Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-27
HANDLING A WRECK.
AN ANIMATED SCENE NEAR DAVIS
VILE YESTERDAY.
Raising Engineer Cox's Locomotive From
the Mud-Bridging Over the
Late Washout.

Persons who have never seen a railroad
wrecking crew at work have little idea of
the systematic and skillful manner in
which these men are trained to handle a
wreck.
A RECORD UNION reporter, through the
courtesy OF the railroad officials. visited
the scene of the disastrous washout two
miles this side of Dayisvil.e yesterday,
where Charles Cox, the unfortunate en-
gineer of the Knights Landing train, was
killed Friday night, and fireman Neal
badly injured.
The break, as was previously published,
was caused by the sudden rising of Putah
creek. The swollen stream dashed with
irresistible force against the embankment
upon which the track was laid, and wore
a wide opening directly through and under
the rails, leaving the latter in their proper
places but unsupported underneath. 1t be-
ing dark at the time the Inflated train
come along, Engineer Cox, with the aid
of the locomotive headlights, could only
see the unbroken track ahead of him and
could not discern the washout underneath.
The. regular track-patrolman had been
over the road some time before the accident
occurred, and discovering the washout,
went back to Davisville and reported it.
Several section men started out immedi-
ately for the scene, intending to signal the
train and thus avert the disaster. They
did not reach the washout in time, how
ever, aud the train plunged into the break.
The unsupported rails of course snapped
like straws under the enormous weight of
the locomotive.
When the reporter arrived at the scene
yesterday he saw several hundred men
hurrying hither and thither, some carrying
heavy beams on their shoulders, others
great ropes and pulleys, and others chains,
sledge- hammers, axes and hundred and
one other devices. All seemed confusion,
and the newspaper man began to wonder
that they were not stumbling over one
another.
About fifty yards from these men was
another crowd, to all appearances equally
confused and jumbled, who were climbing
over, under and around big pile driver
which projected over the washout from a
long hat-car.
But as the scribe watched the movements
of these men more closely he soon saw how
mistaken wss his first impression of the
scene.
Instead of confusion, the work was be-
ing done in the most systematic manner
imaginable. Each workman was con-
stantly attending to certain work, independ-
ent of the others, and though they were
swarming all around each other, there was
no stumbling or doubling on the work.
A large, broad-shouldered man, with a
stern countenance and deep voice, whom
no one could help recognizing Immediately
as the person in charge OF the crew, stood
in a conspicuous position and quietly d.
rected the men. When he ordered an ex-
cavation made in which to set some tim
bers, a dozen men were on the spot in
twinkling, armed with shovels and picks
and in less time than it would take to tell
about it the job was finished. There was
no crowdlng, and only the desired number
of men answered his call. Then, when he
gave the signal for the timber to be laid,
the shovelers stepped back, and in their
places stood another dozen men, provided
with the necessary beams, planks and tools.
1t could be seen by any one that these men
thoroughly understood their business.
The general who was directing matters
was T. w. Heintzleman. who attends to all
wrecks of locomotives on the Sacramento
division, and has the reputation of being
one of the most capable men in this line OF
business.
The task he had at this break was one of
the severest tests of his abilities as a
wrecker he has ever experienced. The
wrecked engine had plunged with terrific
force into the creek and sank almost to the
smokestack in the mud, the water being
about five feet deep. Had the wreck &C.
Cured where there was no water, it would
have been a comparatively easy matter TO
raise the engine with hydraulic jacks and
replace it on the track. But in this case it
was impossible to use the jacks, and many
other devices were equally as useless under
the circumstances. Mr. Heintzleman had
great six-inch Manila cable attached to the
submerged locomotive, and the other end
to live" engine on the track above. A
long platform, resembling somewhat the
ways upon which a ship is built, was then
laid from the track down to the disabled
engine, upon which it could move when
pulled.
Notwithstanding the great number of
men employed and the skill and rapidity
with which they worked, it required nearly
all of Yesterday to get in readiness for the
final grand pull which brought the
wrecked locomotive up out of the mud and
water.
This was accomplished late last evening,
and the pile-d drivers Immediately set to
work to build a bridge over the break. 1t
Is tnOuSul tudt TIC oIluSe wiz NC hnnohou
to-day, and all will soon be in readiness
| for the trains to pass over.
The other washout, which also occurred
on Friday night, but on the other side of
Davisville, was repaired yesterday, and is
now in good order. The regular afternoon
train to San Francisco left on time yester-
day afternoon, via Benicia. The psssen-
gers were transferred at the Davisville
break TO train on the other side, and thus
lost but little time. Passengers on the train
which came up from San Francisco in the
| forenoon over the same route were also
| transferred at the same place.