On October 10, 1904, there was a head-on collision of two Missouri Pacific trains. One was a eastbound passenger train packed with people on their way to the St Louis World's Fair. The other train was a westbound freight train. The wreck happened between Warrenburg and Knob Noster, Missouri.
The Missouri Pacific Number 30 was so crowded that it was split into two trains. The first half of #30 left and after the second half got an engine it also departed. The freight train was told to pull over and wait for four trains to pass before going on. The crew fell asleep and lost count of the trains. It pulled out thinking it had a clear track but in fact only 3 trains had past.
The trains met with a tremendous crash sending the engine into the first passenger car. Thirty people were killed and many more were injured.
The Sullivan family and their two guess had seats at the back of the train. When the wreck occurred Dollie and Nellie had gone to the rest room which was at the front of the train. Nellie and Dollie were badly injured and severely scalded. At 6:10 Dollie died in the arms of her brother and Nellie died Monday afternoon at the hospital.
Nellie,21, and Elsie,19, better known as Dollie, were the daughters of Mr and Mrs L H Sullivan of Cedar Vale, Kansas. Mr and Mrs Sullivan were at home at the time of the wreck. Harvey the oldest was injured with hands lacerated and scalded. Susie age 16 was badly bruised after being trampled by others getting off the train. Neal,13, and Lillian,9, were not injured.
The information on the wreck comes from the book, "There Will be a Wreck!" by Lyndon N Irwin, PhD.