimely taking off comes as a gtvt t
shock and Is deplored ns the loss of
n film rltl'eti mwl n triin imin
I
at Ilali'o, Mo., and was a daughter of
P. S. Smith. Her mother died dur
ing In r infancy w hen she was
brought to this dty by the late Dr.
Kchlldkiiecht ami made a member of
his household, living there until the
time of ln r marriage to Key Cllne.
She was taken 111 some time since
with tumor, and on Tuesday last she
i was operated upon lit Lincoln for this
cotnplalnt, death occurring on Fri
day. Mrs. John W. Crablll Is spending
the afternoon In Omaha going there
on the mail train nt uoon.