The San Francisco call., 1896-07-26
TRAMPS DITCH
A FREIGHT TRAIN
Their Purpose Was Evi-
IDENTIFY TO Wreck Pas
senger Coaches.
THREE MEN BADLY HURT
The Locomotive Turned a Som.
ersault Down a Steep
Embankment
BETWEEN sUNoL AND NILES,
A Train Was Maliciously Damaged
at the Same Point the Pre-.
viOus Day
BETWEEN sUNoL AND NILES
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALI
908 Broadway, July 25.
A freight train was derailed near Sunol
this afternoon and three men were serious
ly injured. The accident was the result
of an attempt to wreck the train. and is
supposed to be the work of tramps. The
wreck took place three miles west of Sunol.
The freight train was pulling up the grade,
which is very steep at the point, at speed
not exceeding ten miles an hour. Brake
man I. T. Wright was on the engine with
Fireman Charles Hurd and Engineer John
Edwards when suddenly the engine flew
off the track turning completely around,
throwing the occupants fully fifty feet
from the wreck.
An examination was made of the track
Immediately and Il was found that short
piece of rail about foot long had been
placed upon end in such way that the
1ange of the wheel caught it and upset the
locomotive. At this point is curve, and
it is somewhat elevated. The engine
plunged down the embankment hauling
three of the freight cars along with it.
DR.. Webster of Sunol was called and
cared for the injured. Division Superin-
tendent A. D. Wilder was notified at the
pier and called DR.. Olmstead and started
a special train to meet the injured men.
They had been placed upon the caboose
of the wrecked train and hurried toward
Oakland. On their arrival here the
Fabiola ambulance met the train and con-
veyed the injured to the hospital, where
Drs. Olmstead and Meiggs dressed the
wounds. Tonight the men are sleeping
quietly and pronounced entirely out of
danger, although they will be laid up for
some time.
The shock to the nervous system has
been greater than the physical injuries.
T. f. Wright, head brakeman, has sus-
tanned compound fracture of the left leg
which runs into the knee.
Fireman Hurd, while not as seriously
injured as Wright, will be a cripple for
life. His hipbone was badly crushed,
which will result in permanent injury.
John Edwards, the engineer, met with
several bruises and severe scalp wounds.
The officials declare that the cause of
the wreck was an attempt to wreck train
No. 81, which was due, coming down the
hill only few hours later. Had not the
freight come along the passenger train
might have Deen hurled down the en-
bankment and hundreds of lives lost. The
officials claim that tramps are to blame for
the accident.
Only yesterday the air hose and train
were cut near this point, which has been
infested by tramps for some time past.
This was Undoubtedly caused by Iramps,
say the trainmen, in order that they might
get on while the train was stopped for re-
pairs and ride.
The wrecking crew was dispatched, to
the scene of the disaster at clock this
afternoon and is still at work there to-
night at late hour.
They found the engine which had been
running east with its front end turned to
the west. The wrecked cars were first re-
moved which took most of the time
tonight. The crew will work until their
task is finished. which will not be until
late tomorrow, if they manage to get the
locomotive up by that time. The track
was only slightly damaged and can be re-
paired with very little trouble. But the
presence of the wrecking crew will inter-
fere with the running of trains during
Sunday.
The men were as closely guarded to-
night at Fabiola Hospital as used to be
the case at the old Railroad Hospital
under DR.. Woolsey. No one could see the
patients and the nurses refused to carry
message to the doctor, which is an entirely
new state of affairs at that popular insti.
tution