The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-06-07
THROUGH \ BRIDGE.

A California Passenger Train Coos
Through q Draw-TnIrteen
Killed.
One OF the most horrible railway
accidents ever known in California
occurred at 40 o'clock on the after
noon of the both inst, when the local
train connecting at Oakland with
lerry-Doats from San Francisco ran
through an open draw bridge over
the San Antonio creek at Western
street, Oakland. A yacht had just
passed through the draw whom the
train apps"rou, going III the dIrectloh
OF Alameda. The draw bridge keeper
eudeavored to close the bridge, but
too late, and the engine with the ten
der and tirst car, filed with passen-
gers
PLUNGED INTO 1HE ESTUARY.
Engineer Sam Dunn and Fireman
O'Brien went down with the engine.
The former, wnen he saw that the
bridge did not close reversed the lever,
but the momentum Of the engine was
too great to be stopped in time. The
weight o. the engine and the first car
broke the couplings and lett the other
two cars Of the train standing on the
track. The second car ran about n
third OF the way across the bridge and
stopped, but the jar was sufficient to
break open the front Of the Car and
many Of the passengers were
THROWN INTO TIE WATER.
The first car, which had fallen with
the engine to the bottom OF the muddy
Estuary, soon rose, and such OF the
passengers az had escaped therefrom
we're picked up by the yachts and
small boats which gathered at the
scene. rralnmen and the rest OF the
passengers lent aid to the rescue and
when the wrecklng train arrived from
Oakland the car was drawn into shal'
low water and small boats began
dragging the creek for bodies. The
train was in charge OF Conductor
Rerath, who stated that probably
twenty five persons had
MET THEIR DEATH.
The top of the passenger coach was
cut open as soon rs 1t was raised
above the water and the work OF re-
moving the bodies commenced, thir'
teen being taken out in quick success
sion. At the morgue the bodies were
laid out as soon as received to await
Identification, and heartrendlng
scenes were witnessed rs friends came
forth to claim their dead. The list OF
idt ntified is as follows:
Martin Kelly, Oakland.
A. II. Austin, San Francisco.
Miss Florence Austin, San Fran
cisco.
Mrs. Ryan, San Francisco.
j. Il. Crayne, Oakland.
Z. X. Robinson, San Francisco.
Luini Malesta, San Francisco.
Capt. John Dyer, Sacramento.
Mr.. Williams, San Francisco.
II. w. Aud, colored, Ho loluiu.
Two Misses Ker an, San Francisco.
A Japenese boy, supposed to be
II. Malerta Of San Francisco.
The engineer and fireman both es-
caped.
The experience OF passengers in the
first coach as related by those VIII"
fortunately escaped is
HORRITYING N THE EXTREME.
F. F.. Finley OF San Francisco said
II was in the front seat, facing the
engine. Just rs we approached the
draw bridge it seemed to me that the
draw was open. Just then n man
jumped from the engine into the water
and then came the crash. A horriblc
crushing of timber and swapping o
heavy iron work followed, and at onct
CONSERVATION prevailed IN the car
The next thing knew the car was ir
the water and | found myself blindly
cropping for the door, which iortun
ately reached, when that end q
the car rose out Of the water anC
quite number OF people escaped ir
this manner, especially
WOMEN AND CHILDREN,
The car was about two-Lhirds ful
when we left the wharf, ami ! should
Judge there were at least twenty-hv,
to thirty people in it. There was &
fearful outcry when the car began Il
| fill, but this was almost Immediately
hushed in one long final wall of des
pair"
George II. Haw!ey OF Oakland saiC
there were about rorty people incIud
ing children IN the car. Conductor
Rerath said that the first car was 1
combination. When the disaster oC
Cured he WIS in the rear car and haC
"a much as ne could 40 for a lew mo
ments to attend to the passengers II
| the car, some Of whom were
~ A STATE OF FRENZY.
lie then went forward and locke;
down on the sceLe OF death. He no
ticed at least half dozen men swim
out, but not any women or children
He is not sure about the number O
people in the coach.
James Dunlap. the bridge tender
had nothing 10 say further than thai
he had opened the bridge for th'
yacht, aud was just closing il wheI
the train came along.
Several OF the passengers who wen
DOWN, but were rescued, SUSTAINED
painful injuries. The frame OF the ca
| has been Taised aud the bed OF tn
creek thoroughly explored. and it II
believed that there are no more bodie
! IN the wreck. Conservative estimate
this evening place the number OF peo
pie in the car at about thirty, and !
is believed that the thirteen bodies re
covered comprise the list OF dead
Thousands Of people Aocked TO tn
scene of the Disaster, and the street
leading TO the bridge WAS crowded wit
hrrrying men, women and children.
THE Widest RuMoRs
OF the extent OF the loss OF life Was Gil
culated, and many people went fror
San Francisco to look ior friendt