The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-10-14
ALONG THE RAIL.
A Mail Clerks Account of the
Disaster ON Monday.
The Southern Pacific Will Shortly Commence
Construction on the missing Link"
in the Coast Line.

Two dispatches were received at railroad
headquarters yesterday, concerning the
wreck of the overland near Colfax on Mon
day morning, and there is little to add to
the accounts already published
Special Officer Ben True of Sacramento
and the Sheriff of Placer County and
large body of men are securing the country
ia the vicinity of the disaster, overhauling
and questioning all suspicious characters
and doing their level best to capture the
miscreants VINO attempted this wholesale
murder.
Amos, the porter, who was badly crushed
in the wreck. was not able to be moved to
his home in Oakland and so was left at the
Railroad Hospital in Sacramento. His in
juries are much more serious than at first
supposed.
A MAIL CLERKS VERSION.
j. w Stevenson. who was in charge Of
mail on the wrecked train, gives the follow
ing account of the accident:
1--WE struck the DETECTED rail about $3.50
o'clock in the morning The engine and the
fruitcar staid on the track. The two mail
cars and all the others lett the rails The
last sleeper rolled over and then slid down
eighty feet on its side. 1t did not roll over
and over as some accounts in the news
we knew that all the danger was over and
we soon after went to help the people out OF
the sleeper down the canyon We had TO
kick out the windows and then hit the peo-
pie out. L saw and examined the cause OF
the trouble within ten minutes after the
train left the track. There is not the least
doubt but that an attempt was made to
wreck the train. All the spikes but two had
been removed from the rail.
THE rail had been slid six inches TO one
al fN.aF.f roll
to raise 1t. You know how an engine will
rock from side to side when going around
curve. 1t was Just this rocking, in my
opinion, which prevented the engine, which
was run by Charlie Eastbrook, from going
down the canyon. The rocking threw the
rail into position, or nearly SO; at any rate,
enough to let the engine and fruit-car go
along all right But when we struck tho
rail it slid out of place again, and oil we
went. There were in the mail-car E. Flood,
Mr.. ROundy, whose initials l don't know.
| S. A ID. Hall, all of whom are clerks Mr..
Locke, a city distributor; Lew Cook. from
the inspection Office, and myself. COOK was
in the car as a guest"
COMPLETING THE COAST LINE.
The project of completing the coast-lne
road by closing the gap that now exists be-
tween Elwo1d, in Santa Barbara County,
and Santa Margarlta, in San Luis Obispo
County, q distance of about 40 miles, Is
one that has given the citizens of the south
great concern. 1t has been over year
since active agitation commenced in this
matter, and the people of the counties con-
eerued have labored faithfully, and II would
appear, not without good results. They
have long felt that thy were cut off from
direct communication with their natural
markets. and on account of this fact greatly
restricted in natural development. 1t is
said that right of way has been secured Tor
the entire distance, and that the Southern
No h1nti on
of the line Messrs. Towne and Croker
and Chief Engineer Hood left for Elwood
yesterday in special car to make hnal ar
engagements for commencing the wGrk.
JoBBERY SUSPECTED.
When Sells circus was cut in two recently
ut Stockton and it was whispered about in
railroad circles that forty five employees need
ed transportation to the East, ascore or more
of local agents hied themselves TO Stockton
for the purpose of securing the prizes. After
the usual amount of talking the Santa Fe
people succeeded in getting them. Many of
the railroad men think. however, that an
inducement was offered by this line in the
shape of d cut rate, and it is rumored that
General Agent Hitchcock of the Union Pa
cific has gone to Omaha to lay before his
head Office proofs of this deviation from The
last passenger agreement The Fourth and
Townsend streets passenger men are also
suspicious of crooked work and an investl-
gatiou is being made.
A dining-car service has been established
by the Southern Pacific between this city
and Sacramento. The new car leaves on
the 80 afternoon tain and returns on the
overland due here at 9:15.
AGENT BARNES HAS RESIGNED.
City Passenger Agent Barnes of the Rock
Island has rendered his resignation, to take
effect on November 1st. He has been con-
nected with the Rock Island for a long
time, and General Agent Jones has ex-
pressed much regret in being compelled to
dispense with his efficient services. Mr..
Barnes successor has not been named.
General Superintendent Fillmore of the
| Southern Pacific yesterday received tele-
gram announcing the death of his aged
mother at Fayetteville, n. Y. Mr.. Fillmore
returned only a short time since from q
visit to his parents, whom lie left in the best
of health.
T. j. Kiley, formerly clerk in the Rio
| Grande Western office, has been appointed
ticket agent with that line, vice C.. T..
! Swain, resigned.
Assistant General Manager Curtis of the
! Southern Pacific has returned from the
north.
Philips Rock Island excursion arrived
yesterday with 113 New England home
seekers