The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-09
TWO FATAL FREIGHT WRECKS.
The Ruins Burned and Two Men Roasted
AItve-wreck Near skykomish.

AItve-Wreek Near skykomfsh.
| The Great Northern railroad Was the
scene Of three serious train wrecks be-
tween Thursday evening and yesterday
morning, in which three lives were lost
Two freight trains were demolished by =
collision near Spokane. and two trainmen
met with horrible death by fire; pass
euger train was wrecked a snort distance
east Of that city. and a freight train ran
into slide nesr Skykomish. with the loss
Of one life. The particulars of the two
wrecks near Spokane are told in the fol-
lowing speciai dispatch:
"sPoxAsE, Dec. S--Ths worst wreck
which has happened on the Great North
ern railroad since the extension Of the
line from Hayre 10 the Coast occurred at
Edwali. q small station thirty-fve miles
west OF Spokane, about ; o'clock last even
ing. Engineer Joseph Shinsky and Fire
man Wallace were killed in head-end
collision between two freights, which, in
addition 20 the two fatalities, resulted IN
the destruction of both locomotives, eight
cars OF merchandise and the EdwalI water
tank
THE east-bound freight in charge of
Conductor Lltson. left Harrington with
orders To run to Ecwail 10 meet an extra
wesi-bound. The engineer slowed up at
the west switch, and. seeing nothing of
the Sest-bound train, pulled slowly into
the yard and up TO the water tank. While
the east-boEnd train was standing on the
main track taking water the collision oc-
Cured. The west-bound train. in charge
OF Conductor Curtis. left East Spokane
with orders 10 run TO Edwali. and
should have slowed up east of the
station. The operators signal to stop
was turned, but the train rushed
past the station at a terrific speed and
baA s,sA fAA s.ks
Standing at the tank was Union tank
line car filled with bulk oil and car of case
oil behind the engine of the west-bound
train and the oil was scattered over the
engines and the demolished box car. 1t
instantly ignited and the flames shot up
for fifty feet above the wreck.
Just before the collision Conductor Lit
son of the east-bound train came up TO the
tank and was alking with one of the
brakemen with regard to the train they
were to meet. The fireman was
on the water tank and the engineer
was working with the injector.
The west-bound train whistied as she
approached Edwall, and Conductor Lit
son said. There she is" A moment
later the train rushed down upon them,
and Litson called TO the engineer and
fireman OF his train to jump. The fire.
man jumped, but the engineer did not
have time to get out of the cab. Inn
mediatcly after the collision the wreck
was enveloped in flames. The tender of
the easi-bound engine was thrown under
the cab and box car roofs were piled
upon top of it, but Engineer Depew es-
capped from the cab with only slight in
iur.es before the flames reached him.
The body of Fireman Wallace. of the
west-bound train was found near the
Engineer Shinsky was found sit
ting upright on the deck of
his engine with his back against the boiler
head. Most OF the wreck was consumed,
together with the water tank. The bodies
of the engineer and fireman were brought
TO this city on the passenger train due
here at q O'Clock last night, but which did
not arrive until 6;55 a. m., 1t being neces-
ssry to lay temporary track around the
wreck.
THE east-hound passenger train, which
left here at S:bh y m, met with an acct
dent AT Bolton. few miles east of this
city. The engine was deraied and rolled
down an elnbankment, and the express
ana baggage cars were considerably dam
aged. 80 far as reported no one was in
jured.
In the small hours of Yesterday morn
ing an east-bound freight ran into slide
in deep cut short distance east of sky
komish and was wrecked. one trainman
being reported killed. For stretch of 800
feet the cut was tlled with mud and trees
20 n depth of forty feet. and immense
rocks were brought down with them.
Owing 20 the character of the place the
slide cannot be cleared rapidly as IL can
not be thrown over the side as in the case
of sidehill slide. but must be hauled
away al the ends Passengers on the east
bound aud west-hound trains were trans
ferred around the slide