The San Francisco call., 1896-03-09
Flames Licked Up Everything
in Their Path and Para.
1yzed Passengers.
BRAVE CONDUCTOR KINNEY
He Rescued Young Mother With a
Crying Infant in Her
Arms.

SAN DIEGO, CAL, March Sit was In
the nature of a miracle that no one was
killed by the wreck of the Chicago limited
last night near Del Mar. The relief train,
which left just after midnight, reached the
spot at 2:30. and returned 10 this city at
4 80 this morning with the passengers. 1t
was learned that the accident was caused
bv broken fange on the rear trucks of
the tender. The broken wheel ran all
right until a curve was struck few feet
further on, when the trucks flew the track,
finally dropping completely out from
under the tender and smashing into the
baggage car. The engine and tender ran
hundred and fifty feet further. The bag
gage car flew the track to the left and
turned upon its side.
The smoker jumped after it and its
trucks were knocked from under it, leaving
the car halfway across the track upon its
bottom, which saved the lives OF scores of
passengers. The day coach, next to the
smoker, few to the right of the track and
hung in a balance over twenty-foot en-
bankment. The parlor car following was
off the track slightly, but right side up.
The Pullman, the last of the train was all
right, with its trucks off the track.
Hardly had the train stopped before the
baggage car caught fire from the stove
and lamp and rapidly burned. The bag
gageman, King, was near the stove and
was quite badly injured, but was rescued
by the expressman. Conductor Kinney
was thrown against the stove and his arm
cut severely and his head bruised
The expressmen hustled to get out the
treasure-box of Wells, Fargo & Co. and
managed to do so. One or two passengers
came forward and looked for their baggage
and assisted in getting out big trunk.
One sack of MAIL consisting of papers for
National City, was also thrown out.
By this time the fire was so hot that the
men had to abandon the car, and every
thing was lost-the mail, consisting of
fifteen sacks, all the express. vouchers,
papers, books and all the baggage, includ-
ing nineteen bicycles owned by the Stearns
racing team, valued at almost $4,000. The
baggage car was smashed almost to
kindling wood and it burned with great
rapidity. The smoker was also badly
smashed, though it stood upright. There
were only five or six passengers in it and
they we're uninjured, though some of the
men were so badly scared that they stood
still and yelped like whipped puppies.
There was only one woman's scream
heard during the wreck and that was
young mother crying for her baby, which
had been hurled from her arms.
The day coach was almost full of people,
and as iG turned upon its side the sound of
breaking glass was heard here and there
yrh nj
Conductor Kinney, with great GOODNESS,
wounded as he was, hurried to this car,
and, breaking open a window, called to the
occupants to learn if they were all right.
He got a CHEEKY response, and then, as
sisted by others, he lifted the passengers
out through the windows. All got out
without injury, though many were slightly
cut or bruised, as was discovered after the
excitement was over.
AS soon as the passengers were rescued
from the day coach and it was learned that
nobody was hurt beyond Baggageman
King and Conductor Kinney, attention
was paid to saving the train from burning.
1t was found that the guard chains and
couplings held the cars fast, and the great
weight of the poised day coach frightened
these couplings so that nothing could be
done to separate the cars. The smoker
began to burn and the flames were attack
ing the day coach, when Conductor Kin
ney, alert through it all, made another
round of the coaches to see if all the pas
sengers were out.
In the day coach, crouching in one of
the seats, he found woman tightly clasp
ing her baby to her breast, ana so fright
ened that she was paralyzed. Calling a
passenger or two the conductor went down
and rescued the woman and her baby,
hardly before the flames reached the seat
where she was crouchng.
Another careful search was made of all