On August 5, 1914 there was a head-on collision between motorcar No. 103 of passenger train of the Missouri & North Arkansas Railroad Company and locomotive No. 805, of a regular passenger train of the Kansas City Southern Railway Company, near Tipton Ford, a few miles north of Neosho. Because Motorcar No. 103 was carrying about 105 gallons of gasoline at the time, 43 passengers died, many burned beyond recognition, several others were injured, and the motorcar was entirely demolished. Two days later the city held a funeral on the Newton County courthouse lawn for more than 30 unidentified individuals, who were buried in a mass grave in the Neosho I.O.O.F. cemetery.