Warrenton, MO Train Wreck, Jun 1890

Wabash Route Wreck.

St. Louis, June 9. --- A very serious railroad wreck is reported from Warrenton, Missouri, sixty-one miles west of here on the Wabash road.

Two freight trains collided just outside of Warrenton and both engines and 18 cars were wrecked. Seven men were killed and several wounded. Of eight palace horse cars, laden with race horses, en route for the Kansas City races, two were wrecked and seven men in charge of the horses are reported killed, but no names have yet been received. Fifteen horses were also killed and a number of trainmen injured.

The horses on the wrecked train were en route from Latonia to Kansas City to take part in the races. Following are casualties:
Killed: ---
WILLIAM H. THOMAS, Cynthiana, Kentucky.
HENRY STONE, trainer, Harrisburg, Kentucky.
JAMES KELLY, Chicago.
FRANK KELLY, Chicago.
E. M. SIMONS, hostler, Lexington, Kentucky.
MORRIS GREEN (colored), Frankfort, Kentucky.
SAMUEL DAVIS, jockey, Lexington, Kentucky.
The injured are:
WILLIAM TAYLOR, (colored), trainer, Covington, Kentucky.
LOUIS AUGUSTUS, (colored), Harrodsburg, Kentucky; left thigh broken.
GEORGE HURLEY, (colored), Cynthiana, Kentucky.
LEE BROWN, Louisville; arm broken.
MERRITT JOHNSON (colored), St. Louis; are broken.

The scene at the wreck is terrible. Cars and engines are intermingled in one mas of debris from which come screams of the wounded and dying, some cursing and some begging to be killed, while others are praying for help. A negro boy was scalded and literally cooked alive, and one colored jockey was buried under shelled corn from which position it took several men three hours to extricate him. A force of men worked from 2 a. m. till 7 p. m.

There were, in all, eight dead taken out, four whites and four negroes, and twenty-five wounded, of whom one or two may die. The eighth body is that of FRANK MORTON, of New York.

Both engines are complete wrecks and about six palace stock cars are demolished with very fine blooded horses. It is impossible to find out how many horses were killed, as there are a great many still under the wreck. It has been estimated the loss of the company will be $200,000. Nine horses have been found so far; two were killed while many were wounded. There were 70 on the train. The names of the horses killed are LITTLE PRINCE, a two year old, BEN RIDGELY, PATTIE PARK, EGYPT, LIGEO, SPRING DALE and TURNER. The mare HUNTRESS is badly injured and is expected to die.

Aspen Weekly Times Colorado 1890-06-14
__________________

Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!