The record-union., 1891-10-13
A FIENDISH DEED.
The Overland Express Train DeraiIed
by Train-Wreckers.
One Coach Hurled Fifty Feet Down an
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Nobody was
Seriously Injured.

This community was thrown into a
fever OF excitement at an early hour yes
terday morning by report gaining cur
rency to the effect that the first-class
overland express train, due here at 5:25
A. NJ, had been wrecked while coming
down the mountain, and that many per-
sons were killed and scores injured.
AS the story flew from mouth to mouth
it became wildly exaggerated, until
finally the list of killed had been doomed
up to the number Of forty, and the in
Jured at more than hundred, every time
the story was told the number being in
creased. The report was that the acci-
dent has been caused by the spreading of
a rail.
Fortunately the wild rumors that were
spread had no truth in them beyond the
fact that an accident had occurred There
was nobody seriously injured. = The facts,
as subsequently developed, were these:
The train, which is known as No. 4,
left Colfax on its way hither at 3:25 A. NJ
1t was in charge of Conductor NJ. "
Murray, with Engineer b. H. Estabrook
plotting the locomotive. Five minutes
later, while running at about twenty i've
mile of Lander Station, a partially re-
moved rail was struck on curve over a
revIne, and just after emerging from a
cut.
The train consisted of locomotive, a
baggage car, two mail cars, a combination
express and baggage car, smoker, one
day COACH four Pullman sleeping coaches
and a caboose containing the crew of a
freight train returning from beyond the
mountains.
The engineer felt the engine jar as it
went safely over the disturbed rail, and
Immediately applied the air-brakes The
baggage and mail cars, the smoker and
day coach also passed over the rail in
safety, but when the heavy Pullman
sleeping cars struck it they forced it of
the ties and all left the track, humping
over the ties for short distance.
None Of the sleepers, however, left the
grade except the last one, the Santa
Cruz, which broke its couplings and
went down the embankment fifty feet
into the ravine, where it finally found
lodgment against a tree, after having
once turned over as it neared the bottom.
The caboOSe was detached from the
sleeper and thrown across the track, al
most at right angles with the rails.
Great excitement ensued among those
who were aroused and discovered what
had happened, although many pas
sengers in the sleeping-coaches which
remained on the grade were not even
awakened. Conductor Murray was in
the smoker at the time, and rushing out
he saw at a glance the startling character
Of the accident.
Directed by the cries that came up from
the wrecked sleeping-car, he fastened
down through the brush, followed by a
number Of trainmen and passengers from
the day coaches. They found the occu-
pants of the wrecked sleeper ten in
,l,r,n-A Ii -
through windows. Conductor Murray
broke in one of the doors, and in short
time the imprisoned passengers were all
rescued. 1t was found that none were
seriously injured, although several re-
celved bruises and scratches caused by
the tumbling about they received while
the coach was going down the grade.
IN the meantime a messenger had sped
to New England Mills, couple of miles
this side of where the accident occurred
from which point word was telegraphed
to Superintendent Wright's office in this
city of the wreck.
on receipt Of the telegram here, another
was sent to COlfax directing Dr. Brown
to hasten to the scene and look after the
injured. The doctor had a hand-car
placed at his disposal, and in few min
utes he was at the wreck. He found but
two of the injured required any attention
the porter, }. y. Amos, and G. W.
right hip was strained, and the latter's
shoulder wrenched somewhat.
DR.. Brown returned to Colfax and
wired Superintendent Wright that none
of the passengers required any further
medical attendance.
a special train Of empty coaches and a
WreckIng train were ordered up from
this city, and the wrecking car and crew
from Truckee were also called on for as
sist2nce. On the special train from here
We're Superintendent Wright, Assistant
Superintendent Jones, DIR. L. w, Hunt
1ngton and DR.. G.. c. Simmons. Not
withstanding DIR. Browns assurance that
none Of those on the train were seriously
hurt, 1t was deemed best to have physi-
clans along.
Among the passengers on the wrecked
train was jerome Madden, Land Agent
for the southern branch of the Southern
Pacific Company's lines. Mrs. Madden
was a guest of DIR. q. L. Simmons and
wife, and fearing that her husband might
be injured she insisted on going to the
scene Of the wreck, and was allowed to
do So
In the meantime those who were in the
wrecked coach were made as comfortable
as possible and shortly after daylight
some empty cars came down from Colf3x.
by order of Superintendent Wright, and
carried the passengers back to that town
where an excellent breakfast was ready
for them at the railroad company's ex-
pense.
THE WORK OF TRAIN wRECKERS.
An inspection of the displaced rail
showed at glance that the disaster was
tho result Of the fiendish work of train
wreckers. This was apparent to every
one. The rails used on the mountain
are the heaviest and best steel rails man
Ufactured, weighing some ninety pounds
to the foot. They are securely spiked TO
tho ties, and on the curves are reinforced
by strong clamps at intervals of few
fcet, making it next TO impossible for a
Fail to be accidentally forced from its
Place.
The partially displaced rail which
caused the accident was found TO have
been loosened from seven ties by the
drawing Of the spikes. The fish-bars had
also been removed from one end, and one
of them forced under the rail, showing
that il had been employed to assist the
wreckers in prying the latter up.
The track-walker, who was early at the
wreck, found in the bushes near the
track crow-bar, with claws on the end,
like those of carpenters hammer,
which had been used 10 draw the spik es
from the ties. One of the claws had been
freshly broken OF, and there Were abra-
sions on the iron made by the rail where
the bar had been used TO pry it up.
it was plain TO all that the scoundrels
had abandoned their work because of a
luck of time in which to loosen the rail
its entire length, or their inability to
move it further. 1t was only fifteen min
utes before the train was wrecked that q
locomotive passed over the spot, coming
down the hill, and the engineer noticed
nothing wrong with the rail at that time.
The miscreants, then, had but few
minutes in which to do their hellish
work, and they were unable TO complete
it. Il was, beyond doubt, their aim to