Newspaper

The south bound Santa Fe train, Monday morning, when four miles north of Derby station, north of Mulvane, was wrecked, and Roadmaster Peters, of Newton, was killed.  He was on the engine.  At the place of the accident there is a trestle, several hundred feet long, four feet above the ground.  All of the wood work of the trestle had burned out the night before, leaving the rails supported only by the fish-plates.  The engineer saw the predicament when he was almost on the bridge, and he put on the air brakes, and jumped, as did the fireman and Mr. Peters.  The latter was caught by the forward car, and instantly killed; the engineer and fireman were severely injured.  The train was made up of three baggage, mail and express cars, chair car, smoker, and sleeper.  All left the track and were badly wrecked.  The mail agents, expressmen and baggagemen were badly shaken up, but none badly hurt.  No passengers were seriously injured.  The passengers were transferred, and but little delay was experienced.  The dead roadmaster leaves a wife and eleven children.  He was very popular.  It is believed that the fire which burned the trestle was set by a tramp who had been seen at the trestle the evening before.

The Barbour County Index, Medicine Lodge KS.  February 19, 1890.  Page 2.  (c) Transcribed by Darren McMannis.