The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-13
HE'S CUT TO PIECES
Zacbariah Alexander Ground Under a
B., A. & P. Passenger Train.
WHILE CROSSING THE TRACK
He and Companion in a Cart Had
Reached the Place Just as the
Engine Appeared No Time
to Stop the Cars. fffa

Zachariah Alexander was cut to
pieces by the Anaconda train on the
Il, A. & p. railway at the Washington
street crossing and Maurice Slomwftz,
his companion, had about as narrow
an escape as mortal man ever expert
enced. A two-wheeled cart, in which
the two men were riding, was smashed
into kindling wood, but the horse es-
capped, and 1t is to that fact that Slom-
WITT owes his life.
| Alexander and Slomwitz drove out
to a pasture about three miles beyond
the Beaverhead Butchering COM
pany's slaughter house yesterday after
noon and left a horse and wagon there
They returned together in Slomwitzs
two-wheeled cart and were driving up
washington street towards Alexandres
home when the accident occurred. They
reached the Washington street cross
ing OF the b., A. & y. at a few minutes
after o'clock, and just in time to en-
counter the Anaconda train, which is
due to leave at 5 o'clock. The B., A. &
p. has three tracks at Washington
street, and one or two freight cars were
standing on the lower sidetrack in such
a position as to obstruct the view of
the main line a short distance.
Slomwitz, who was driving, did not
hear or notice the approach of the
passenger train until the horse stepped
on the main line. Then he heard the
whistle blowing and the bell ringing
and glancing up he saw that the train
was almost upon them. He first at
tempted to back the horse off the track,
but quickly changed his mind and gave
the animal a sharp cut with the whip
The horse leaped forward and at al
most the same instant Alexander either
fell or jumped out of the cart and fell
between the rails and only a few feet
in front of the engine. Before he could
make a move to save himself he was
under the wheels. The cart was struck
by the locomotive and broken into
splinters, but Slomwitz hung onto the
reins and the horse dragged him out of
danger. The only injury that he re
ceived was bad bruise on the right
thigh, which he probably received
when he struck the ground after the
cart was knocked from under him.
The appearance of the horse and cart
on the track was so sudden and unex-
pected that the engineer hardly had
time to make a move to prevent the
catastrophe. 1t was too late. He APP
piled the air brakes full force the in
slant the horse appeared on the track
and brought the train to a sudden
standstill.
1t was found that Alexander had
been literally ground to pieces and the
ulUOuy fragments were scattered along
the track for so or 20 feet. Portions of
his skull and brain were found on the
trucks of the third coach from the en-
CINE. The top Of his head was torn off,
both of his feet were cut off and he
was disemboweled. The CHASTITY re-
mains were picked up and placed in a
blanket and were subsequently, taken
in charge by Coroner Richards and re-
moved to the Butte undertaking
rooms.
Slomwitz was taken to Murray q +,
Freund's hospital, where his bruises |
were dressed. Alexander resided at No |
414 South Idaho street, and leaves |
wife and 5-year-old boy. He was q /
years old and had been in Butte about |
three years and a half. His business |
was that of peddler and dealer in |
secondhand goods.
Slomwitz was seen by a Standard re-
porter at Murray & Freund's hospital |
last evening, and told the story Of the |
accident substantially as related |
above.
I'VE were driving up washingtcs
street." he said and the freight cars
on the side track were so situated that
l could not see the passenger train
coming. did not see or hear the train
until the horse was on the track first !
tried to pull him back, but saw ii was
too late and whipped him up. / think
the engine struck me when il smashed
the cart, but hung onto the lines and
the horse jumped and pulled me off the
track. / didn't know whether Alexan-
der jumped or fell out of the cart"
An inquest will be commenced at the
Butte undertaking rooms at 10 o'clock
to- morrow morning. -...