, 1890-10-30
CARELESS TRAIN MEN.
Freight Wreck on the Union
Pacific.
ENGINEER O'DRIEN KILLED
A Collision That a Proper Atten-
ton to Signals Would
Have Averted.
O'BRIEN KILLED

PORTLAND, Oct. 23.-At 5:25 o'clock
this morning collision occurred on
the line OF the Union Pacific railroad
at point two miles west of Fairview
ana twelve miles west of Portland, in
which Engineer James q Brlen was
instantly killed and Fireman William
Hemsworth received serious injury to
his left shoulder, which was terribly
crushed.
The collision occurred between the
first section of east bound freight No.
2l, In charge of Conductor Allison,
Engineer Whipple aud Fireman Young,
and tho second section of west bound
freight No. 22, in charge of Conductor
Mendcnhall, Engineer OBrien and
Fireman Hemsworth.
A short distance east of Fairview the
west-bound train passed the first section
of the east-bound train and was sig
nailed that the rear section was not far
behind. The signals were either mis-
understood or forgotten, and the west
bound kept plowing ahead as If on an
open track at the rate of fifteen miles an
hour. At the point of the collision the
track forms an abrupt curve, and when
the two trains approached it they whis-
tied simultaneously, hence neither
heard the others signal to beware. On
they went and at the zenith of the curve
they came together with terrific crash.
The engines plunged into each other like
mad demons, and the freight cars we've
piled upon each other in an incongruous
mass.
Engineer O'Brien, of the east bound
train, was thrown from his cab, and
falling was struck by u car of the west
bound, which rolled over on top of him,
crushing him to death instantly.
Hemsworth fell not far away from
O'Brien, and was struck by a piece of
timber. He escaped with n crushed
shoulder. The incoming train was
laden with sugar, which was scattered
all about the scene, while hops, with
which the outgoing train was laden,
strewed the track in the vicinity of the
wreck. The liteless body of Engineer
O'Brien was removed from under the
car, and Hemsworth was cared for as
kindly as inexperienced hands knew how
to do.
Soon after the wreck the east-bound
and west-bound passenger trains met at
the scene, and, after taking on the dead
and injured and making a transfer of
passengers and imails, the east-bound
came back to this city and the west
bound started east again.
A wrecking train was sent out at once
to clear up the track, which was opened
some time this afternoon.
Both " Brlen and Hemsworth reside
in Albina and were taken at onco to
their respective homes. The death OF
Engineer o. Brien is greatly regretted,
for he was respected by all. = He Is snid
to be worth over $50, 00O. Neither he nor
Hemsworth are married. Officials OF
the company deeply regret that the ucci-
dent occurred, but as tine matter has not
yet been sufficiently investigated they
can not determine just who was to
blame, except that the occurrence was
due to the carelessness of the trainmen.
Rosie T., st. James, Tongues, Mix's S
and fosters stables were in the car
next to the one demolished. The horses
were thrown down, but escaped unin-
jured. A number of Iowa horses bound
for Anacortes and Whatcom were in the
damaged car and some were seriously
injured.