Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-26
GULCH.
TRAIN ACCIDENT ADDs SIGNIFT-
CANOE TO THE NAME.

CANCE HE hAAMEs
Brakeman HazeltOn Is Hurled Into Eter
nifty by an Unavoidable Accident Occur
ring as u Montana Central Freigh
Train GrossesJfEcFresfle.
At an early hour yesterday morning an
| other ACCIDENT occurred to a Montana Cen
trail freight train by which one OF the traiI
hands Lost his life. The accident occurred
on the high trestle or )ssing Dead
mans Gulch, which crosses the track q
short distance above Meaderville, before
coming to the long trestle over Yankes
Doodle Gulch. A brakeman named JohnA
Hazelton was thrown over the trestle and
received fatal injuries that give an added
significance to the name OF the place where
the accident occurred, his death occurring
. few hours later. Lille was nearly extinct
when he was recovered from the pile oil
wood that fell on him at the same time and
he died in the Montana Central freight depot,
where he was brought Immediately after
the occurrence, at 10 o'clock The same
morning.
Coroner Howard held an inquest ON the
remains at his Office during the day at
which three OF the train hands gave their
testimony to the following effect:
Conductor Cook testified that about $50
q. m. he was coming in with a train from
Woodville to Butte, consisting of twelve
cars OF wood and merchandise. He thought
the train was running at the rate OF twelve
miles an hour when they came to the first
trestle above Meaderville. He had left the
top OF the train and gone into the caboose
when he looked forward and noticed fire
flying from the second or third car
from the engine. Before he could get out
on top of the cars three or four woJd cars
jumped the track. Hazelton was on top
of one OF them which fell over the side OF
the trestle. As soon as the cars stopped
he and the otuers hunted for him and found
him at the bottom of the trestle covered
with wood. They got him out and brought
him on the engine to the Montana Central
freight depot. He was not dead when they
got to him, hut was uncon cious, and re-
manned SO until he died.
He did not know positively what made
the train leave the track, but thought it
must have been due to a broken brake beam.
de had examined the train carefully be-
fore leaving Woodyille, and found the
brakes properly set. They were exceed
iDgly careful in coming down from there.
He paid the deceased a high compliment as
a competent railroad man who thoroughly
understood his business. He was of the
opinion that the accident was entirely un-
avoidable, and 90 blame for it could at
tach to any one. The d. ceased was about
20 years OF age, and at the time OF the
was at his post Of duty as head
brakeman.
Engineer McNerney testified that he was
in charge of the engine On train No. z of
the Montana Central coming into Butte
from Helena. At half. past 3, as the train
was half way across the trcstle over Dead.
mans Gulch he felt q jerk. 1t wal quite
dark at that hour, SO he could not see
had happened, but helooked back for
signal from the conductor which came for
him to stop. The train had been running
at the rate OF between three and four mile.
an hour.
A juror asked him If he was certain OF
that, az Conductor Cook had said twelve
miles an hour.
Engineer McNerney replied that he was
supposed to know that matter and was
confident the trait was not going at to
exceed four miles an hour. The air and
hand brakes were both down but the brake.
men were releasing the latter and he was
preparing to put on steam when the acct
lent happened. He did not remember |
when he ran SO slow. He saw an opening |
the cars and went back to see
was the matter. He asked the con.
and brakemen where the head |
was and they said they did not
He descended the trestle and found
he brakeman lying amid the debris that
lad fallen from above. He called to the
'tber men and they came and helped to
emove the wood, carried him up and
him on the engine, detached the
after and brought him to the freight depot,
lie vas breathing when found, but knew
othing and never spoke.
Four cars jumped the track and one went
yer the ~trestle, that one being the car on
'hich the dead brakeman was. In reply
0 questions as to thecause ofthe accident,
ingineer..McNerney would not hazard an
AS to the breaking OF the brake
he said that was q common occur
'nce, one that happened every day.
Fireman King confirmed the previous !
'stimony, and DR.. Leavitt testified as to
,e nature OF the injuries. They consisted 1
the upper ribs broken, a small scalp {
ound in the hack of the head, and the
'incipal wound, an injury in the center Of |
le forehead. This was a large wound and e
,hind it was a fracture OF the skull.
There was nothing left for the jury to do \
1T to form q verdict in accordance with O
10 facts, generating the company of all =
anne. 7
The train had consisted Of two refrigera-
r cars, two box cars and q car OF GOAL: :.
9 rest loaded with wood. The latter left II
Q track and are in an awkward position !.
remove, their wheels having slipped y
tween the ties. The wfecking outfit, y
llch was employed at the depot working y
the engine that had been ditcted, was
mediately set at work to clear the OBJ II
over the Deadman's Gulch d
and if they have luck will have K
removed in time to admit the q
ssage OF the train that arrives at 11:2O "
m. The trestle itself is pronounced by Il
Dawson to be uninjured. He was
there most OF the day, and says that, d
ID the exception OF a few ties displaced bl
the cars leaving the rails aud running 81
Or the ties, the trestle il as sound as al
r.. al
'esterdas the 11:20 a. m. Butte and
lena express was stopped about a mile of
t OF where the accident occurred and be
passengers transferred to town in de
CHS and other vehicles. Va
he St. Paul Atlantic express that leaves in
$40 a. m. and the Butte and Helena m,
ress leaving at $50 p. m. did not 90 tr,
at all. Passengers going by them had
wait until z p. m. when a number oil
ghs and other vehicles left tie Montana
trail depot for Wuodvi1le where the
,tana Pacific Express reaching there att
) was held. The passengers arriving by
ere transferred to Butte by the same so,
cles that took the east-bound passen. 4
out, and with the latter on board the y,
a returned to Helena. 1t was after 10 :,
. before the transie" g reached Butte on !
lat
tie advices from the Montana C~entrali G
say that passengers for the S:1O a. toV
rain to-day will have to be transferred ]
foodville, as were those.last evening. ton
II. 8. @. Il. lat
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