The herald., 1895-10-12
DOWN TAE EMBANKMENT
Narrow Escape of Many
People From Death
SOUTHERN PACIFIC TRAIN WRECKED
The Engine Is Derailed and
Falls Six Feet
THE FIREMAN PINNED UNDER
He Is Rescued Before Being Scalded
The United States Mail Car Was Turned
over on Its Side
Clerk Hilton Has Two Ribs Broken Others
nore or Less Injured-Englneer Bair
and Fireman Hers Stories
THE FIREMAN PINNED UNDER
He Is Rescued Before Being Scalded
to Death
The United States Mail Car Was Turned
over on Its Side
Clerk Hilton Has Two Ribs Broken Others
r1ore or Less Injured-Engineer Balr
and Fireman Hers Stories

There was a wreck on the Southern
Pacific railroad at 30 a. m. yester day
at point three miles north of Lang's
station and forty-fve miles north of Los
Angeles that resulted in no loss of life.
This latter fact is most remarkable dis
pensation OF providence.
The engine attached to passenger train
No. 10, which was due at the Arcade de-
port at 80 a. LII. left the track and rolled
down an mban nix m ent six feet high, turn.
ing completely over and resting bottom
side up.
The tender came pushing on and turned
crosswse of the track.
The mail car struck the tander, left the
track and passed on until it was parallel
with the engine, then it turned sideways
and rested against the embankment on
the opposite side of the track from the
engine.
One wheel on the front truck of the ex-
press car left the track but beyond this
there was no damage to the train. The
baggage car, two coaches and sleeper that
not leave the track. Had they done so the
loss of life would have been frightfui to
contemplate.
THE INJURED.
The man who IS the worst sufferer by
the wreck is Fireman J. D. Tier. His left
foot is badly crushed and he is bruised
and scratched all over his body. Chief
Clerk Charles Hilton of the railway mail
service hau two ribs broken and was
bruised and scratched. Engineer Darius
H. Bair had his right shoulder badly
sprained and it will be some days before
he will be able to use his right arm.
"A. B. Truckey, the Wells Fargo express
messenger, Is also bruised and scratched.
THE CAUSE A MYSTERY.
How the wreck really occurred is q
mystery which will perhaps never be
Known. Enginse Bair does not know
the cause of it, nor does Fireman Her.
They are the only two men who could
give an explanation and they are totally
in the dark ON the subject.
The train, with its 200 passengers, was
winding its way through Soiedad canyon
at the rate Of fifteen miles an hour
There are thirteen bridges to be crossed
in the canyon. They are all of steel upon
cement foundations. Several bridges had
been passed. The engine had just left
one bridge and was rounding curve. OF
a sudden 1t tipped. Instinotively En-
gineer Barr grabbed the lever and applied
the air. But it did not stop the engine
IN its fall. 1t rolled down the embank-
ment. The cab was all broken and
crushed and the wreck of the iron horse
was completes.
Neither the engineer nor Fireman Her
had time to jump. They both staid with
the engine and were buried in the wreck.
Engineer Bar fell on top OF Fireman
Her. His shoes scratched up Hers face.
Bar was not entangled. He crawled out
the danriS a q he COn6 altar bo
engine ceased rolling. Her did not fare
SO we'll. HIS left foot was caught be-
tween a wooden crossb piece and the
quadrant and there he was securely
pinned down.
STEAM ESCAPED.
In the descent steam gauge broke off
and the escaping steam struck Hers back
with full force. He could reach his coat
and did 30. With this he protected his
back. The wonder is that he was not
scalded to death. and he would have been
had it not been for the fact that cushions
were brought from the coaches and his
body protected until he could be Dug out
OF the wreck. :
In few minutes the engine was COM
rletely enveloped in a cloud vf steam.
The first thing that was dons by the
Hers life. This could only be done by
getting him out of the reach of the dead
ly steam. The boiler was liable to burst
at any moment and then the fate of the
unfortunate fireman would certainly
rave been sealed.
WILLING RESCUERS
Willing hands commenced the work of
rescue Passengers crowded around offer-
ing suggestions OF all kinds. delaying the
labor upon which mans life depended.
But it SO happened that there was one
cool-headed man in the party. He has
railroaded for thirty years and he knew
exactly what to do. His name Is Charles
l.. Heartt. He is member of the A. r.
u, and one of the men blacklisted from
the fact of his connection with the above
named organization.
In order to get the excited and nervous
passengers out OF the way, MI. Heartt
burst IN three minutes
The crowd scattered in about as ilany
seconds. This gave the rescuers, under
the direction of Mr.. Heartt. a chance to
work without delay or interruption.
Axea and SAWS were procured. All the
wood covering Fireman Her was cleared
away. The crossbar which was under
his foot was sawed in two. This afforded
purchase by which bar could BIZ in
serted and the quadrant which held his
foot down could be lifted SO that he could
withdraw tho jured member.
ILER RESCUED
This is what was done. The quadrant
was lifted and the blood went circulating
through Hers foot. For fifteen minutes
the circulation had been cut off. The
foot was dead. Before Her could pull it
out the quadrant slipped off the iron bar