Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-12-05

W. W. Statesman

w. W. Statesman
hIssoULA, N. T., Nov. 30, 1884
ine coiiision that occurred on ths
Northern Pacific R,iiroad day befars
yesterday happened about 6 am in
nell Gate canyon, between freight trsi
NO. 10. running west, and a tea train.
special, east. Al the place tbs Collision
occurred the track makes a curye. Al ,he
edge OF Hell Gate river, on the por,b
sloe, aroand steep, abrult point or
ridge that runs down into the river
Each train had orders to run al tbs
rate OF Is miles an hour. and were run
ming faily at that speed when they came
together. Engineer JEFF Waite, of the
tea train, saw the reflection of I2s
head light shining on the rails from
around the curve; be ierked on the air
brake, told his fireman 10 iQmo and
Jumped himself. At almost the same
Instant ths crash occ7rrsd. catching the
nreman's left leg a. be was in the act of
jumping. On striking, the front ends
OF the locomotives reared up and the
driving wheels locked together. In that
death like embrace they fell over on
their sides on the inside of the curve
ten feet above the rails on the stee q
mountain side. The boilers were strip
ped OF every thing; even the cylinders
were cracked and broken of. Five or
SIX OF the cars next TO the engines
wedRed themselves IN under the loco
motives ss compact and solid as II they
were compressed there in a poxerful
press. Some Of the cars were broken
into splinters and thrown of the track
into the river. SIX cars on the hind end
OF the tea train broke loose and ran
back to 1urah station. Mike Reech,
better known as big Mike" engineer
of train l3, was scalded TO death. He
fingered few hours. retaining full CON
sciousness. Just before dying he said
he forRave whoever was to blame. When
an attempt vas made to wash bis body
the desh fell on in chunks; his agony
must have been fearful. He was ma
tive OF France and was a splendid fell
low. Pat Morfis, fireman on No. Is,
was killed instantly while shoveline coal
into the fireboI. He never knew, likely,
What struck him. His fate seemed TO
have cast It's shadow over him, for lie
did not want TO 70. He was sent for
three different times; he finally CON
sented to fire" a. far as MissOula if
bis time wouId be given him there; but,
a. fate fer.shadowed, he never reached
there. Tom Devin, head brakeman on
the tea train, was also killed instantly.
de had Just gone ahead onto the engine,
70 be ready TO side track at Wallace, and
sat down on the firemsn's side when the
trains met. His body could not be got
from under the wreck for nearly "A
hours. He was found with his head be-
tween his legs, his bones badly broken.
N. j. Rice, fireman on the tea train, who
attempted to jump, but got his lex
crushed, had 10 have the member am
putsted above the knee. After losing
the limb he became disheartened and
died. Frank Bennett, head brakeman
on train l3, had his left foot crushed and
had to have it taken of above the ankle.
Frank has kept his spirits up and will
undoubtedly pull through U. X. JEFF
Waite. in jumping, landed on pile Of
rocks by the river and is badly bruised.
Two men were deadheading their way
on train ID. One of them, young man,
who has a married sister residing in
Portland, Or, Was riding the bumpers
between the tender and the first box car.
His head Was hattened side~a The
other man had his peivis boaes crushed
in, but viii probably recover, although
he will always be crippled. Their names
could not ascertain. The hind brake
man Of the tea train was thrown through
the cupola window Of the caboose. A
car repairer, who VAS lying stretched out
on q bench IN the cabosse on the tea
train. had his feet driven through the
middle partition OF the caboose.
U1iucky Point, where the collision
occurred, has long been regarded by
train men on the Rocky Mountain divi-
sion as An unlucky place. Even before
the railroad was built, away back 10 the
early staging days, the stage and freight
tealss used to meet with accidents at
that place. The first day the track vas
laid around the point IN n by the name
of Sweeny had his head cut of slick and
clean by being run over BY the cars.
When the work was being blasted, Os-
borne, conductor of the work train, was
killed there.
Pat Kogh. . section foreman. eot on
train Is at Garrison station with the
intention Of riding To- Missouls. He
became 70 Impressed With the idea that
an accident vas going 90 happen, that
he went to the head Of the train thrse
different times to warn she engineer;
but on arriving at the engine he thought
be would only make a fool Of himsslf
by telling his fears, 90 be kept quiet.
The impression hsrasscd him 90 that be
finally became afraid to ride any far
ther, and got of the train at Bearmouth
station, next to the station beyond which
the collision happened. Just before 6
am. be sat down to breakfast, bat could
not eat, and found that be was actually
trembling and could nes keep his mind
of the train.
What caused the collision was the tvo
trains trying 10 pass on the main line,
which has often been tried. bat never
yes accomplished. Who vas 70 blame
10 hard 20 decide. IL was not any one
person In particular, bat several persons
were somewhat TO blame. Tue engines
and cabooses on the Rocky Mountain
division are draped In mourning.