Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-03-24
INTERESTING EVENTS.
A Terrible Smash-Up on the
S. 2. at Cotton.
AN OPEN SWITCH THE CAUSE.
Notes Gathered About the City.
A Case of Grand
Larceny.
AN OPEN SWITCH THE CAUSE.

AT z o'clock yesterday morning one oi
tbe worst collisions on record on the
Yuma division of the Southern Pacific,
took place at Cotton, but by one of those
peculiar dispensations of providence only
one man was fatally injured. A passen-
ger train bound for this city was standing
on sidetrack, in front of the depot,
waiting for special east-bound freight
train, in charge of Conductor Phillips,
to pass by, and so as not to keep the
passenger waiting, the engineers of the
special, which was drawn by two huge
ten-wheel locomotives were coming along
about as fast they could make the wheels
turn. In the yards when the passenger
train had pulled in ON the side-track the
brakeman had by terrible blunder left
the switch set for the side-track instead
of the main line. Nearer and nearer
came the heavy freight train laundering
along at the rate of about so miles an
hour, and when about 800 yards from
the switch the head engineer saw what a
fatal mistake had been made and at once
put on the air and whis-
tied ''down brakes" The air
refused to work, however, and
few seconds later there was fearful
crash as the freight train dashed into
the passenger. The three locomotives
were lifted completely off the track by
the shock, and literally converted into
debris, while four cars containing mer-
chandise were shattered to pieces. On
the passenger train the baggage car was
lrDlxan 20 h,,k
coach. passenger car, escaped almost
unhurt.
The warning whistle of the head en-
gineer on the freight train saved
good many lives, for the engineers
and fremen of all three locomotives
jumped and, with the exception of few
bruises, escaped unhurt. Poor Ed Far
rell, one of the smartest and most popu-
lar brakemen, met with a terrible fate,
however. He was standing by the side
of the Cotton train as the train ran on to
the switch. There was only one chance
to save himself from being caught and
that was to get on the other side of the
train, so he made bound across the
baggage car. He did not get
through quick enough, however, for
as the trains met he was caught
between the Car and tender and crushed
in horrible manner. Both of his legs
were cut off, his arm and side mashed
and his head severely battered, but be
was sell alive when picked up a moment
or two later by his sorrow-stricken COM
rades. As fast as the flyer could carry
him he was brought into this city and
conveyed to the Sisters Hospital for
medical treatment, although the case
is considered almost hopeless. The
other brakemen on the freight train
also suffered slight injuries, but
nothing beyond what some bottles
of liniment will cure in few days.
The passengers on the standing train
we're almost scared out of their lives
when the shock came, for they were
lifted out of their seats by the concus-
sion, but beyond the fright none of them
have anything to complain about. There
was scarcely any delay to travel on ac-
count of the catastrophe, for the collision
had been so violent that the engines and
tenders were hurled completely from the
track, which was cleared of the debris in
side OF ten minutes, whereupon fresh
engine was brought out, and the passen-
ger train went on it's way to Los An
palaa