The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-04
SHORTS HEARING.
The Railroad Accident at Butler In q New
Phase.

Tho Railroad Accident at Butler In New
Phase.
The examination of Conductor Short whe
is charged with being responsible for the
accident on the Northern Pacific railroad
at Butler ON the Sd of last October, is set
for hearing at 10 O'Clock this morning be.
fore Justice Woodman. Short was placed
under arrest few days after the occurrence
the coroner's jury finding that the accident
was caused by criminal carelessness upor
his part.
The cause of the wreck begins with q
chain of incidents that started in the Mul-
Ian tunnel. Engineer Cromwell was ir
charge of the freight. No. 50, consisting o1
thirty loads and 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 or
this grade it was discovered that the train
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. It was decided to side
track at Butler and then run the engine
back after the end of the train in the tun-
mel. Before starting for Butler, however
Conductor Short sent man back to the
tunnel to flag an approaching train. Ar
irving at Butler, the twenty-four cars were
run into siding which proved to be toe
short to clear the cars from the main
track unless the locomotive was ont of the
way. The engine was moved to the main
track. The engineer refused to 90 back to
the tunnel without an order from the dis
patcher. Missoula was notified, and the
dispatcher there wired No. 2, which was
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. passed,
and to leave the end of the train where il
was. Engineer Cromwell then, to clear
the track, ran his engine into a safety
switch, where wood train was standing.
Engineer Cromwelrs engine was within
few feet Of the other. But unfortunately
the switch was not closed. Within fifteen
feet Of the switch Engineer Mase and Fire
man Layton saw the danger. The latter
tried to jump. but the engineer, conscious
OF the many lives that depended upon his
action in the next instant, heroically stood
his ground and with one hand on the lever
and the other on the air-brake he met a
hero's death.
Who can tell how many lives that brave
young engineer saved by his work in check
ing, as far as human power could do, the
.V1oo VI tudt tIaln db IL maOly oa6no0 into
the two engines that stopped it's course?
The noble fellow lived long eaough to know
and realize from the lips of his fellow work
men. who tenderly lifted him from the
wreck, that he had sacrificed his to save
probably hundred lives. One of his legs
was blown from his body and he was terri
bly, scalded and expired just twenty-eight
minutes after the collision. He tried to
speak, but could not, though he was sensi-
BILE and his comrades assisted him in every
way. A 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 suferings, and there was
none on that train but who secretly hoped
to some day meet that engineer in better
land. He left young wife at Missoula to
mourn his loss.