The San Francisco call., 1896-03-03
Two Are so Badly Manned That
Their Recovery Is Not
Probable.
CAUGHT BY HEAVY TIMBERs
The Strength of Several Teams OF
Horses Not Sufficient to Extri.
cate Them.

STOCKTON, CAL, March "A disas-
trous collision which resulted in serious
injury to three men, two of whom will
probably die, occurred this morning
shortly after o'clock in front of the
Southern Pacific passenger depot and IN
sight of a hundred spectators. Train No.
107, regular freight bound for Sacra-
mento, was on a sidetrack ready to start
for the capital city, when the switch engine
came along on the main line at full speed.
In an instant the engine dashed through
the open switch and crashed into the
freight with a report that was heard blocks
away.
Bert Bonney, the engineer on the switch
engine, saw what was coming and tried to
reverse his engine, but it WAS too late.
He remained in his cab and received only
slight injuries.
George h. James, the fireman, and
Harry Vizelich, a brakemen, who were in
the cab of the switch engine, tried to es-
cape, but only reached the step of the cab,
when the tender caught them and pinned
then between the heavy timbers.
Every effort to extricate the injured
trainmen was without avail for nearly
"
from the cab were unavailing. Several
teams of horses were hitched to the tender
but could not move it. Then an engine
was sent from the roundhouse and at
tached to the tender with heavy chains,
but the chains snapped and it was seen
that the men would have to be extricated
by other methods. An attempt was made
to saw off the side OF the cab against which
James was resting, and soon the saw struck
iron rods. Then heavy plank was Sc
cured to pry off the side of the cab.
BY this time thousands had gathered to
watch the operation of the releasing OF
the pinioned trainmen. Finally the side
of the cab was pried off and James re-
leased. The crowd cheered as he was
pulled from between the cab and the
tender The fireman was gritty to the
last. He never groaned but once, when
the chains snapped letting the tender
back closer on him.
All this time Vizelich was being crushed
between the cab and tender at the other
side. Attempts to pry them apart were
unsuccessful at first, but finally, after
working half hour, he was released.
Like James, he never murmured.
He was carried TO his home near
the railway track, where it was
found that his right leg was broken four
inches above the knee, the flesh of the
right knee crushed to a jelly and the flesh
of the right thigh pinched off the bones.
He is probably injured internally as we'll.
James is even more seriously hurt.
His right leg is broken in three places
once two and a half inches above the
knee, again three inches higher and again
between that and the upper thigh. He is
also injured internally. Amputation will
probably follow in the cases of both men
and they will probably Gle.
Engineer Charles w. Pool of train No.
107 was knocked senseless, and his head
lacerated.
James lives at 1913 Williams street,
Oakland. Vizelich is a Stockton boy.
Pool lives at Sacramento.
The engines were smashed and battered
and late this afternoon were hauled to
Sacramento for repairs. The responsible
ity for the accident has not yet been fixed.
1t will fall, however, on the trainmen, who,
according to the railroad regulations,
should have closed the switch.