• ‘The Crash at Crush’

‘The Crash at Crush’

One hundred, twenty-four years and one week ago, one of the largest towns in Texas was created between Waco and the town of West. With a population of over 30,000 and named Crush for the man responsible, the town was an American Brigadoon - lasting only one day. Citizens of the temporary city came to see a head-on crash of two Missouri-Kansas - Texas Railroad steam locomotives. An event that will be long remembered after Sept. 15, 1896.

The event was the brainchild of William George Crush, newly appointed General Passenger Agent of the MKT system. Wanting to publicize the Katy line, the energetic young Crush talked his superiors into the scheme. The company would realize an immediate profit from the thousands of railroad tickets sold to individuals wanting to see the crash between two speeding locomotives. The two dollar excursion ticket would be the spectator’s only expense, the actual event would be free. The Columbus & Hocking Valley Railroad drew 40,000 people to a train wreck near Cleveland, Ohio. Crush decided the same event would be fun and profitable for the Katy.

 

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