Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-06-01

oWoAhf oiCd Witnlu tuc past wear. NM.
Robinson was a man of high moral char.
acter, and had wide circle of friends.
J. r. Irwin was employed by the Singer
Sewing Machine Agency at Thirteenth and
Washington streets, Oakland.
II. w. Aud, the thirteenth victim, was
native of Honolulu, aged 80 years. The
deceased held the position of Chief Entry
Clerk in the Honolulu Custom House, and
came to this city few days ago for the
purpose of escorting his sisters, who have
been educated at the Sacred Heart Convent
in Oakland, back to their native land.
They were to have left to-day on the
steamer Zealandia.
PERSONS REPORTED MISSING,
Three persons are reported missing and
the belief is that they are in the car at the
bottom of Oakland creek These persons
are:
William Badman. also known as William
Ray. He left this city on the boat that
connected with the train that went through
the draw bridge, and has not since been
heard from.
G. F. Reed, of Northampton, Mass. a
member of the RAYMOND excursion from
New England, is missing from the Grand
Hotel. and his friends are very anxious
about him, fearing that he may have been
lost in the catastrophe. He left the hotel
at l o'clock for Oakland.
Ernest Ferguson is also reported to be
among the missing.
WHAT THE RAILROAD OFFICIALS SAY.
General Manager Towne of the Southern
Pacific Company states that he does not
know where the blame lies and thinks a
thorough investigation of the accident will
be necessary before it can be ascertained
who was at fault. Continuing Mr.. Towne
said: "Our regulations as to crossing
bridges depend upon their size and
strength, which is known to engineers and
Division Superintendent on the various
portions of the road. Now as to whether
engineer Dunn was grossly careless,
whether there was danger signal in posi-
| ton, and il SO, why he or the fireman did
not see or heed it, why he did not see the
open drawbridge, and whether the two
| men on the bridge did their whole duty,
are questions l am not prepared to an.
swer."
General Superintendent Fillmore unhes.
itatingly blamed engineer Dunn for the
| accident. He said the latter had been in
| the employ of the road for thirteen years,
and had always been considered a compe.
tent man. He was usually employed on
freight trains in the Santa Cruz mountains.
but had worked on the Oakland trains be-
| fore, and had been running the train that
| met with the accident all day.
Mr.. Fillmore further stated 'It is not
| the custom to come to halt Just before
reaching the bridge on the way to Oakland.
On the return trip toward the ferry stop
is made right at the bridge because there is
| station at that point. The bridge is q
good one and the trains run over it at a
fast rate, because they have got to run fast
to make proper connection with the boats
A red flag during the day and red Ian.
tern at night are the signals to stop trains
at the bridge. Even if there was no dam
ger signal Dunn and O'Brien should have
seen that the draw was open long before
they reached the bridge"
THE BRIDGE-TENDER's STORY.
James N. Dunlap, who had charge oftbe
bridge, gave the following information: ~
am employed by the county, and this is
the first accident during my two years here.
l opened the bridge and set the danger
signal, a red flag, in its place between the
rails. At distance of 800 yards from the
bridge the rails run almost at right angles
with the creek, and any engineer can see
if the draw is open. At $50 yards away
the track begins to come straight for the
bridge, and the danger flag, which is about
two feet square, stands three feet above the
SiOubd anu 10 cdSily Sc6u. cannon Under
stand why Dunn did not STOP
Captain Henry Mcintyre of the Casco
states that he plainly saw the danger
signal, and wondered why the train did not
sop.
Persons living in the neighborhood of
the bridge say that all engineers are care
less in crossing the bridge, never even slow.
ing down as it is approached.
EZRA RICHARDS STATEMENT
Ezra Richards, of 1904 Powell street, a
well-known resident, formerly proprietor
of the United States Restaurant, was in the
middle car of the fated train. He SAYS: II
left my home about three minutes of |
clock to go to Oakland to visit friends.
and left the foot of Market street on the
l:15 narrow-gauge ferry. | noticed there
were comparatively few passengers aboard. |
consiiering the holiday.
Nothing marred the trip over to the |
wharf. | entered the middle car of the |
Oakland train, which consisted of only |
three cars. The first car was com animation |
car-half of 1t Tor smoking. AS never |
smoke did not go into il, and to that fact
| probably owe my life. The people filled |
the car that | was in and crowded into the |
forward car. l noticed especially two I
beautiful young girls with auburn hair, the |
Misses kearns who went on into the other
car. The train pulled out and ran between |
thirty and forty miles an hour along the |
long wharf. I've been on trains nearly all |
my life, and know what I'm talking about |
when l speak of speed.
las we approached the bridge there was
no apparent Stacking of speed. l was look |
ing out, and so far as l could Judge the |
bridge was closed all right. Then came a |
sudden shock and bumps-all as quick as |
that-[clapping his bands three times1.
Our car was pitched down half through the |
draw. The forward car and engine went
down into the creek. / got outside and
saw people struggling in the water An
old man in boat sculled off to them. | |
saw man with boy and heard him cry,
Save my child
Some men with me pulled up some
planks and threw them in the water. | !
saw two men, dressed in overals, swim
from the car 10 the piles of the bridge and
climb up. supposed they were the engi- |
neer and fireman. The engine was entirely |
out OF sight, but the rear and some of the |
root of the Car was out of water urged |
men TO hurry and get into the car and they
did chop in the roof, but it was fully five |
minutes before they could get through the |
tin and heavy timbers. They ran boat |
hook in and poked about Finally they
pulled the body Of a woman out and next
that of man."
THE ENGINEER APPEARS.
Engineer Dunn, who was at first re- |
ported lost appeared to-day at the South |
ern Pacific headquarters and was closeted |
with General Manager Towne for some |
time. His report of the disaster is not |
made public, but it is understood the only |
explanation he makes is that he supposed |
all was right with the bridge until too late |
to check this train.
No other new facts regarding the acci- |
dent were made known from railway head |
quarters. d close inquiry of a private |
nature is being made by the company's |
officers, bat the testimony of the inquest |
will be relied on largely to throw new
light on some points at present doubtful. |
The Coroner's Jury viewed the remains
to-day and adjourned till Monday at 8 p. NJ. |
Among those who escaped with their
lives was the wife of James j. OConnor,
the contractor, and her sister, Miss Scsnlin,
Of 294l Clay street.
Assistant Superintendent Pratt, who was
early at the scene, saw that the occupants of
the second coach narrowly escaped going
down. The forward trucks and the for
ward end of the coach went under water,
but the apron and protesting tresile tim
bers caught the coach between the two
trucks, aud there it remained suspended
until lacked and pulled back upon the