Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-10-03
TRAIN DISASTER AT TENINO.
The Portland Fast Express Run Into
by Freighter while Standing at
the Station.

NO. L. the regular nOrth-bound
Northern Pacific passenger train, due
at Tacoma Sunday afternoon from
Portland, met with serious accident
at nearly noon-time while standing in
front of the depot at Tenino, flour
ishing little place about fifty miles
south of Tacoma on the main line.
in many respects this mishap OF
the rail was one OF the most sensa-
tional in the history OF like occur
rences in Washington. By it two
men Lost their livee and it wee cnly
because of the existance of that pres
ence of mind characteristic OF North
ern Pacific trainmen that further loss
of life was averted.
STORY OF THE DISASTER.
At an early hour Saturday evening
a freight train comprising a locomo-
tive and nine heavily laden cars, with
the crews caboose, pulled out OF
Kalama on the north shore of the
Columbia, northern bound. BY easy
stages the train moved north and
at Bucoda, south OF Tenino, scene of
the disaster, went OH sidetrack to
await the passage of No. 3, the Port
land Tacoma express. The express
flew by, and the engineer of the
freight pulled off onto. the main track
and pursued her way. Entering Te-
nino from the southwark trains
traverse steep down grade after
rounding curve. The engineer of
the freight thought nothing of the
passenger train which sped by him at
Bucoda, as he steamed around the
curve to go down the grade. AS he
turned and came into full view OF Tc-
nino station he was Mortified to note
The passenger train halted in front of
the little depot on the main line. His
eiaii Wdo WlIhOuI hlI-UIdhCS. Ilic
engineer was alive to the situation,
however. He whistled for brakes for
all he was worth. threw her back"
in engineers parlance, that is, reversed
his engine, and letting go the sand,
stood at his post.
He witnessed a scene of commotion
at the little depot. The conductor
was in the Office registering when he
heard the "toot! tootw of the freight
engine, followed by repeated alarms
from the whistle. The freight engi-
neer saw him leap from the Office
and dash aboard his train. In less
time than it takes to tell it passengers
streamed from the train and ran to
places OF safety at the track side. The
freight engineers heart bounded with
relief for he saw that as his train
could not be stopped, that at least part
of the ill-fated passenger was doomed
At critical moment he called to his
firemen
JUMP AND SAVE YOURSELF
Saw him tumble out of the cab and
fall in safety on the ground, and then
with bound he reached earth and
safety, escaping like his companion
with few slight bruises. The great
engine groaned as it crashed into the
fine Pullman sleeping car that formed
the end of the passenger. 1t tore its
way through the sleeper. scattering it
right :nd left. But the prompt ac-
tion of the freight engineer in I" throw
ing her back" finally overpowcred the
engine, and helpless it halted about
midway of the sleeper.
AT THE SCENE OF THE WRECK
All was confusion. The passengers
and trainmen gathered together. At
first investigation it seemed positive
that no one was hurt. 1t was demon
strated that every passenger and
train hand on No. 2 was uninjured,
and all were congratulating one
another ON the presence of mind OF
the trainmen of both trains, when the
liremen of the freight train came rum
ming up. He said two men, who had
evidently been trying to steal a ride,
were dead and mangled ON one OF the
cars OF the freight train, II fiat car
covered with heavy sticks of timber.
He had noted their bodies as he ran
up the track.
THE VAGABOND UNFORTUNATEs
The train hands and several passen-
gers at once made their way to the
scene OF death, piloted by the fireman.
Passing car after car of the freight
rain, the fireman finally halted in
front of the fiat car with its great load
If lumber. The spectators saw an
awful sight. Crushed into an un-
mass between the heavy
sticks of timber lay two bodies. 1t
lid not take long for strong hands
10 begin the work OF recovery. One
crushed, jammed out of hui
man mould, was taken out and it was
seen that the removal made easy the
work of extricating the other. Grasp
ing this to what appeared to be the
legs, it was hauled out, when, to the
horror of all, it was found that
THE VICTIMS HEAD WAS GONE.
A glance at the bloody mass OF
flesh told those at work that lying
pressed against the timbers was the
head OF the man whose body they had
a moment before extricated from its
place OF death.
The bodies were laid beside the rail
road track. The head Of the decapi-
tated man was placed beside his body.
A blanket was thrown over them, and
then repairing to the depot, the con-
.rctor wired to Olympia for the
Cororcr of Thurston county to come.
The appearance, dress and conduct OF
the men in stealing their way over the