The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-02-20
DEATH AND DESTRUCTION +!
TERRIBLE RlIlROlD ACCIDENT At mHULUl
Names of the Killed and wounded--The
Inquest.

Inquest.
\ terrible and fatal disaster occurred ON ii
wailuku and Kuhului Railroad Mani on Thur
day the eth inst, the particulars Of which ha'
been supplied the GAZETTE by a special CO
respondent, who was on the spot soon after II
accident The afternoon train from Kahului
Waikiki came up a. usual but followed at abov
10 minutes by an extra train loaded with WOO,
The first train arrived safely at the wailuk
depot. 1t had attached the usual passenger ca
filed principally with natives and Chinese, bu
to accommodate party Of ladies, an extra car ha
been put on II the end Of this train. When th
train stopped at the depot the cars were hlocke
/ by putting sticks OF fre-woOd behind the wheel'
] The engine and the passenger car were the
detached and it was found that the balance of tn
tram had not been blocked securely and was il
motion on the down grade, going from the depot
| The engineer discovering the runaway, backed hi
| engine up to couple on again, but failed afte
/ making three attempts, as one ear stood highe
than the other and II was difficult matter 10 &c
j the link into the socket both trains going at
/ fearful rate Of speed. down grade. The whistl
was blown and those who could, jumped of, bu
| the ladies and children in the rear car were una
bic 70 do 80, with the exception of Mrs. Parker
who did so with her baby. The runaway cars at
tiued furious speed and to add TO the horror Of
OnlOokers the second train was seen cominl
around the curve at the base of the valley. Thi
engineer Of the second train saw the On-coming
carsreversed his engine but the steep grade behind
him prevented his train from escaping and in hall
minute the cars struck his engine. The force OF
the collision threw Mrs. Plates two young sons
with barrel Of lime, onto the engine, Mrs. Brown
and her two children were thrown under the
engine, and the car was wrecked, IL and its pas
sengers being crushed. bruised aud covered with
the debris of the two other cars. Help was almost
Immediately ut hand, and after getting the bodies
out Mrs. Brown and two children were found to
30 NsnlIN Ill Hs..
three sons were badly bruised. one boy having a
broken arm and another a broken leg, and the
third damaged about the head. Mrs. Plate was
thought to have sustained an injury 20 the spine,
but Is much easier at this writing. Mrs. Brown
had thrown her baby to a native who jumped with
II, but III the collision was covered with lumber,
aud the little fellow got his leg broken, and from
the bleeding OF his ear 1t is thought that he may
have sustained fatal injuries. Drs. Enders and
Bailey were on the spot Immediately and did all in
their power to alleviate the sufferngs of the in
iured. The bodies Of Mrs. Brown and her two
children, a son and daughter, were buried from
the Anglican Church here to-day. 1t was most
heartrendng spectacle to see the three collins in the
church and the weeping and desOllte father and
mourning friends On the previous day at noon all
were the best of spirits starting out to Waikiki
to make some friendly calls. and TO day buried in
the Nailuku cemetery.
Mrs Brown was a universal fayorte and most
hJspltabe lady, attaching every one TO her by her
GENIAL disposition. The community have sustain
NA q SHOCK sucL as II mas never mao before.
Alr Everett called a jury Immediately, before
the bodies were moved, who viewed the scene of
the disaster, and they have been at work all day
to-day excepting an intermissiOu while they at
tended the funeral. Following Is the testimony
taken and the verdict.
Al the inquest held by Thos. W. Everett, one of
the COrOners Of the Island Of Maui, ut kahuui
Feb. Il, ISL. over the bodies of Adele W. Brown,
Mildred Brown and Russell W. Brown, then lying
dead, the following named jurymen were duly i'm
plnneled and sworn, viz:
Wm. II. COrnwell, Henry ]. TAYLOR, DR.. G. T.
Sheldon, W. II. Harrison, J. w. Hardy and Thos.
Lucas, and the inquest was adjourned till Friday,
Feb II, 1881, at 10 a. M, at the Waikiki Court
House
Geo T. richardson was sworn as iuterpreter.
Ernest L. Parker duly sworn: Am an engineer
on engine "Claus Spreckels"; reside at kahului.
Brought train of nine cars to Waikiki yesterday.
Mrs Platte and children, Mrs. Brown and
children, my wife and babe, and Mr.. A. p. Jones
were passengers in the rear car. Arrived in Wal
luku about 20 p. with all the train. had Just
stopped the engine At the lower switch; had four
cIr-0ads Of wood 10 unload. left Mr.. Shelton
at kahuluI with another train TO follow me TO Wal
luku. ] came on ahead with four wood cars, two
Of lumber, one.Of merchandise, regular passenger
car second from the engine, and box car in rear
Of train which contained the people injured. Mr..
Shelton was to follow me and unload his wood at
the same place. / had no sooner stopped than
saw that cars were cut of from the engine and
Starting down grade. ! saw no one pull out the
coupling pin. ! called out loud, &" who III the
name of goodness pulled that pin out?' | saw
the train boys trying to stop the cars by throwing
wood ON the track in front Of the wheels to throw
the cars of the track. / followed the runaway
cars with the engine and two cars viz, the regular
passenger Car and the merchandise car, to within
go yards Of the wreck, trying to couple on to
them; struck them several times but the boy Char
lie could not connect the coupling; very heavy
grade ut that stretch Of track, perhaps 80 feet to
the mile. The runaway cars were going at the
rate of 30 or - miles an hour. ! saw that could
not couple on to the running cars and stopped my
engine. As soon as / stopped ] saw my wife jump
out Of the rear car with the baby in her arms.
ran the engine TO where she was and picked her
up. Just as ! stopped | saw the cars, the runa-
ways, strike the other train coming up the grade.
die not stop where my wife was more than half
minute. ! went 10 where the wreck was The
irst person ! saw was Mrs. Platte; she was lying
IN the right side of the track going down, up
lEliust the bank. She perfectly conscious.
called Mr.. SHELTON and we carried her to the |
ithlr side Of the track. The other one | helped
% get out was Mrs. Browns little girl: she was
lead she was under the wreck. / saw Mrs. Brown |
md the boy Russell on the ground afterwards |
10Th dead. Mrs Plates children likewise saw |
.fterward. all badly injured. Five cars of my |
rain were capsized and badly smashed up. Tine |
,thGr engine was badly crippled and thrown from |
he track. There were brakes all the cars that
.ot loose ! could not say that they were down; / |
Ield the train by the engine. ] could not say |
whether OF not the seven cars would have started |
lad the brakes been on. / could not say whether |
he brakes were in good order or not IL is the car
,1,g r,r's ltI, a., 80 ,,ntbcr tta 6rates ~ ~
,rlar an mi Mr. Bnrkcis Keaio n naiivc ,v1s az, /
he onginp with me. he is n fireman. Chas Kama |
I,,In r1ndnci,r ana f,nr ntbors vrsre az, tLs /
-. c,,iJ 1T gr1S ,TI,StI,o, PAL, Nj; -,
No tr,i,, ~ 40. I,,t - M, a ftorr,,js IL tId
NJ bc I,1Iisi ,,1t tbe ri, Ue il rnt AZ, s11rIoy.
nv \ iurvman-HoW lone were Won M Inc swifrb |
efore you saw the cars start
At that instant saw Joe within one half a car Of
FNn Hl1frFi fNN0 Lad and
11incf0r Charlie on Tho oT,,,ositSS side Tybis
hi ali Inc Jray down hill Ttistbe cnston IN down
rnle on ali .be ,,rs when tbev stnn Tho -eo71Iar
"a gFr,oor cor y-,s frII N Chinese an nat5vcS
M 1,[7 LsC lone, ,'ra,,i, At tbe switch for Tho
oss,rrsy. 10 90 ,,r,t RIA ,,,t see s;ieI,,n's -,
inc until tbe runaway struck il. Do not make n
ractice Of uncouplinJ cars M switch: do when |
ave cars loaded with c,al for tbe Wailuln nianta
Ion No rartirnI,- man is ass! med tbe dntv Of
ncnunlin6 Tho cars hi the trgin men do il when
le SIGNAL Is Given by tbe engineer, SHELTON left
.ohuiui n borIt ton minutes after did The LADY
assangers were aware of tbe tram coming Iabind
m tJ s,ts in tbs ,,,sss,,,,er ca, yrere s,,r,,,,i,J
~, -, - -, -, a. ,,,,l -, IL rij
! ston he cars by tbroEiag wood rnder tbe
heels Did not gee paIea near tho cars that were
rc,r,rIa1. ssyr hin, frst AZ fIe scera ~ tbe rrac
M H. ,IIo5I tho nil, g,,t I Gould ,,ot Lay, see
H., frr,,, an oT,,i,,e p,tc, s,Cce =, p.i, al, ,bo
.lin T,.1nIarIy Srre a yySek With n1iai and fish
rpa al tho train mon have bcen with mo for fnur
car. and tbev yy5Dld iinov better tLan In mn
5nnle ,yitbonf a si,,noI from mo ID, IIot reIv ON
rakts nj tbat t,Iore tr,, them frs. IL fbey 10
Of hold. secnr6 tbe cvrs by Inc engine or 6v a
eprer across mo track. II is The dnty Of Mi The
,sa fr,,,,, ~, ,rsr,I1se bSsorc and an Jn7v,'
~ ~ ~, - .NNu !