The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-12-11

gtatsments of Passengers on the
wrecked Train.
A disastrous railroad accident, resulting
in the death Of Mrs Wilcox, wife Of Mr.. T.
wilcox Of f.add Il TBiton's bank, Port
land. and the dangerous injury of Engineer
Joseph Doane, OF freight No. Is. occurred
at Puyallup Junction, between Seattle and
Tacoma. yesterday morning.
The passenger train from Portland 10
seattle. due here at 2 rs a. m, should arrive
At the junction At $50. but yesterday the
train pulled into Puyallup Is minutes late.
The morning was very foggy and objects
cosld not be clearly distinguished many
feet distant While the train was standing
At the depot and was diseharging passen-
gers and freight. the sound OF approaching
cars was beard and almost before It could be
realized. freight train No. j. had dashed
into the rear OF the Pullman sleeper The
locomotive ran into the car almost up to
It's whistle valve and the tender was cor
pleteIy teiescOped and driven In heap on
the driving box Of the engine. There were
A number OF passengers In the Pullman
some Of whom were fully dressed. some
making their toilets. while Others were yet
in bed The hrst warning of the impend-
ing disaster was an cutlery from the peo-
ple outside the car, who discovered the
height, emerging from the fog at the rate
OF about 70 miles an hour. The alarm
startled the occupants of the entire train,
and those In the Pullman, who arose ana
could see out Of the rear window, discoy-
cred the locomotive rapidly approaching
the car. Some fed 20 the forward end OF
the car, and Others were 50 terrified
with fear that they did not know which
way to turn.
Mr. aud Mrs wilcox, who were travel
ing from Portland TO Seattle, had just
arisen, she going TO the ladies toilet room
in the rear Of the car. aud he In the other
direction. About the time Mrs. wilcox
reached her destination she saw the ap-
preaching train. aud IL IT, supposed hur-
ried into the toilet room, possibly thinking
upon the impulse that u might afford her
protection. The engine rushed on and
dashed into the car. and in the
wreck Mrs. wilcox was thrown above
the sieam-chest Of the locomotive, which
burst aud emitted clouds Of steam, that, ii
the poor lady were not already dead from
the shock. must surely have ended her
life In a very few moments The engineer
was crushed among The debris, but the fire
man escaped by jumping.
As soon as the passengers who had IS
capped could collect their thoughts they set
about TO discover who had been injured in
the wreck An AK Was Immediately pro
cured aud the debFls cut and torn away
aud Mrs. wilcox and Engineer DOane ex
treated. Mrs. Wilcox was quite dead. Hell
body was terribly sealded by the steam,
but IL was not seriously mangied. Engi
neer Doane was yet alive. and was removed
to the house OF DR.. Mitchell and medical
attention given. Later he was removed 10
Tacoma where, at last accounts, he was yet
alive with a possibility of recovery.
No other passengers suffered serious IN
jury from the accident. Miss Jennie Ieeki
on the express, suffered severe sprain IN
her ankle while escaping frem the train
aud hers were shaken up.
CAUSE or THE AccIDEST.
When the freight train was frst seen II
was speeding along at the rate of about
70 miles per hour. Bgt Engineer Doane
who stood brayely at his post, reversed The
Level aud applied the air brakes, aud sue
ceedcd is lsssening the momentum of III.
ira 90 store the collision came. He tried
TO jump before the crash, but was cangh'
between the engine aud tender, IL APP
peafn that he was running a. considerably
higher speed than he should, aud did moi
blow the signal whistle for the station. lis
was comparatively new man on tue
road, aud probably In the fog did moi
know he was SO close upon the junction
or he might have slowed up ana avoided
the accident. The conductor, wht
was ON the rear OF the cars, knew
they were going too last, aud ne az
piled the brakes Of the eab0ose ant
dispatched brakeman along th'
tops OF the cars TO do the same. Tney as
Sisted materially Ia retafding the speed
II the express had pulled outof puyallul
on Sorfect .alhe, .he hceiueht Woeis sufei,
not have occurred.
ihh USUAL is9ohsh
coroner Mccoy, OF ftefee county, he'
M inquest over the remains OF tnc uh
Iottunate NIs' nhvoN, number
NItueaseS NsIe eAhhiIhru; put no Nofuic
was tetutheu, ~ peihg decided 20 Walt aut
~ u VIZ ehkineeI secose fs. rug Urn. ~, y
tne WstIino.E VA 70 .ne sn.na sua. sn'
ehsi neeI oI Wy iIei ,S, Mss ~ tiis otaiae,
~ ~ nAsis ~ I'M ~.
WY" inaus @ ~ III ~
i nUt 70 ~ !. 1,,,,., =,
zen wiz, tlae mus atesnt "a ..e
eiu' ~ "" Wv
~.,x,r.,,,,
-,
Inc remains OF MIS-, wilcox were 'aAsil
70 Tacoma on special Tram ana rom
thetc are 20 DC rnhoNeu 10 f"tti"hn i"'
hnfai
THE NEWS IN SEATTLE,
Tho news OF the accident that rs,
reached seattle MAS very iudehalte. ana
exacgerated r,port. of The extent OF the
disaster were circulated. Tue truth soon
became Known, anu the nelAncnoly utath
OF MIS-. wilcox aud the supposed death OF
Engineer Doane were The InAln topics ot
conversation during the day. Tue wFecNed
express train did not reach Seattle enul
awaited nj th,, puyet souud shore depot by
large crowd.
PASSENGERS STATEMENT.
Mr. e. u. -now. superintendent OF the
Western iinion tci-granh once in s,nitle.
was passenger ON the wree ked tfain, To
ateP~iSt ny uihde '"e i"i'""'Nb S'"s0
meht OF tue ulkSsici'