Selections From Mead's Manual

Sheet #5 - Missouri Division.

Referring to Mr. Meade's letter, - I was Conductor on #1 October 30th, 1905, Dad Rust was the Engineer, Wm. Long, Fireman, now freight Engineer, Missouri Division. Rus Holmes, Flagman, now living at Fort Madison and working fot the State of Iowa as guard at the prison.

Without referring to train book, our train was made up as follows: 1-M, 2-B, 2-C, 3-TS, 3-Standards and DC. We were about on time. The wreck took place about 10:51 A.M. in Big Rock Cut, one mile east of Sheffield. There is a reverse curve in this cut. The curve starts just as you pass off bridge. This is where the front pair of wheels on the engine tank left the rail and turned the rail over. The engine stopped about 150-ft. Ahead of the train with this pair of wheels off. The mail car left the track, went into rock bluff on south side, glancing off, tearing the side out, plowing a quantity of rock, dirt and rubbish into the car. If I remember correctly, there were 5 mail clerks in the car, they were all more or less injured. All fully recovered, but the mail car glancing off let the baggage car into the rocks head on. There were two men in the baggage car, Jameison and Tagardine, Jameison was killed outright, Tagardine bodily injured, leg broken and never fully recovered. The baggage car backed through the smoker, cutting the top off, and into the chair car up to the swinging door. The smoker looked like a flat car. There was about forty people in the smoker, 12 killed outright, 1 died in the hospital, this including John McGregor, dead heading to Topeka as a witness for the Company, Porter Sims and a waiter named Richards. Passengers and employees in the balance escaped injury. Balance of the train back of the chair car was on the track and taken back to Kansas City , Via Mo. Pacific. Using front TS for the injured. We were able to get the injured started for Kansas City in about 1 hour. Dead were taken to Kansas City via Sheffield, later. I did not get the names of the dead and injured. This was taken care of by the Claim Department. If I left out any information Mr. Meade, would like to have, would be pleased to give to him, any time.

Respectfully,

(Signed) S. V. Montrose,
Condr."