The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-01
JUST SAW THE HEADLIGHT
Then Dougherty's Team Was slaugh-
tered hy the OncnrnEucr Train


A besa I'D train rounding a curve at fun
speed. driver on the track with his
wagon and team fnll in front Of TIE head
light, q quick leap from narrowly aver-ei
death, smashed wagon and a pair OF r1sg-
tilated horses made Up rather a tragic
scene at the foot or University street last
night.
The driver was James Dougherty, who
- employed b. the Sleookun Manufactur-
ing Company. About $50 o clock he turn
ed into University stree. from Front on
mis- way 10 the barn, 10 which there ~ TO
means OF approach except aloa. Railroad
avenue on reaching the foot of the
street, he stopped his team for a moment
The first track. the one nearest him. was
clear. On the second track a long freight
train vas switching so3st bwar3 lie turn
ed his team northwari and started along
the clear track. but had hardly driven lel
fest when there flashed full In his face
the headlight OF a locomotive not 100 yards
away. IL was the Great Northern over
land train. nearly five hours late Dough-
ersy was in an awful situation. and he had
hardly a moment TO think. He first tried
TO turn, but found himself hem-ned IN by
a long freight train on his left and en-
open trestie yawning on his right. He
then began backing his team. and as the
horses were well trained he made good
progress, but she train was upon him. an1
he had 70 jump TO save his life. The leap
was 3 perIsous enc. His wagon was NOV
Ing and the hind wheels had left the ira, K
and struck against a stringeT. The space
into which he had 10 leap was the six
feet between the moving freight on his
left and rae flying engine laundering down
upon him in front. AS he jumped he was
struck on the shoulder by something. he
does not know what. and knocked into a
dazed condition. Almost simultaneously
the engine struck the team. Both horses
were injured. but one was torn loose from
the wagon, and regaining his feet gal
Hoped off down rho avenue. where he was
caught by a small boy and returned 20
his owner. The other horse Jared worse
having one leg entirely cut off, and being
otherwise so mutilated that officer Hadee
had TO shoot him 10 end his pain One
wheel of the wagon was flung far out On
the trestle. The rest Of the wagon was
caught up and dragged along with the
POOR horse still hanging to il It'll 4; Was
deposited as a heap of wreckage al the
foot az the bridge.
When Dougherty was seen by A report
or last night his mind was somewhat d.
vided between regret over the loss of his
fine team, and joy over his own escape.
THE first hint Of danger | had" he said
was the flash If the headlight. / had
often driven along that very track at
night knowing there was no train due at
that time. ] didn't know the overland was
late. j drove very carefully. and stopped
before going on the track. 20 make sure
that the coast was clear. The whole thing
was so sudden that / hardly remember
much except that l tried to turn and
couldn't; then 1 backed little way, and
had TO jump"
The engine on the overland was No.
$50, with Engineer Vestus Quinby at the
throttle. The short distance which sepa-
rated him from Dougherty when he first
saw the latter made 1t impossible for him
TO stop his train.