Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-07-17
A WRECK On THE Mp.
A Freight Train of six Cars goes through
a Trestle near
Spokane.
One Man Killed and Several Others
Seriously In
jured.

|
A frightful wreck occurred on the
Northern Pacific at the first trestle. in
the southwestern part Of Spokane, short
ly before o'clock yesterday evening.
when a local freight. train crashed
through the rotten structure and piled
up in awful confusiey at the bottom of
the gulch, killing Hireman Flaherty,
seriously ininring Roadmaster James
Lynch, and mangling two carloads of
stock in a sickening manner.
The train was No. so, east-bound, a
local freight from the Spokane and Pa
louise branch, drawn by engine No. 27O,
and in charge of Conductor c. W. Sans
and Engineer Speer.
There were only four cars in the train
besides. the caboose, one being loaded
with horses, one with cattle and hogs.
one with hay and the other with produce.
The trestle is about I60 feet in length,
and the engine was about two thirds of
the way over when the final crash came.
The engine sank down with the trestle,
crushing the rails through the weak
timbers. and landed at the bottom right
side up with care, standing on an angle
of about forty-fve degrees on the side
of the steep hill.
Three men who were driving by in a
wagon witnessed the accident and at
once ran to the scene of the wreck.
Engineer Speer was engaged in pull
ing the limp form Of Fireman Flaherty
from the cab. Roadmaster Lynch, who
was riding on the engine, was found ly-
ing on the tender. sIaherty and Lynch
were placed in the wagon and brought
to town, Flaherty being taken to the
hospital, where he died ,soon after. and
Lynch to his home on Pine street.
All the other men on the train were in
the caboose. the conductor and Brake
man J L. Lyp;@Aa toffsIt and =,
Q. Mcdonald, being in the cupola. There
we're also in the caboose J. W. Melon
aid, of Oaksdale, on his way to Spokane,
W. r. Long, Of Pomeroy, owner of the
cattle and hogs, and w L. Campbell, OF
Genessee, Idaho, owner of the horses.
none of whom were seriously hurt.
A few moments after the wreck oc-
Cured people began to arrive from the
city, the report having come down town
that the wrecked train was the west
bound passenger, due at p. m.
The scene in the vicinity of the
wrecked stock cars was sickening. Cattle,
horses and hogs were crushed together,
dead, dying and mangled the wounded
animals struggling, believing, moaning,
squealing with pain.
The car containing the horses was
turned bottom uppermost, with sides
and ends broken out, the poor brutes
being buried underneath the debris.
Mayor Fotheringham was present and
ordered the police to kill the wounded
Hhoraes.
] None of the men in the cahoose were
hurt, except for slight bruises. Brake
man Hoffett had miraculous escape,
being hurled through the cupola window,
landing at the bottom of the gulch
under the merchandise car, which rested
on one corner.
The tralnmen in the sscupola saw the
engine start down, and scrambled down
to make rush for the door, but failed
to reach it.
Mr.. Mcdonald was asleep W hen he
heard the shout of danger and sprang
to the front door. Seeing the train 60
ing down he slammed the door shut and
started for the rear, but the coach went
over before he had gone far.
The trestle had been undergoing re-
pairs for several days, and the workmen
had only quit work short time before.
Several rotten timbers had been replaced
at the north end.
Some of the broken mudsills were SO
rotten that they could be picked to
pieces with the fingers. All the tim
bers, in fact, seemed to have outhved
their usefulness years ago.