The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-05-02
TWO TRAINMEN KILLED.
The o. c. & E. West Bound
Freight Plunged Through a
Bridge at Tunnel
No. 8.

A widow and child in Albany are mourn
ing the loss of husband ami father, and
members of Corvallis household are sadly
berea,ed by the sudden death of a son and
brother, the result of freight train wreck
at tunnel No. 3, on the 0. G. & f. Monday
afternoon. The killed were Conductor
John Campbell. of Corvallis, and Brakeman
Grant Wilcox. of Albany.
From Superintendent Clark who returned
from the scene of the wreck Tuesday after
noon it is learned that the train now lying
at the bottom OF the Yaquina river consis-
ted of foarteen box-cars loaded with freight
for San Francisco, one empty ii 1t car and
caboose. The f1at.car was second third
! from the engine. 1t was the intention of
Conductor Campbell TO do some switching
at the Pioneer siding and he and Brakeman
Wilcox were stanling on the fat car at the
time the bridge gave way. On approaching
the bridge Engineer Casteel had shuS off
the steam and the train was moving at a
slow rate of speed. AS soon as the engine
had crossed the ono hundred foot span it
gave away, percipitating the ears, except
the caboose, into the river below. The lat
ter remained on the east pier of the bridge
while the engine stands on the west pier
with the rear trucks of the tender hanging
ov er the water. That it too was not plupe.
ed into the river was indeed miracle.
Immediately after the accident Engineer
Casteel and Fireman r. NJ. Percival began
! ,arching for their comrades. Attracted by
a moan that was hardly audible they soon
found Campbell, but it was an hour or
more before they discovered Wilcox whose
lifeless form was lying at the bottom of the
river When discovered Campbell was in
shopping posture with the sill of a car across
his legs above the knees and pile of stave
bots across his back. 1t took considerable
time to extricate him from the debris, when
it was found that both his legs and one arm
were broken; that he had suffered internal
injuries and was unconscious, in which con.
dition he remained until noon Tuesday
when he breathed'' his last. Immediately
after being taken from the wreck he was
taken to section house near by where,
until his death he was constantly attended
by Drs. Rich and Carter. and also hy DIR.
Masten, of Albany, after the arrival of the
relief train at l o'clock a. m. Tuesday.
With the exception of Rear brakeman r. E.
Fowler, who jumped from the train while 1t
was in the tunnel and was bruised by fall
ing against the timbers, none of the other
trainmen were injured. The body of Viii
cox was brought out OIL No. Tuesday to
bany where the funeral will occur. He
was about % years of age and had been III
the company's employ for some time. The
other victim OF the ill fated train was res
ident of Corvallis where he had been born
and raised He had been in the employ of
the Oregon Pacific for over six years and
was faithful and trusted employee. He
was the fortunate possessor Of many excel
lent traits of character, and was loved and
esteemed by all who knew him and the b.
reaved family have the sympathy of the
entire community.
The cause of the accident is a mystery.
Some are of the opinion that it WAS caused
by the dropping of brakebeam on the
bridge and giving the structure such a
wrench as to cause its collapse. Others re
of the opinion that had the contemplated
Improvements of the new managers of the
road been completed, the accident would
not have happened. Improvements to the
line have been hanging fire for some time on
account of the uncertainty of the appeal
now pending in the supreme court. How
ever. Manager Stone informs a GAZETTE
representative that the company had decided
last week to go ahead with their improve
| ments and take chances on the result of
the pending litigation. With this idea ia
view several hundred thousand feet of
lumber and other bridge material had been
| ordered and work on the road to put it in
| first class condition for summer traffic will
| begi ot once.