, 1884-10-16
TANGLED TRAINS.
A Most Remarkable Succession of
Railroad Accidents.
A Collision, a Runaway and Three
Wrecked Engines.
Concluding With Another Accident
and Fatal Results.

NNNKRHA TAU VI Nlt
Rockies, tracks torn up and the loss of a
human life, made up a chain of accidents
and casualties unparalleled In the history of
the Union Pacific.
A work train was sent out carly Tues
day morning to make track repairs be-
tween Granite Canyon and Buford, with
orders to keep out of the way of regular
trains.
No. 0 freight leaves Cheyenne usually
at 4 n. m. Tuesday morning this train
was late and left here about 8 O'Clock.
The tram consisted of two sections. The
first was composed of a light engine, to
run to BuforJ, taking DR.. Crook to
attend a case ofconinement. The second
was the regular freight drawn by two
engines,
The light engine with the Doctor on
board passed Granite Canyon, and when
about one half a mile beyond, and while
rounding a corner, they suddenly came
upon the work train.
Reversing his engine the engineer
jumped off, closely followed by his FIRE
man and the Doctor. The collision was-a
heavy one, and, rebounding from the shock
with levers reversed and full steam
on, the engine started back down the
grade. The engineer made a vain effort
to regain his engine but the runaway went
steaming down the heavy grade at the
rate of sixty miles an hour. For three
miles this wild fight of the monster loco
motive wen unchecked.
East of Granite Canyon and up the
heavy grade at hat point the heavily
loaded No. 9 freight was toiling. Around
a sharp bend in the road the runaway
came upon them. A sharp whistle for
brakes and two engineers and two fremen
jumped away from the impending crash
which, came in IN instant wrecking the
three engines, demolishing freight cars,
tearing up tracks and strewing the ground
with debris for yards on either side of the
track.
Word sent to Cheyenne brought up a
wrecking train under charge of Superin-
tendent Deuel. and with the aid of a SINH
lar train from Laramie the work of
clearing the track went on rapidly. By
10 o'clock in the evening the engines
were on the track, the road repaired and
the wrecking train started back to Chey-
enne. Two of the wrecked engines had
been taken to Laramie, the third, No.
2G9, stood on the track just below with
blocks under the wheels ready to be also
hauled to Laramie. Above it on the side
OF the track was a freight car truck. This
being rather near the track an engine was
backed down to remove it further away
When signalled to stop it was found the
wheels slid on the rails and the train
struck the wrecked engine, pushing it
over the blocks. The workmen saw the
danger of this new accident, rushed
forward with blocks tried to stop this sec
ond runaway, but it was impossible, and
the dead engine, weighing fifty tons.
with not a soul ON board, whisked
off in the darkness down the ninety
three feet to the mile grade
on a fresh mission of destruction.
Two miles below, at Otto station, Supcrin-
tendent Deuel's wrecking train was just
stopping to pick up some tools left at that
place when the runaway crashed into it.
The train was running caboose forward, so
that the brunt of the collision was borne
by their engine, No. PCS. Had the train
been running with engine forward a dozen
men would have been victims. The col
liding engine struck them, as before
stated. just as the workingmen were leav-
ing the cars. Ryan, the most unfortu-
nate, was on the platform of the car next
the engine, and was about stepping off.
Within a foot of safety he was, in the
twinkling of an eye, caught between the
iron tank and the end of the car and
crushed to a lifeless mass.
William Coombs, the fireman of No.
26S, jumped, but not o enough. He
was caught between the tank and the roof
of the engine cab and suffered internal in
juries which are reported fatal.
Adam Shilling was standing in the
caboose. The shock threw him against
the stove, burning him severely. Superin-
tendent Deuel. was standing on the plat
form of the caboose and was thrown across
the iron guard rail against the brake
wheel of the next car, slightly injuring
him in the breast and side. The engineer.
who remained on the engine, was unhurt.
The work of clearing up this wreck was
Immediately commenced by Superintend-
ent deuel., and in a short time the tracks
were cleared.
The body of Ryan was brought to this
city, and yesterday Coroner Chafin en-
panneled a jury consisting of Fred Landau,
Jos McGonigal, c. S. Goodsell, A. p.
Arbuckle. Henry Thompson and J. D..
Corey to hold an inquest, The body was
viewed, and in the afternoon the jury,
accompanied by Proceeding Attorney
Baird, went by special train to the scene
of the accident, after which an adjourn
ment was made until to-day at . o'clock
p. m.
The scene of the collision. is a striking
one, engine and car trucks. battered cars,
broken wheels, mixed up with the work
ing parts of engines are scattered on every
side. At Otto stand the remains of en-
gines 26S and 969, with battered boilers,
smoke stacks gone and cabs crushed il they
have a general look of desolation. From
the testimony of those who witnessed the