The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-05
Further Particulars Of the Wreek
to the Northern Pacific
Passenger Train.
The Coroner's Jury Endeavorfnr
to Place the RESPONSE
bility.
Conductor Short Disappear. but Con.
cludes to Stand his Ground-How
Engineer Maso Died.

the body Of Engineer Frank B.
Mase, who was killed in the acct
dent to Northern Pacific passenger train
No. 2 at Butler Friday night. The jury did
not conclude its labors, as all the necessary
witnesses were not on hand. They have
been summoned, however, and will testify
before the jury, which adjourned until II
O'Clock this morning. at the coroner's Office
in the court house.
The accident seemingly is chargeable to
to Conductor Short. It is said that after
he realized that Engineer Mase
had been killed and saw Fire
man Layton laid out badly scalded,
he drew away from the scene of the wreck.
He walked through the cold and chilly air
| of the morning. over the hills and up
through the Mullan tunnel and did not
stop until he reached Blossburg, q station on
the west side Of the tunnel, where he eager
ly inquired of the result of the accident.
He came to Helena upon the summons of
the coroner. He was placed under arrest.
but released upon his own recognizance.
In his story Of the affair to the jury he
said he was overworked; that he was short
him with the train, whereas he usually has
three. He opened the switch and said he
ordered Brakeman Nixon to close it.
| While surprising that Nixon was doing so,
| he (Short) was in getting orders from
the. dispatcher and giving him
If Engineer Cromwell had obeyed
my orders to 60 back to Blossburg,"
said Short, "the accident might have been
avoided"
The cause Of the wreck begins with
chain of incidents that started in the Null
charge of the freight, No. So, consisting of
thirty loads and a caboose. While going
through the tunnel bolt broke, cutting
the train in two, and leaving six cars be-
hind. There is quite steep grade down
the east slope OF the range, and while on
had broken. The train was stopped and
started back after the other cars, but the
engine was not strong enough to push the
twenty-four cars up the hill, and this plan
was abandoned. 1t was decided to side
track at Butler and then run the engine
back after the end of the train in
the tunnel. Before starting for Butler,
however, Conductor Short sent a man back
to the tunnel to flag an approaching train.
Arriving at Butler, the twenty four cars
too short to clear the cars from the main
track unless the locomotive was out of the
way. The engine was moved to the main
track. The engineer refused to 20 back to
the tunnel without an order from the dis
patoher. Missoula was notified, and the
|
about at Elliston, to remove the cars from
the tunnel and side track them at Bloss-
burg. Conductor Short received orders to
continue on to Helena after No. 2 passed,
and to leave the end Of his train where it
was. Engineer Cromwell then, to
into a safety switch. where a wood
train was standing. Engineer Cromwells
engine was within few feet of the other.
But unfortunately the switch was not
closed. Within fifteen feet of the switch
Engineer Mase and Fireman Layton saw
the engineer, conscious of the many lives
that depended upon his actions in the next
instant, heroically stood his ground and
with one bard on the lever and the other
on the airbrake he met a hero's death. Who
can tell how many lives that brave young
far as human power could do, the for,e of
that train as it madly dashed into the two
engines that stopped its course2 The
noble fellow lived long enough
70 know and realize from the
lifted him from the wreck, that he had sac
rifced his to save probably hundred lives.
One of his legs was blown from his body
and he was terribly scalded and expired
just twenty-eight minutes after the collis-
though he was sensible and his comrades
assisted him in every way. physician
from Tacoma who was on the train, did all
that could be done; there was nothing but
to wait till death should end his sufferings
and there was none on that train but who
secretly hoped to some day meet that engin-
eer in better land. He leaves a young
wife at Missoula to mourn his loss. His
body has been sent there for burial.
Fireman Layton received severe scald-
ing, but will recover.
Three engines were locked fast in each
others embrace and totally disabled. The
mail car was also badly wrecked and the
clerk received severe shaking up. Many
sleeping passengers were rudely awakened
and hurled from their seats, but no serious
results have been reported. The total loss
to the company has not been ascertained,
though it is estimated all the way from
$500 to $4,000. The coroner's Jury is com.
posed of +. Z. Theme, Ed Needham Thos.
Conlon, John H. Rhodes, J. N. Craig and
F. L. Lincoln.
Another Wreck.
About midnight last night fifteen cars of
a freight train jumped the track on the
Northern Pacific at the Montana Central
crossing, about mile west of town. There
: were no serious results and the track was
cleared after delaying No. 2 about one hour.
Fine assortment of horse blankets at A.
j. Davidson Il Co.'s.
Fowles Cash Store is headquarters for
wors.eds, yarns. etc.